Jody’s Pride pulls away to win her debut by 10 ½ lengths (NYRA/Coglianese)
For the Week of 08/07/2023 through 08/13/2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
SAR6:080923 – This event was taken off of the turf and a bevy of scratches ensued – only six fillies ended up competing. Our Pick – #4 Mia Marcela – broke alertly and held a short lead while carving out the first quarter in 21.89 and the half went in 45.60. #7 Jody’s Pride – trained by George Weaver and ridden by Flavien Prat – collared our pick after 3/8 of a mile before she really turned up her engines storming off to an eventual score of more than 10 lengths in a time of 1:05.50 for the 5 ½ furlongs and a rockin Equibase Speed fig of 90. She paid a scant $5.30 for $2W tickets. Mia Marcela held on for the runner-up money.
Learnings – Over the previous five years at Saratoga, Weaver was only 1 for 31 with First-Time Starters in our 2YO MSW races. This American Pharoah filly is apparently special and we look for big things from her going forward.
SAR1:081023 – Three scratches in this one left another field of six juvenile gals. #8 Seven Natty Patty and #6 Honey Dijon both broke fast and those two battled down the backstretch and for most of the turn before #6 Honey Dijon gained the lead shortly after turning for home and drew off by nearly six lengths at the wire. Our Pick – #4 Into Stars – stalked the leaders and then passed everyone except the winner to finish a well beaten second. The fractions went in 22.76, 46.29, 58.84 and the victress’ final time was 1:05.31, which only earned an EBSF of 72. Like above, the stingy reward for a $2W wager on her was only worth $5.30.
Learnings – Conditioner Joe Sharp also did not have a stellar record in two-year-old Maiden Special Weight races coming into this one, as he was only 4 for 31 (12.9%) from 2018 thru 2022, but he certainly had this Girvin colt wired for speed today.
SAR2:081223 – To get the bad news out of the way right out of the gate, our pick – #2 Revelatory – did not run a step. Ugh. However, George Weaver again went against the trend and scored with the FTS – #4 Good Lord Lorrie. Jose Ortiz gave him a very patient ride, allowing him to settle in fifth down the backstretch and on the turn, before spinning to the outside near the head of the lane and with an impressive turn of foot, ran down the 6/5 favorite – #7 Ocean Mermaid – to put up a one-length victory. The fractions were honest to run into, but not sizzling – 22.75, 45.99 and 57.55 – and he put up a final time of 1:03.39 (strong 83 EBSF). $10.60 was the reward to his backers at the $2W amount.
Learnings – Clearly, Weaver can win with juvenile firsters here at The Spa. This gave him more winners with 2YO Maiden Special Weight runners at first asking in three days (2) than he had over the previous five years (1).
SAR5:081223 – #5 Deterministic gave Christophe Clement his fifth 2YO MSW winner of the meet (three wins in the conditioner’s last four starts). This colt was in no hurry to bust down the starting gate, as he got away rather tardy. He only had two horses beat down the backstretch run, five or six lengths off the lead that went in 22.77, 45.91 and 1:10.93. He started to get underway late in the turn and then was wheeled to the outside by his pilot, Joel Rosario. From there he put his head down and set his sights on the leader and eventually caught him to win by ½ length. His final time for the difficult distance of seven furlongs was 1:24.18 for a solid 81 EBSF. At the windows, his supporters received $9.10 for every $2 they plunked down on his nose to win. Our pick – #8 Informed Patriot – set the pace, but faded in the stretch to finish fourth.
Learnings – I’m kicking myself for missing this one. He was tied as the top seller as a yearling last year by his sire and that is always a big key for me that I like to play. Plus, as mentioned above, Clement is hot and his charges definitely need to be respected, every time out.
SAR1:081323 – Again, to start with the downside, I was quite disappointed with our pick – #1 Exhilarate. Bottom line, she didn’t do much running at all and only beat two horses in the end. On the flip side of the coin – #6 Wonder Ride – ran a game race to score by ½ length in this seven-furlong affair over the dirt. The winner gained the lead shortly after the break, but Julien Leparoux let two other runners pass him as he settled her down on the rail. They moved to the two path at the head of the stretch in order to make their run, but the hole closed and Julien had to move out a lane to find racing room. Once there was room, she made a nice, steady run to hit the wire first in the time of 1:24.60, posting a fine EBSF of 81. The fractions were ticked off in: 23.13, 46.09 and 1:11.21. The mutual board was friendly, returning $22.40 for the minimum win ticket.
Learnings – Trainer Ken McPeek was only 8.0% (2 for 25) with 2YOs on debut over the previous five years, but his colt is by Gun Runner and his mom scored in a G3 and was 2 for 2 as a baby.
We’ll be back after it again this week slinging you all the first-level intel on these magical two-year-olds. Until then, all the best and stay safe, my Wonderful Edgies.
