For the Week of: 08/14/2023 through 08/20/2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
SAR5:081723 – #1 Flowers for Me, ridden patiently by Dylan Davis, broke cleanly and was content to stay tight to the rail in third, about three lengths behind the leaders down the backstretch and through much of the turn. As this filly approached the head of the lane, Davis swung her out into the two path and she steadily gained ground, putting her head in the lead about a furlong out and the she went on to score by two lengths on the wire. This gal was 10/1 on the morning line and actually drifted up to go off at odds of 13/1 by the time the bell went off, so she paid a very handsome $28.80 for all $2W tickets. As far as time, she ran into the moderate fractions of 22.26, 46.08 and 58.91 and stopped the final timer in 1:12.96 for the six furlongs over the dirt. Her Equibase Speed Fig was calculated to be 70. My pick – #6 Accommodate Eva – sat far off the pace before making a sustained, but underwhelming move, which started half way around the bend and she ultimately finished third. Learnings – after coming off her debut performance where she got beat by 10 lengths, I don’t see a path for me to have backed this winning filly who is trained by James Ryerson. Though she was never going to win, I do think that Accommodating Eva will improve next out as she seemed to always be stuck between and behind horses.
SAR1:081923 – This is a race that we were looking forward to immediately upon seeing all the quality that was entered in this field. We absolutely were needing a win and our pick – #1 Risk It – definitely got the job done (and then some). Tyler Gaffalione wasted no time hustling this good lookin chestnut colt to the lead. From there he set very solid fractions of 22.60, 46.00 and 58.14, before putting up a final time of a nifty 1:10.75 for the six panels on dirt. If that doesn’t impress you, how about his EBSF of 91? Very impressive, in my book. Plus, he looked quite professional and Tyler never struck him with the crop – instead, he just shook the reins a couple of times down the lane and this dude by Gun Runner kicked it strong to win by 4 ½ easy lengths. I fingered him when he was 4/1 on the Morning Line, but he got bet down to odds of 8/5 and paid $5.30 to his $2W backers. A big congrats to Silks’ owner – BSSilks Stables – you may just have a beast on the leash. Learnings – This guy had it all, owner, trainer, jock, sire, works and big interest at the sales. I would not be surprised if he made some waves in the two-year-old stakes races later this year.
SAR2:081923 – I was hoping to string together a pair of wins, but my pick – #4 Buffoon – was scratched as this one got moved from the turf to the dirt. #5 Dancing Groom – piloted by Irad and sired by Spendthrift Farm’s fabulous debut sire – Vino Rosso – meanwhile broke without incident and then was allowed to settle in clear of others about five lengths off the lead down the back stretch while the leaders clicked off a modest 24.03 second opening quarter. Irad sat pretty chilly until they started around the turn and then he and The Groom began to make up ground on the outside with the half going in 47.70 seconds. This handsome colt, trained by Antonio Sano, kept rollin down the straight to score by five lengths in the final time of 1:39.24 for the one-mile contest (73 EBSF). He paid $11.40 to win on $2 tickets. Zenyatta is the fortunate owner of this fella in the Game of Silks – well done – way to go! Learnings – When Irad chooses to ride for a non-top tier trainer (no disrespect to Sano), you need to stand up and take notice, especially when the horse is coming off a less than impressive initial performance.
The Spa has a few NY Bred, juvenile MSW races on tap on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday, however, shows two of ‘our races’ (2YO MSW, unrestricted) on the docket, so we will be gearing up for those, here on Travers Week. Thanks, as always, for being the best part of what we do – stay safe and keep cashing tickets, my Superstar Edgies.
