A.P. Kid. (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
By Brian Bohl
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Donegal Racing’s A.P. Kid’s first foray into stakes company featured a surface change and a step up in company. Neither were impediments to the lightly raced son of Honor A.P., who seemed to get stronger as the race went along in drawing away from talented New York-bred Mi Bago in the stretch en route to a 6 1/4-length score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Pennine Ridge for sophomores on Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga Race Course.
Originally slated for 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf, the 12th edition of the Pennine Ridge was moved to one mile on the dirt from the Wilson Chute following heavy rain in the Saratoga Springs region. Four scratches followed the race being taken off the turf, with Tom’s Magic joining the top-three morning-line favorites, including three-time graded stakes-winner Zulu Kingdom, Flying Mohawk and States’ Rights in forgoing the Pennine Ridge that was contested on a muddy and sealed main track.
A.P. Kid, led by the Hall of Fame tandem of trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez, was forwardly placed in second position as Mi Bago led the field of six through the opening quarter-mile in 23.64 seconds and the half in 46.92. At the top of the stretch, A.P. Kid showed an ability to close on dirt, easily overtaking Mi Bago from the outside and finishing strong to the wire in a 1:36.83 final time.
Mi Bago, a four-time stakes winner on turf for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and the 6-5 favorite, finished 3 1/2-lengths clear of Golden Channel for runner-up honors, while Noble Confessor, Bulldoze and Thirteen Colonies completed the order of finish.
A.P. Kid, who struggled running sixth in his debut in February at Gulfstream Park going one mile on the main track, posted a maiden-breaking 2 1/2-length score in March at Gulfstream when switched to turf. The Kentucky bred was elevated to stakes company for the prestigious Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and is now a dual-surface winner after adapting to changing circumstances.
“He’s a colt we’ve always thought a lot of,” Pletcher said. “He just recently disappointed us in his debut, so we switched to the grass, and it worked out, but he had been training so well on the dirt that we decided to give him another try. We were a little unsure of the sloppy conditions, but we certainly felt like we needed to take a chance. I’m not sure where to [go] after this. We’ll see how he comes out of it and come up with a game plan.”
Off at 3-1, A.P. Kid returned $8.80 on a $2 win bet. Bred by Parks Investment Group, he massively increased his career earnings with the victory, bringing his bankroll to $207,700.
“Broke really well. I knew the one speed in the race,” Velazquez said. “Then I sat perfectly where I wanted to be out in the clear. He responded to everything I wanted to do. It is so nice when everything works out the way that it worked out with this horse today.”
Donegal Racing’s Jerry Crawford said the fact that A.P. Kid had competed on both turf and dirt helped his charge’s adaptability, and praised New York racing for the festive atmosphere.
“First of all, we love the New York Racing Association and we love Saratoga, as you can see from the crowd we have here today,” Crawford said. “We’ll have this kind of crowd most days during the summer meet, as well. I can’t say enough about how well we’re treated here. It makes it a pleasure to come and to bring your partners here, because, after all, without them there’s nothing to do.
“He had been on the turf once and he had been on the dirt once,” Crawford added. “His dirt race was abysmal, and his turf race was elegant, so naturally we wanted to bring him back on the turf. Watching him today, how do you say what he is other than pretty damn good.”
Gary Barber’s Mi Bago, bred in the Empire State by Highclere, Inc., has finished first or second in four of his last six starts.
“It was a good trip,” said Mi Bago rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. “Trust me, I think it was the surface, maybe. The surface, with the race on dirt. I think he is better on the turf. I tried to save him. I tried to save him for his run. The surface. His run on the dirt was not the same kick.”
Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga Race Course for Closing Day of the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. The 13-race card features a rescheduled pair of Grade 1 turf events in the 5 1/2-furlong $500,000 Jaipur [Race 12] – a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint; and the $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan [Race 13], which has been moved from the Mellon turf to the inner turf course and shortened from 1 3/16-miles to nine furlongs. Also featured are the off-the-turf Grade 3, $175,000 Soaring Softly in Race 7 and the $150,000 Jersey Girl in Race 9. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern. Admission gates will open to the public at 11 a.m.
