Future Is Now conquers the Caress (Janet Napolitano)
Keith McCalmont/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Estate of R. Larry Johnson’s Maryland-homebred Future Is Now avenged a half-length defeat last out here in the Grade 2 Intercontinental with a determined half-length score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Caress, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Michael Trombetta and piloted by Paco Lopez, the 5-year-old Great Notion mare exited post 2-of-9 last out when a half-length second to one of five returning rivals including the victorious Pipsy, who left post 6 in the June 5 Intercontinental.
The tables were turned in the Caress as Future Is Now was drawn in post 7 directly outside Pipsy and found herself in a good stalking position in second as Twirling Queen rocketed through splits of 21.15 seconds and 43.59 over the firm turf. A stubborn Twirling Queen kept finding at the top of the lane, but Future Is Now continued to grind away to her outside and got up to score in a final time of 1:01.08.
“A perfect trip today,” Lopez said. “Last time, I had a very bad trip, and I was inside, no choice but to be inside, and today, perfect trip with the same fillies. Better position, I break and nobody wants to go. I let her go. Why wait?”
The Junior Alvarado-piloted Zeitlos, who was last-of-9 early, rallied stoutly down the lane, splitting Kairyu and Obstreperous, to earn place honors by a neck over fellow closer Time to Dazzle with Twirling Queen a nose back in fourth. Kairyu and Pandora’s Gift dead-heated for fifth with Toupie, Pipsy and Obstreperous rounding out the order of finish. Main-track only entrants Halina’s Forte, Little Prankster and the aptly-named Caress were scratched.
A claim of foul by Dylan Davis, rider of Time to Dazzle, against the winner for interference at the quarter-pole – where Time to Dazzle was on the heels of Pipsy – was dismissed.
Alvarado said the Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen-trained Zeitlos, winner of the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America on dirt in October at Keeneland, was gallant in defeat.
“I was last, so I knew they were going to be quicker than me, so we were hoping they went fast enough, which they did, but she came with a run,” Alvarado said. “I got a beautiful trip. Turning for home, I had to split two horses, and she came through it, and she finished up strong. We were just second best today.”
Future Is Now picked up her sixth career stakes win and added to previous graded scores last year in the Grade 2 Intercontinental here and the Grade 2 Franklin in October at Keeneland. She launched her current campaign with a victory in Keeneland’s Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway ahead of her runner-up effort in the Intercontinental.
Trombetta, who was full of praise for the hard-trying mare, said having an outside post worked to their advantage today.
“He [Lopez] was happy to have it [post 7] and I think that just gives him options,” Trombetta said. “It always gives you a chance to recover if you don’t get away as good as you want, whereas if you are inside, it can be detrimental. She broke good enough, he didn’t have to chase her off her feet, and obviously he was able to have horse.
“She has been a gem,” Trombetta added. “She is easy to train, does everything right. She shows up almost every time.”
Trombetta said Future Is Now could return to the Spa for a title defense in the 5 1/2-furlong $150,000 Listed Smart and Fancy next on August 15.
“That is what we did last year. We’ll see how she bounces out of it and then plan what is left of the season,” Trombetta said. “This season comes and goes pretty quickly, so ultimately, we want to possibly do that, and try to get to Keeneland again in the fall.”
Future Is Now banked $96,250 in victory while improving her record to 17-9-2-1. She returned $6.40 to win as the slight 2-1 favorite. Future Is Now, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Call Another Play and multiple stakes-placed Continentalcongres, is out of the Trombetta-trained Johnson homebred Past as Prelude, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Street Magician.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring the Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss in Race 9. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
