Ozara finds room and finds the wire in the De La Rose (Susie Raisher)
Mary Eddy/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Cheyenne Stables’ Ozara found enough late to nail pacesetter Spinning Colors in the shadow of the wire in the second of two divisions of the Listed $135,000 De La Rose, a one-mile inner turf route restricted to older fillies and mares who have not won a graded stake in 2024-25, on Thursday’s Opening Day card at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Miguel Clement and expertly piloted by Dylan Davis, Ozara earned her second stakes win this year to go with a 1 1/2-length coup of Gulfstream Park’s Monroe in April. She entered from a game third-place effort in the Grade 3 Eatontown on June 14 at Monmouth Park where she finished 2 1/2 lengths back of the victorious Whiskey Decision after being outkicked in the lane.
Ozara would not be outkicked again under the well-timed ride from the inside post under Davis, who placed the 4-year-old Lope de Vega bay in third position early to the inside of Movin’ On Up as the New York-bred Spinning Colors swept to the front under Hall of Famer John Velazquez to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.74 seconds over the firm footing.
Movin’ On Up did just that approaching the turn, making a bold and wide move under Irad Ortiz, Jr. after the half-mile in 47.51 to loom large as Do Gooder split rivals and Ozara was in need of room along the inside. Movin’ On Up appeared poised to sweep right by Spinning Colors, but the pacesetter dug in gamely as those two brushed together after three-quarters in 1:11.35.
Davis had the perfect path open up with the top pair coming together, and made the quick decision to angle his charge around them, giving Ozara clear running room as Movin’ On Up and Spinning Colors slugged it out inside the eighth pole.
Spinning Colors successfully thwarted the bid of Movin’ On Up, but there was no denying the momentum of Ozara as she edged clear to the half-length score in a final time of 1:34.25.
Movin’ On Up was a neck better than the late-running Fun With Flags with Poca Mucha, Charlottesapproval and Do Gooder completing the order of finish. Storm Miami and main track-only entrants Bernietakescharge, Zadorsky and Prides Crossing were scratched.
“She’s great. She is very consistent,” Clement said of the now six-time winning Ozara. “She’s got tactical speed, a great turn of foot.”
Clement praised the ride from Davis, who was back aboard after riding the filly early in her career.
“I thought Dylan gave her a brilliant ride, saving every inch of ground,” Clement said. “The turf course is very speed-favoring still. I think being forwardly placed made the difference today.
“I said, ‘you have a great draw, break well, try to get position and ride the rail as long as you can.’ And he did a brilliant job,” Clement added. “It was as picture perfect of a textbook ride that you could do, I thought in my opinion, at least. She’s a good filly.”
Davis said he chose to use the inside post to his advantage.
“She broke great. Being in the one-hole is a tough position to be in, but the one to break forward in and get in a good spot,” Davis explained. “She got in a good rhythm into the backside and just tracking Johnny. I thought he [Velazquez] had a little bit of horse to work with and Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] made his move around the bend and caused Johnny to get going. It created a gap for me to get outside and Ozara was there for me, she responded greatly and was able to switch over to the right lead and she responded enough just to get it done.”
The win was meaningful to Davis, who said he was excited to kick off the Saratoga meet with a stakes win on Opening Day.
“Incredible. I know we were here a few times already but Day One today and happy to be here and get the first winner right off the duck,” Davis said. “I enjoy every moment every day here…any win is special up here – a stake race is a more special race and [I’m] happy to get my maiden win off that. Let’s continue on and see what the Saratoga meet has to offer.”
Bred in Ireland by Fleche D’Or Partnership, Ozara is out of the winning Acclamation mare Cercle d’Or and was a $416,346 purchase from Book 1 of the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. She banked $74,250 in victory while returning $10.20 on a $2 win ticket.
Live racing resumes Friday at Saratoga with a 10-race card, featuring the Grade 3, $175,000 Coronation Cup in Race 7. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
