Pop Idol leads throughout in the Galway (Susie Raisher)
Christian Abdo/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – R. A. Hill Stable and trainer George Weaver’s Pop Idol led from gate-to-wire to win Thursday’s Listed $150,000 Galway, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
The Maclean’s Music bay was one of four contestants for Weaver as she made her first start since winning the six-furlong Shady Well in November over the Woodbine Tapeta while in the care of Katerina Vassilieva. She returned victoriously off the over eight-month layoff with a successful sophomore debut at odds of 17-1.
“It seemed to me that she ran the best,” Weaver said. “She broke running and I told them all to go out there and try to stay out of each other’s way and ride a natural race. She broke on the lead and kept going, saved ground.
“Everybody asked me about these fillies, and I said, ‘every one of them has a chance to win, I sincerely believe that.’ If you like one at 7-2 or 4-1, well here’s one at 16 or 17-1,” Weaver added.
Piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Pop Idol emerged alertly from the inside post and took early command while Magnolia Prime applied pressure from the outermost ninth post through an opening quarter-mile in 21.56 seconds on the firm turf.
Pop Idol led in the turn while Magnolia Prime remained close along with a host of pursuers in behind readying for their runs, including Delightful Flame and Weaver stablemate Regalton, as well as the Weaver-trained Laurice launching a wide bid and 2-1 favorite Love Cervere following suit on the extreme outside.
“She was pretty strong in the first part, so I tried to rate her the best I can and save something for the end and she gave it all,” Velazquez said. “I was waiting the whole time. I was waiting until we turned for home to let her run and she responded.”
At the stretch call, through a half-mile in 44.61, Pop Idol still held a 1 1/2-length lead over the rallying favorite Love Cervere, but it looked like she had her work cut out for her as nearly the entire field was fanned out and in with a chance.
Pop Idol, encouraged by Velazquez, responded along the rail and kept daylight back to Love Cervere and the oncoming Abientot who emerged as a late danger under Dylan Davis from last. Abientot surged nearing the wire but there was no catching Pop Idol, who won by one length in a final time of 1:02.13.
Love Cervere was a half-length back of Abientot in third, finishing a nose better than the Weaver-trained New York-bred Silsbee. Laurice, Magnolia Prime, Make Haste, Regalton and Delightful Flame completed the order of finish.
Twirling Beauty, Proud Starlet, Roja, Luna Louska, as well as main track-only entrants Hollygrove, Flat Out Time and Stone Smuggler were scratched.
Weaver said he was impressed by Pop Idol’s showing off the bench.
“I thought she was a work or two short,” Weaver said. “You have to take your opportunities with the 3-year-olds, especially the fillies and pile up as much black type as you can and hope when they have to run against 3-and-up they can carry on their form. I was glad to win and feel bad none of the other ones hit the board, but it is what it is, and they all deserved a shot.”
Dylan Davis said the dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse-trained Abientot could use more distance. He piloted her to a third place finish over course and distance last out in the Grade 3 Coronation Cup on July 11 here, and navigated her elusive stakes victory in the six-furlong Grade 3 Matron in October at Belmont at the Big A.
“I enjoy riding her. She’s good. She’s not that big, but she’s definitely fast. Five-and-a-half is just short for her, period, but she always comes with a great run, great heart and a strong finish,” said Davis. “I was a little wide last time I thought, chasing a little bit, so I tried to go inside and wait a little longer, and everyone was getting jammed up, so I ended up having to go back outside. I saved ground the whole turn, so it evened out pretty well. She ran great.”
Pop Idol, bred in Ontario by Christine Hayden, is out of the Grade 3-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Unspurned and was a $150,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. She banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 7-4-0-1 and returning $37.60 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Friday with a 10-race card featuring the Grade 2 Ballston Spa in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
