Ramblin’ Wreck (outside) gets the Rick Violette win via disqualification (NYRA/Coglianese)
By Mary Eddy – NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles and Patty Searles’ Ramblin’ Wreck crossed the wire a nose behind Let’s Go Big Blue in Thursday’s $125,000 Rick Violette, but was elevated to victory due to interference in deep stretch of the 1 1/16-mile Mellon turf test for New York-bred sophomores at Saratoga Race Course to earn his second career stakes victory.
Trained by Danny Gargan, Ramblin’ Wreck rallied from last with an explosive turn of foot under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and appeared poised to run down fellow closer Let’s Go Big Blue in the final sixteenth, but was carried out by his rival after he drifted out under Jose Lezcano. A stewards’ inquiry, jockey’s objection and trainer’s objection led to the disqualification of the George Weaver-trained Let’s Go Big Blue.
“We were going by and the horse came out and bumped us,” said Gargan. “He came out three paths and stopped his momentum. We lost by a nose when the horse came out and bumped us.
“I think it cost us the win. When these colts and geldings get next to each other, they want to lay on each other,” Gargan added. “We lost half a stride and we didn’t even get beat a half-length. I think the stewards made the right call. That cost us the nose we lost by.”
Ramblin’ Wreck emerged slowly from the inside post and was last in the six-horse field as Vacation Dance made the lead with Itsallcomintogetha racing wide in pursuit of the front through an opening quarter-mile in 24.61 seconds over the good footing.
Itsallcomintogetha raced a half-length behind Vacation Dance in second down the backstretch as Let’s Go Big Blue and Ramblin’ Wreck trailed the field with the half-mile in 48.41. Itsallcomintogetha was given his cue by Jose Gomez and took command mid-turn as Let’s Go Big Blue began a strong rally and picked off rivals as he circled the field.
Ramblin’ Wreck went widest of all exiting the turn and had his sights sets on Let’s Go Big Blue, who assumed command from Itsallcomintogetha at the top of the lane and attempted to draw off under left-handed encouragement from Lezcano. With Ramblin’ Wreck bearing down on his outside, Let’s Go Big Blue drifted out late and impeded the path of Ramblin’ Wreck while hanging on to cross the wire first in a final time of 1:41.40 before his subsequent disqualification.
In the opinion of the Board of Stewards, Let’s Go Big Blue drifted out under a left-handed crop, forcing Ramblin’ Wreck to lose ground, which cost him a placing.
Willintoriskitall came on late to secure show honors 5 1/2 lengths back of Ramblin’ Wreck with Itsallcomintogetha, King of Comedy and Vacation Dance completing the order of finish.
The Spa’s current meet-leading rider Ortiz, Jr, who notched his 10th stakes win of the meet, said he felt Ramblin’ Wreck would coast by Let’s Go Big Blue before the two came together.
“My horse was running and the other horse came out and probably hurt my horse. I just got beat by very close [margin]. He did cost me, so I think it was the right call,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “There was a good pace going to the first turn, so I just ride my horse and was ready to roll at the quarter-pole. My horse was responding and I lost my momentum in the race. He kept fighting and just got beat.”
Lezcano, who was aboard Let’s Go Big Blue for an allowance score last out on June 10 at Belmont Park, said he believed the incident did not warrant a disqualification.
“I never touched him. I never stopped his momentum. Nothing,” said Lezcano.
The win was the second stakes coup in as many days for Dean Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, who is the co-owner of yesterday’s Christophe Clement-trained Suzie O’Cain winner Silver Skillet.
“It’s exciting,” said Reeves. “Our trainers are doing a great job for us and the horses are running so well. We just couldn’t be happier.”
The Rick Violette was the featured race on Saratoga’s annual Thoroughbred Aftercare Day and is named in honor of the late multiple Grade 1-winning trainer who founded the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association’s (NYTHA) TAKE THE LEAD retirement program and was a founding board member of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
Gargan spoke volumes of Violette and his contributions to the sport of horse racing and to aftercare, as well as retired trainer Rick Schosberg, who serves as President of TAKE THE LEAD.
“I’m stabled in Rick’s [Violette] barn. We have the exact same colors: black and baby blue. The barn is just like it was the last time Rick was in it. Nothing has changed, we repainted it just the same way,” said Gargan. “I grew up around Rick since I was a kid. I met Rick at Hialeah when I was about 18. Rick did a lot of great things for the game besides be a horse trainer. He was a big influence, and he created a lot of things that we have nowadays, especially with the retired horses. Rick Schosberg took over that. People don’t understand what they’ve done for horse racing in taking care of these animals after the game. I give Rick Violette all the credit in getting that started and now Schosberg is taking over and carrying it on. I respect both of those guys so much for what they did for horse racing.”
Bred in the Empire State by Ron Bowden, Ramblin’ Wreck added to his first stakes triumph in June at Belmont when he took the NYSSS Spectacular Bid in similar rallying fashion. He is a half-brother to the Reeves Thoroughbred Racing-campaigned and Gargan-trained Dakota Gold, who finished second in last year’s Rick Violette ahead of a win in the NYSSS Cab Calloway.
Ramblin’ Wreck entered the Rick Violette from a game runner-up effort to Itsallcomintogetha in the NYSSS Cab Calloway on July 20 and improved his lifetime record to 8-3-2-0, banking $68,750 in victory. The son of Redesdale returned $3.80 for a $2 win wager.
Live racing resumes Friday at Saratoga with a 10-race card, featuring the $150,000 Skidmore in Race 8. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.
