Sacrosanct (inside) stays perfect in the Great White Way (Chelsea Durand)
Christian Abdo/NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Lady Sheila Stable, Net Birdie and Schwing Thoroughbreds’ Sacrosanct became 4-for-4 with three consecutive stakes wins when holding off National Identity by a head in Saturday’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible state-sired juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the New York-bred Honest Mischief bay entered off a pair of local state-bred stakes scores, capturing the Sleepy Hollow by 1 1/2 lengths last out on October 27 after a dominant 12-length victory in the Bertram F. Bongard on September 22. He was piloted by returning rider Manny Franco in both victories, along with a 3 1/4-length debut score in August at Saratoga Race Course.
Sheila Rosenblum, of winning co-owner Lady Sheila Stable, said it is special to own such a talented horse for New York-sired stakes races.
“I think it’s a great program and we’re lucky to be a part of it. I’m incredibly pleased with what he’s doing – Sacrosanct is a good talent,” said Rosenblum. “He and Manny Franco are becoming a good team together. I think the program needs this and is spectacular. I was always so pro-New York and the turnout – it’s wonderful to see the people out.”
The favored Sacrosanct exited the inside post under Franco and settled into second position to stalk the George Weaver-trained Bold Fortune who led through an opening quarter-mile in 22.30 seconds on the fast dirt.
“The Weaver horse, he was the speed. I let him clear me and I went around right away,” said Franco. “After that, I just put my horse where he was comfortable, and I don’t want to let the five horse [Bold Fortune] get away from me too easy neither.”
Bold Fortune, a last-out pacesetting 7 3/4-length victor of the state-bred New York Breeders’ Futurity on October 21 at Finger Lakes Racetrack, was tracked by Sacrosanct into the turn as the pair put a gap between themselves and the rest of the field through a half-mile in 45.01 seconds, with National Identity making up the most significant ground to grab third position.
“I was so happy because that was where I wanted to be,” Franco said. “I wanted to be outside him [Bold Fortune] and get the first run of the horses coming from behind.”
Sacrosanct put his head in front of Bold Fortune at the top of the lane to take a narrow lead, but National Identity improved down the center of the course and was quickly within a half-length under Kendrick Carmouche. As this pair battled head-and-head for the lead in the stretch, Soontobeking made a rapid move from further back and tried to go inside the tiring Bold Fortune for a run at the leaders but checked hard as the window along the rail shut.
“When the other horse came to me, I said, ‘Eh, I fight already, so let’s see if he’ll give me another gear,’” Franco said of National Identity’s challenge. “He did, and he was game. He didn’t want to lose today.”
Sacrosanct, despite enduring the sharp fractions on the front end, would not go down to National Identity without a fight, with Smilensaycheese three lengths back giving chase after three-quarters in 1:10.46.
Sacrosanct was tested more than ever before by National Identity, but ultimately kept his head in front to maintain his perfect record in a final time of 1:24.10.
“They were setting an honest pace and when the runner-up came up to him, he really dug in. I was really happy with the horse,” said Dustin Dugas, Cox’s New York-based assistant.
It was 2 3/4 lengths back to Smilensaycheese in third, with another five lengths back to Soontobeking rounding out the superfecta. Twohonestmischief, Buttah, Bold Fortune and Missing Rocks completed the order of finish. Friend Ofthe Devil, who is entered in a state-bred optional claimer on Sunday, and Man in Finance were scratched.
Carmouche said that the Danny Gargan-trained National Identity was game in defeat.
“He tried his best, just second best. Nothing you can do. I had him in the right spot and I thought he [Sacrosanct] was going quick enough in front where I could have run him down,” Carmouche said. “But his horse fought all the way through the wire. The best horse won today.”
Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard fourth-place Soontobeking for Weaver, said he was unlucky when forced to check as the Dylan Davis-ridden stablemate Bold Fortune weakened.
“I thought I had it. I did the right thing. The horse comes from behind. I saved all the ground and tried to go through on the rail,” Castellano said. “The rail was open and when it was time to go Dylan dropped all the way to the rail. I had to check and had no place to go. I made the right decision, but it didn’t work out for me.”
Bred in the Empire State by Burleson Farms, Mckenzie Bloodstock and Sequel Thoroughbreds, Sacrosanct, out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Vibrato, was a $260,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. His second dam is dual stakes-winner Cuff Me.
Sacrosanct banked $275,000 in victory while improving his record to 4-4-0-0 and returning $3.10 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack with a 10-race card. First post is 11:40 a.m. Eastern.
