Sixtythreecaliber up in time to win an allowance optional claimer Wednesday at Saratoga (NYRA/Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— MyRacehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm’s Sixtythreecaliber picked up her first win Wednesday since taking the Grade 3 Comely in November at the Big A for trainer Tom Amoss.
The 4-year-old Gun Runner bay arrived in the final jumps to post a neck score in a one-mile optional-claimer here, besting a loaded field in which 4-of-5 starters were graded-stakes winners.
Sixtythreecaliber exited post 4 out of the Wilson Chute under Tyler Gaffalione and tracked three-wide through the first turn to settle in fourth position as Midnight Stroll, last year’s Grade 3 Delaware Oaks-winner, led through splits of 24.85 seconds, 47.27 and 1:10.89.
Gerrymander, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Mother Goose, engaged with Midnight Stroll at the stretch call as Sixtythreecaliber was asked for more from the two-path behind the frontrunners. Gaffalione was able to maneuver Sixtythreecaliber to the outside and out finished the onrushing Nostalgic, last year’s Grade 3 Gazelle-victress, to secure the win in a final time of 1:37.18. The victory garnered a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.
Amoss said he would have preferred an outside trip for his filly.
“She’s a horse that really likes to be in her own world. If things are tight; if she’s down towards the rail; if she’s taking dirt, then she’s not at her best,” Amoss said. “So, it really took a long time to find a good, wide opening for her to get into stride and that was probably just the last three-sixteenths of a mile. It was just the way the race set up – we knew these things before going in and it just so happened we didn’t get the trip we wanted from the post position we were in.”
Amoss said he was nonetheless impressed with the effort.
“There were a number of graded-stakes winners in there, including us. So, to overcome a slow pace and get there at the wire, I was really pleased with the race,” Amoss said.
Clairiere and Nest, two of the leaders of the filly and mare division, will compete in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee here with an eye towards a start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 25 at the Spa – but Amoss said he has yet to consider a next start for Sixtythreecaliber.
“Visually, she ran a really nice race. There’s been no decisions made yet, but any time you find a horse that likes Saratoga, and she obviously likes it, you’d like to get another start in her there,” Amoss said.
Sixtythreecaliber, out of the graded-stakes placed Include mare Classofsixtythree, is a half-sister to graded-stakes winner Gunmetal Gray. The $250,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase now boasts a record of 12-6-1-1 for purse earnings of $417,982.
