Works for Me guts out the win in the Notebook (Susie Raisher)
By Keith McCalmont – NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— KatieRich Stables, Christopher Connors and Lawrence Appel’s New York homebred Works for Me wore down pacesetter Detective Tom in the shadow of the wire to capture Saturday’s $100,000 Notebook, a six-furlong sprint for New York-bred juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Joe Lee and piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the Daddy Long Legs chestnut was cross-entered here in Sunday’s $120,000 Central Park at one-mile on turf, but the connections chose correctly to sprint on the dirt following a close third last out in the Big A’s Atlantic Beach traveling six-furlongs on turf on November 4.
“The owners saw that with the odds, the grass and having to go a mile for the first time, they thought that maybe the better option was going against New York-breds short on the dirt,” Lee said. “I know he ran well on the turf last time, but pretty much it was the owners’ decision, so I guided them on it.”
Detective Tom broke alertly from post 4 under Trevor McCarthy and set splits of 23.28 seconds and 47.04 over the fast main track with Works for Me stalking a close second to his outside.
The Manny Franco-piloted Aggelos the Great, who saved ground from third position, was in need of racing room at the top of the lane as Detective Tom dug in to lead by one length at the stretch call. Ortiz, Jr. offered left-handed encouragement as Works for Me continued to grind down the lane to the outside of Detective Tom, while the inside-rushing Aggelos the Great was in tight approaching the wire. All three horses were in with a shout with 70 yards to run, but Works for Me finished strongest of all to secure the head win in a final time of 1:12.06.
Detective Tom completed the exacta by three-quarter lengths over Aggelos the Great with Perliano, Always a Warrior, Wine Responsibly, Bonne Chance and Ice the Kicker rounding out the order of finish. Taporical was scratched.
Ortiz, Jr. said he was hoping to work out a stalking trip.
“He broke sharp. I saw that horse [Detective Tom] go so I sat there and bided my time and waited as long as I could. I got lucky and got there on time,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “I don’t think he would have a problem sitting off [of horses] because I thought there would be a little more pace in the race. But only one horse went, so it was easy from where I was. I didn’t have to fight too much with him and I didn’t have to use him much either.
“My horse was trying. When I turned for home, I waited as long as I could,” added Ortiz, Jr. “He never gave up and he was there. When I called his attention, he was responding. It was a good feeling I thought. I thought I could get there any time.”
McCarthy said Detective Tom was game throughout.
“Every time I got into him, he kept giving me a little more and he put up a really good fight,” McCarthy said. “In the beginning of the race, I really took control and had some easy fractions. Turning for home, I tried to run away from them and just got run down. He ran awesome.”
Works for Me, despite stumbling at the break, graduated over the main track in June against fellow state-breds at Belmont Park ahead of a distant fourth in the state-bred Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in August at the Spa. He made his last two starts traveling six furlongs in open stakes company here, finishing second to Book’em Danno in the off-the-turf Futurity ahead of a pacesetting third in the Atlantic Beach in his turf debut.
Lee credited Ortiz, Jr., who was aboard Works for Me for the first time in the afternoon, with engineering a perfect ride.
“Obviously, having Irad is great – it’s an asset. I was pretty comfortable not with the race, but just comfortable having Irad,” Lee said. “The way it turned out, we were outside and we were able to sit and rate today as opposed to being on the lead. In his last race on turf, [he was] kind of stuck down inside and had to get to the front again, so he’s never really rated.
“If you look back at his races, he’s always having to go to the front; not because he wants to or because of the jockey, but because of the way the race set up, the break of the race and so forth,” added Lee. “But today, having Irad and being outside – Irad said, ‘Look, hopefully we get a little speed and we sit.’ I was comfortable, but down the stretch, don’t get me wrong – to win by a nose, it’s not easy, but having Irad was great.”
Works for Me, out of the Soldat mare Bella’s Game, banked $55,000 in victory while improving his record to 6-2-1-2. He returned $4.60 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the $120,000 Central Park in Race 5 and the $135,000 Forever Together in Race 7. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.
