Cover image courtesy of New York Thoroughbred Racing
America
Sovereignty rules the G1 Belmont Stakes
By Steve Sherack, TDN
There's absolutely no doubt who the ruler of the 3-year-old division is now. Just like he did in the G1 Kentucky Derby, Godolphin homebred Sovereignty (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) collared Journalism (USA) (Curlin {USA}) in the stretch, and powered on by to capture the 157th running of the G1 Belmont Stakes with authority.
It was the same first three finishers across the line on the first Saturday in May with the blue-blooded Baeza (USA) (McKinzie {USA}) up for third once again. The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival was held at Saratoga Race Course for the second straight year while construction of the new Belmont Park continues downstate.
Sovereignty lengthened that massive stride of his down the center of the course and was well on his way to another brilliant performance. The winning margin was three lengths, with another 3.5l back to the aforementioned third-place finisher.
The final time over a track that began the day as a sea of slop following heavy morning and early afternoon rain, but ended up harrowed and good, was 2:00.69. Due to the configuration of Saratoga's main track, the Belmont Stakes was once again contested at 1 1/4 miles rather than the traditional distance of 1 1/2 miles.
“This is home,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “It's the race we were pointing for after the Derby and fortunately it worked out very well. I'm sure we would have taken some criticism had he gotten beat today and he hadn't run in the Preakness, but it worked out. The horse was good. Junior rode him well. He had a lot of confidence in him and when he cut him loose the horse responded and got the job done.
“He (Junior Alvarado) had a lot of confidence in him (Sovereignty) and when he cut him loose the horse responded and got the job done.” - Bill Mott
“I feel we beat a good field of horses. Journalism is a really good horse. I've watched him here this last week and I've looked at him–he's in good form, he looks great, his hair is good and his weight is good. I think he was ready to run today and he ran a good race, you know. Sovereignty was good enough to run him down and get the job done.”
What a day for Into Mischief (USA) and Spendthrift Farm. With three Grade 1 races contested at the Spa Saturday, Into Mischief sired the winners of two, while his son, Maximus Mischief (USA), who stands alongside the six-time leading stallion, sired the winner of the other. Does it get better than that?
Into Mischief (USA) | Standing at Spendthrift Farm
Yulong’s Raging Torrent wins G1 Metropolitan Handicap
By Steve Sherack, TDN
Raging Torrent (USA) (Maximus Mischief {USA}) continued his ascent with a powerful, 2.5 length victory over heavily favoured Fierceness (USA) (City of Light {USA}) in the 'Win and You're In' GI Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga. Just a Touch (USA) (Justify {USA}) held third over second-choice White Abarrio (USA) (Race Day {USA}).
“(Winning the Met Mile) is something that I never dreamt of just because it seems so far-fetched, but a horse like Raging Torrent is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime kind of horse,” winning trainer Doug O'Neill said. “He's got speed. He's got stamina. He's got class. He has no problem shipping and it's just a wonderful feeling.”
“He's (Raging Torrent) got speed. He's got stamina. He's got class. He has no problem shipping and it's just a wonderful feeling.” - Doug O'Neill
Overlooked at odds of 8-1 following wins in the GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita Dec. 26 and the G2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan Apr. 5, the Yuesheng Zhang and Craig Dado colourbearer cleared the field of five from his outside draw beneath Frankie Dettori over the sloppy and sealed going.
“He's been in great form,” O'Neill said. “We intentionally gave him that time off after the Malibu and were shooting for the Godolphin Mile after that. Usually when you make a plan, God laughs, especially in this business, but Raging Torrent is just one of those unique horses who you can make a plan (for) and he comes through and does it. Incredible.
“If he comes out of it good, the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile will be a logical goal and maybe a race between now and then. The plan is to take him to California on Tuesday and play it by ear.”
Raging Torrent is one of three graded winners and the lone top-level winner for Maximus Mischief, a Spendthrift-based son of Into Mischief (USA). He is the only starter from his winning dam Violent Wave (USA) (Violence {USA}).
Into Mischief again in Woody Stephens
By Alan Carasso, TDN
Patch Adams (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) took his record at one-turn trips to three wins from four tries with a clear-cut victory in Saturday's GI Woody Stephens Stakes at a drying-out and freshly harrowed Saratoga Race Course.
Patch Adams loomed up three off the inside under a full head of steam in upper stretch, took command with about a furlong to travel and came away late to take it by 2.25 convincing lengths as the lukewarm 17-5 favourite. Madaket Road (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) was second and Big Truzz (USA) (Justify {USA}), in a bit of traffic at the half-mile marker, came on late to take third ahead of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Eclipse Award winner Citizen Bull (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).
“We tried to mess it up by trying to run him long a couple of times, but you always try for that and you have to realize where your success lays,” said WinStar President, CEO and Racing Manager Elliott Walden. “He showed that he's a seven-furlong horse the day he broke his maiden and has been telling us what he wants to do.”
While trainer Brad Cox was less willing to commit, Walden indicated a return to Saratoga for the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes in August was probable for Patch Adams. Patch Adams is the 25th top-level winner for his sire and is out of Well Humored (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}).
WinStar purchased Patch Adams's stakes-winning third dam, Well Dressed (USA) (Notebook {USA}) for US$150,000 (AU$) in foal to Awesome Again (USA) at Keeneland November in 2001 and bred eight winners from her, including G1 Dubai World Cup hero Well Armed (USA) (Tiznow {USA}); Grade III winner Witty (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA})–the dam of graded winner Bombard (USA) (War Front {USA})–and the dam of GI La Troienne Stakes heroine Played Hard (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).
