Month: July 2023

Robert Masterson's Southlawn, trained by Norman Casse, seeks her first Grade 1 victory in Saturday's $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, a 1 1/8 mile main track test for 3-year-old fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile captured the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in March ahead of a 10th-place finish as the 5-1 second choice in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 5 at Churchill Downs.

Southlawn broke sharply in the Kentucky Oaks but still found herself five-wide and unable to save much ground, leading to a lack of response at the top of the stretch.

The bay breezed four furlongs over the Saratoga main track in :48.88 Saturday in her first workout since shipping from Churchill Downs, where she worked weekly after the Kentucky Oaks.

Casse said Southlawn, who initially targeted the Acorn (G1) on June 9 at Belmont Park, has progressed from her Oaks effort.

“She had a tough trip in the Oaks, so we decided to skip the Acorn and give her a little bit of time off, a freshening,” said Casse. “She's had a steady series of works leading into this and been training really well. She looks great, we got a nice easy half mile into her over the Saratoga main track and she handled the track very well.

“Our feeling is that when Southlawn is at her best, she is just as good as anyone,” Casse added.

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Patricia's Hope's Uncashed extended his win streak to four in gate-to-wire fashion in Sunday's off-the-turf edition of the $175,000 Quick Call at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Larry Rivelli, the gelded son of Uncaptured entered from an 8 1/2-length romp in the six-furlong Golden Circle on May 20 at Prairie Meadows. He cut back a half-furlong in the Quick Call to land the 5 1/2-length victory over a sloppy and sealed main track after the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomores was taken off the Mellon turf due to heavy rains.

“The race didn't fall apart as much as I thought it would [after scratches],” said Rivelli, who scored his first graded win at Saratoga. “It was time for him to get battle tested and this was obviously a step up from the venues he ran at before, but I wouldn't have taken him there if I didn't think he could do it. I'm really happy with his performance.”

Piloted to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 4 in the six-horse field, Uncashed broke alertly and bounded to the front to mark an opening quarter-mile in :22.28. The New York-bred main track-only entrant Acoustic Ave tracked closely in second while Kigali hugged the rail in third down the backstretch.

Uncashed was met with a mild challenge from Acoustic Ave on the turn, but quickly put away his rival as main-track only entrant Joey Freshwater swung wide from midpack to make his bid for the lead at the top of the stretch. Ortiz shook his reins into the straightaway and Uncashed responded, sprinting clear after a half-mile in :45.43 with Joey Freshwater giving chase down the center of the track.

Uncashed widened his margin in the latter part of the stretch while clocking five-eighths in :57.15 and driving strongly to the wire to complete the course in a final time of 1:03.44. Joey Freshwater stayed on for place honors by three lengths over the rallying Two of a Kind with Acoustic Ave finishing fourth. Briterdayzahead and Kigali completed the order of finish. No Nay Hudson, Eye Witness, Dr Oseran, Charging, Son of a Birch and Gaslight Dancer were scratched.

Rivelli, who gave the dark bay a six-month freshening after he ran second in his first start for his connections in October, said Uncashed's physical build allows him to show speed and athleticism.

“He's a big, long, rangy horse and just covers ground so easily,” Rivelli said. “He has a really high-cruising speed and we've never really got to the bottom of him in any of his races since we laid him off and brought him back. Today was the day we were going to have to throw it down and I do believe there has to be a little left in the tank – he had to run today to win and he did.”

Ortiz echoed Rivelli's sentiments and said Uncashed's speed comes with little urging.

“He broke out of there and made the lead on his own,” Ortiz said. “I didn't have to use him too much. He doesn't know how to slow down. He was going comfortable. He was going a little bit quick, but at the same time he was relaxed and waiting for me.

“Going to the quarter pole, I felt them coming but he put his ears up and I know he was going to be there, I watched a couple of replays,” Ortiz added. “Larry told me to trust him and that he's a nice horse and that's what I did. After I made the lead, I just waited for the time to go. When they made their move, I asked him and it took him maybe a few strides, but he started running when he hit the three-sixteenths pole and I said, 'Alright he's home.'”

Uncashed provided Rivelli with his fourth graded victory this year, adding to Grade 3 wins by Two Phil's in the Ohio Derby and Jeff Ruby Steaks, and by Nobals, who took the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2). Two Phil's, the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby (G1), was retired due to injury following his Ohio Derby score.

Rivelli compared Uncashed's acquisition to that of Nobals, who, like Uncashed, was purchased privately on the recommendation of bloodstock and jockey agent Steve Leving after an impressive debut maiden win.

“Steve Leving is a lifelong friend of mine and has connections with horses,” said Rivelli. “This one was presented to me through Steve after he broke his maiden and we're always looking for potential horses – just like the way we bought Nobals — and we're not afraid to take a shot on a horse that won at a lesser venue that might have the potential to get better. We've also bought some that haven't worked out, but lately we've been on a bit of a roll. We have to be thankful for the situation we have right now because we know how the ups and downs go in this game.”

In addition to the Quick Call and Golden Circle, Uncashed's four-race win streak includes a pair of allowance scores this spring at Hawthorne, including a strong 5 1/4-length victory going 5 1/2 furlongs in April.

Bred in Florida by Nicksar Farms, Uncashed is out of the War Chant mare Charlie B. He banked $96,250 for his Quick Call coup, improving his lifetime record to 6-5-1-0 and $182,450 in earnings. He returned $4.40 for a $2 win ticket as the 6-5 post-time favorite.

Though Rivelli was comfortable with the idea of trying turf heading into the Quick Call, Uncashed's performance on the main track left him committed to dirt for the near future.

“We were looking for a race around this time and there weren't any dirt races of value if I wanted to raise him up and test him out a little bit,” said Rivelli. “This was the spot. I'll probably just stick to dirt with him as long as there's straight 3-year-old stakes around. We don't need to experiment as much now with a win like this.”

Jose Ortiz, aboard the Linda Rice-trained graded stakes winner Joey Freshwater, said his mount gave his all despite running at a distance he likely does not prefer.

“I was a little worried it would be very short for him, but he broke really sharp today,” he said. “That helped me a lot because I got forward position. When you get that position going into the turn, the race sets up easy. I thought there would be three or four horses in front of me and he was going to be on the kickback, but it worked out better than I thought. I was very happy with the performance and the winner was much the best.”

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