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General Partner Stakes his Claim of the Saratoga Winner’s Enclosure

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In his second career start Saturday, General Partner (Speightstown) was really ready for prime time at Saratoga Race Course.

While it wasn't exactly a led-from-gate-to-wire performance, General Partner was in front quickly under Manny Franco. He was never seriously challenged and won the seven-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds a solid four lengths in front of the favorite Dive Bomber (Omaha Beach). Klaravich Stables's chestnut colt reached the wire in 1:22.33.

General Partner debuted for trainer Chad Brown at six furlongs on July 22 and after being prominent early ended up fourth, beaten 2 ¾ lengths.

“We really liked the horse first time out and in hindsight when he came back from running I could see how hard he was blowing. I ran him a couple of works short,” Brown said. “I was eager to run him because he had so much ability and I actually jumped the gun a little bit putting him in.”

With Klaravich owner Seth Klarman watching, General Partner broke his maiden with a flashy performance.

“It all worked out in the end,” Brown said, “because he got a race that he needed and got the last bit of fitness that he needed for a race rather than a couple more works and we were able to run him back at the meet and be successful today.”

General Partner, out of the Distorted Humor mare Fleeting Humor, was bred by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and the Speightstown Syndicate. He paid $9.30 as the second choice in the wagering.

Brown said he expected General Partner to be on the lead, but not in the way that the race unfolded. He came out of Post 3 a step slow and appeared to brush with the horse to his inside.

“He didn't break that well and Manny made a key decision to go up in the lead,” Brown said. “I'm not sure I actually would have done that when he broke bad because he looked like he was going to be in a nice, cozy stalking spot. Manny used excellent judgement. That was really the difference in the race. He kept him clean the whole way.”

General Partner and Franco turned in split times of 22.74, 45.92 and 1:09.87. Without any real pressure, they got the final eighth in 12.46.

While Brown said a stake might be General Partner's next start, he did not commit to a specific race.

“There's been some really good-looking maidens this meet – I've been very impressed – that aren't mine,” he said.  “When you look at a horse like this, you look at a race like the (GI) Champagne S. This year, when you say that, you better know that if these horses all stay healthy this is going to be a real race if some of them end up there. This is not a meet where there's been like one Jack Christopher (Munnings) debut or something like that. There's been a handful of ones I can just think of right now that have been super-impressive to my eye. I'm just happy to have one of them.”

 

7th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, 7f, 1:22.33, ft, 4 lengths.
GENERAL PARTNER (c, 2, Speightstown–Fleeting Humor, by Distorted Humor) finished fourth in what was a loaded maiden special contest July 22 behind well-met Valentine Candy (Justify) but ahead of returning rival Dive Bomber (Omaha Beach), who was crowned the 8-5 favorite between the two. Jostled at the start by an inner horse coming out, he recovered quickly to set a pressured pace from the public's choice to his outside and had taken firm command six furlongs out. Tucking closer to the rail though the bend and bracing for a pair of challengers, he straightened for home with a clear lead heading passed the eighth pole. Despite moving out late from the left hand stick, General Partner came home four lengths best over Dive Bomber. A half-sibling to a fleet of accomplished runners including  Seventhfleethumor (Afleet Alex), GSP, $133,785; Naughty Joker (Into Mischief), SW, $176,403; and Cathedral Reader (Shackleford), SP, $174,795, the victor is the first to the races after a couple years of poor breeding fortunes for the mare. His 2023 half-sibling was stillborn and Fleeting Humor was sent to Epicenter for 2024. Sales history: $250,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $64,050. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey & Speightstown Syndicate (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.

The post General Partner Stakes his Claim of the Saratoga Winner’s Enclosure appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Thanks To Explosive Finish From Agate Road, Repole Wins Another Saratoga Maiden

Just five races after Mike Repole was visiting the Saratoga winner's circle with 2-year-old winner Life's an Audible (Audible) in Saturday's first race, the owner wasted little time getting back to that same spot. Repole won his second maiden special weight race on the day and his seventh at the meet when Agate Road (Quality Road) unleashed a furious stretch drive to win the day's sixth race, a maiden on the turf.

Repole's 2-year-olds continue to be a relentless force at the Spa.

“He's a nice Quality Road and we really liked him,” Repole said. “Todd (Pletcher) is having a great meet, we're having a great meet and my team is doing a great job. A lot of these are 2-year-olds we bought at the sales. Our 2-year-olds are running really well. We're really loading up for this year and next year.”

Agate Road was a $650,000 Keeneland September purchase and the dam, Yellow Agate (Gemologist) won the GI Frizette S. for trainer Christophe Clement. Though there didn't appear to be a lot of turf breeding in the colt's pedigree, Pletcher must have known something. He entered Agate Road in an Aug. 5 maiden that was washed off the turf. Agate Road finished second in the one-mile event, losing by just a nose.

But rather than staying on the dirt, Pletcher placed the juvenile right back in a turf maiden. The result was a much- improved effort from the even-money favorite. Breaking from the 10 hole in a field of 10, Agate Road came out at the start and by the time he could be straightened up by Irad Ortiz, Jr. he was last. Ortiz got the colt going near the top of the stretch, but it still looked like a lost cause. At the eighth pole, he had just one horse beat. But from there launched a stretch rally for the ages. He passed eight horses and made up about six lengths inside the final furlong to win by a neck over Stolen Magic (Good Magic).

“I wouldn't say it was a masterful ride from Irad when he went 10-wide,” Repole said. “He's had better rides. When he broke a little slow from the 10 post he was going to be wide. He must have come home in under 12. He was flying at the end.”

The final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth run over a firm turf course was 1:46.79 and Agate Road paid $4.10.

From his army of 2-year-olds, Repole may not be done. On Sunday, he will run Scalable in a six-furlong maiden special weight race and Miz Sense (Street Sense) in the GI Spinaway S. On Monday, he will send out Be You (Curlin) in the closing-day feature, the GI Hopeful S.

The post Thanks To Explosive Finish From Agate Road, Repole Wins Another Saratoga Maiden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Alva Starr Emulates Half Sister In Winning Prioress, Provides Brinkman First Graded Score As Trainer

Alva Starr, bred by owner P. Dale Ladner and trainer Brett Brinkman, utilized a prominent trip engineered by Jose Lezcano to secure a powerful 8 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $250,000 Prioress (G2), a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

It was the second Prioress score for Ladner, who won this event in 2021 with Alva Starr's half-sister by California Chrome, Cilla, who raced that day in trainer Charlton Baker's care when Brinkman didn't take out his New York license.

Alva Starr, a Lord Nelson bay, is out of the graded stakes-placed Into Mischief mare Sittin At the Bar, who was campaigned by Brinkman and Ladner. Alva Starr is also a half-sibling to multiple graded stakes-placed Club Car, and stakes-winner Jack the Umpire, all campaigned by the same connections.

Alva Starr arrived at her graded stakes debut from a 6 3/4-length romp in the six-furlong Dashing Beauty on July 8 at her Delaware Park base.

“This filly had not missed a beat since the Delaware race and we just felt really good coming into the race. It doesn't put us into the winner's circle, but we felt good about it,” said Brinkman, who secured both his first official graded win and first Spa score. “A lot of times good horses make it look easy, but they are running fast and she's got a quick turn of foot from a high cruising speed and that's all I told Jose when he worked her and when he got on her today. I said, 'Let her be who she wants to be, she is very manageable and use her assets.'”

Alva Starr emerged from a three-pronged battle for the lead with Jersey Pearl and Unified Alliance to mark the opening quarter-mile in :21.73 over the fast main track with Unsung Melody and 3-5 mutuel favorite Dazzling Blue tracking their early foot.

Alva Starr led to the turn as Joel Rosario rushed Dazzling Blue into second position through a half-mile in :44.64 and Jersey Pearl remained in contention while saving ground in third. Alva Starr opened up by 5 1/2-lengths at the stretch call to put away Dazzling Blue and drew off to a comfortable score in a final time of 1:09.14. Jersey Pearl completed the exacta by 2 1/2-lengths over Dazzling Blue with Unsung Melody and Unified Alliance completing the order of finish.

Lezcano worked Alva Starr a half-mile in 48.21 Sunday over the Spa main track in her final Prioress prep.

“I thought I worked her too slow, but when I checked the time she went :48 and change. She did it so easily and I felt I just galloped her out there,” Lezcano said. “The trainer told me to go like :49. I grabbed the bridle and she did it so easily. I knew she was very nice. Today, I watched her replays and she looked like a very fast filly. I was very impressed with her today. She's a very nice filly.”

Alva Starr graduated on debut last September at Delaware Park and returned to action in May with a runner-up effort to next-out stakes winner Unifying in an optional-claimer at Oaklawn Park. She followed with a close runner-up effort to Jersey Pearl in May in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs ahead of her recent stakes score.

The Darrin Miller-trained Jersey Pearl, who was fifth last out in the Test (G1) at the Spa, was game to the wire to complete the exacta under leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr.

“The winner ran away from me and was much the best today,” Ortiz said. “She felt great. We had three horses with speed, so I expected to be forwardly placed and I go from there.”

Brinkman said he could potentially point Alva Starr to the seven-furlong Raven Run (G2) on October 21 at Keeneland — a race Cilla finished third in following her Prioress score.

“We have a couple races marked out. We will go into Keeneland and see. I feel like she can get seven-eighths. The pedigree, you know, we'll see,” Brinkman said.

Alva Starr banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 5-3-2-0. She returned $9 for a $2 win bet.

The post Alva Starr Emulates Half Sister In Winning Prioress, Provides Brinkman First Graded Score As Trainer appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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