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Somelikeithotbrown Scores Front-Running Victory in Bernard Baruch

While nobody is perfect, New York-bred Somelikeithotbrown was plenty good enough on Sunday, surging to the front while keeping plenty in reserve for the stretch, going gate-to-wire for a one-length win over stablemate Mr Dumas in the Grade 2, $150,000 Bernard Baruch for 3-year-olds and up at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Against a six-horse field, the Mike Maker-trained Somelikeithotbrown broke sharp from post 3 and led through comfortable fractions of 24.79 seconds for the quarter-mile, the half in 49.08 and three-quarters in 1:12.43 on the firm inner turf.

In the stretch, jockey Tyler Gaffalione kept his charge alert near the rail, outkicking the field, including a charging Mr. Dumas at the end, to hit the wire in a final time of 1:41.32 for the 1 1/16-mile course.

“I was a little surprised down the backside when I was all by myself,” Gaffalione said. “I thought there would be a little more pressure, but I was happy with where I was and how he was running. All the credit to Mike and his team, they had him ready today.

“Every time I reached back and threw a cross and when I got into him a little bit, he kept on responding and giving me more, so I was pretty confident coming to the wire,” he added.

Skychai Racing and David Koenig's Somelikeithotbrown was coming off a third-place finish at 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy on June 6 on a Belmont Park turf course labeled good. Bred in the Empire State by Hot Pink Stables and Sand Dollar Stables, Somelikeithotbrown posted his first stakes win since the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby in March 2019 at Turfway Park.

“It did but you have to let him run his race,” said Maker when asked if he was concerned about the speed holding up. “I thought his last race, he went a little too quick and opened up a little too much. But I thought it was a very credible race.”

Off at 8-1, Somelikeithotbrown returned $19.60 on a $2 win bet. The Big Brown colt, out of the Tapit mare Marilyn Monroan, improved to 5-3-2 in 13 career starts with total earnings of $546,838.

After crossing the wire, Somelikeithotbrown dismounted Gaffalione when moving from the turf course to the dirt en route to the winner's circle. Both the horse and rider were unhurt.

Mr Dumas, also trained by Maker, finished a half-length in front of 3-2 favorite Good Governance for second.

“I was very high on this horse and it looked like he showed up this afternoon as well,” Maker said.

Halladay, Olympico and Seismic Wave completed the order of finish.

Live racing returns at Saratoga on Wednesday with a 10-race card, highlighted by the $85,000 Dayatthespa in Race 5 at 3:02 p.m. Eastern. First post is 12:50 p.m.

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Cross Country Pick 5 Ending With Vanderbilt Pays $1,277

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 returned $1,277.75 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. Encompassing action from Saratoga Race Course, Monmouth Park and Woodbine Racetrack, the sequence's total pool was $163,442.

Woodbine kicked off the wager when Afleet Katherine edged Perfection Cat by a head to win Race 9, an allowance for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. Trained by Kevin Attard, whose Starship Jubilee upset champion Sistercharlie earlier in the day in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga, Afleet Katherine returned $14.50 on a $2 win wager.

Monmouth, located in Oceanport, N.J., hosted the second leg, as Croatian outkicked Lookin at Roses by a head to win a starter handicap going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Croatian paid $3.40 as the favorite on the fast track in Race 11.

Action shifted to historic Saratoga for the third leg, with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. piloting Turbo Drive to a one-length win in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance in Race 9. Off at 17-1, the Mike Maker trainee paid $36.60, rallying from 11th after three-quarters of a mile for a furious charge that saw the New York-bred run down the competition in the final furlong.

Back at Woodbine for Race 10, Red Hierarchy cruised to a six-length win in the 6 ½-furlong sprint on the Rexdale, Ontario-based all-weather track. Trained by Jamie Attard, Red Hierarchy went off as the favorite, paying $3.90.

Saratoga was the site of the sequence's lone stakes, as Volatile went gate-to-wire to defeat a four-horse field in the Grade 1, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in Race 10. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old son of Violence improved to 3-for-3 in 2020, completing the six-furlong sprint in 1:09.61. Ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr., Volatile paid $2.80 as the favorite. The $850,000 purchase at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is 5-1-0 in six starts has won four straight.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

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Vanzzy Rises To The Occasion In Jersey Derby

Trainer Michael Pino was pretty sure he had a stakes-caliber grass horse in Vanzzy. Now he's certain of it.

Sitting an ideal trip behind dueling leaders, Vanzzy shot through an opening along the rail coming out of the final turn and powered his way to a 3½-length victory in Sunday's $100,000 Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

After a fourth-place finish and then a third in graded stakes races this year in his first two grass tries, the 3-year-old son of Verrazano–Selva by Forest Wildcat had his turf breakthrough in the 77^th edition of the Jersey Derby.

Paco Lopez, Monmouth Park's runaway riding leader, rode the winner, who paid $7.20 in the field of seven. Time for the mile and a sixteenth over a turf course listed as firm was 1:42.30.

“A perfect trip. A great ride by Paco (Lopez),” said Pino. “This horse needs that kind of trip. He's a little antsy early. I was real happy with the ride, real happy with the trip and he punched away like he's getting better. This was his best race yet.

“You can see he is getting better with each race, especially when we can get him to settle like we did.”

Lopez, who said he had the option of taking the lead or settling in with the versatile Vanzzy opted for the latter. He was on the rail, alternating between third and fourth as longshots Island Commish and Bye Bye Melvin dueled through a half in :49.41 and reached the mile together in 1:36.46.

With three horses fanned across the track coming out of the final turn, Lopez found an opening along the rail and Vanzzy exploded through it. Bye Bye Melvin held for second, three-quarters of a length behind the late-running Iris Mias.

“I think you can say that was a perfect trip for this horse,” Lopez said. “Mike left it up to me, but he said this horse can be on the lead if you need him to be. The turf course isn't really fast. It's a little soft. I was just so comfortable with him being on the rail and following horses. I just had to wait for the chance to move.

“You have to make a split-second decision coming out of the turn. Sometimes the rail is open, sometimes it's not. This time it was open for me so I took it. He really responded when he got through and was able to run.”

Owned by Daniel M. Ryan, Vanzzy posted his fourth victory in nine career starts, boosting his lifetime earnings to $232,726.

Pino said the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs was the next possible destination for Vanzzy.

“We'll play it by ear,” Pino said. “He has become a real solid horse.”

Racing resumes at Monmouth Park with a six-race twilight card on Friday night. First race post time is 5 p.m.

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Keeping Clients Safe: Impact Of COVID-19 On Equine Vets And Farriers

Though equestrian competitions were halted and many boarding barns were shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic, equine veterinary and farrier care have been considered essential services, allowed to carry on throughout lockdown. However, it has been a challenge to continually provide care for client horses while keeping customers and caregivers safe.

In order to continue to work, vets and farriers were mandated to establish protocols that followed state and local distancing, quarantine and decontamination guidelines. During lockdown, many equine clinics were able to continue to see emergency cases, but were unable to perform elective surgeries for multiple weeks.

When lockdown lifted, most clinics still didn't return to “normal”; many are unable to allow clients into waiting rooms or pharmacies, so workers meet their clients in parking lots to either take the horse from the owner or to deliver medications.

Many farriers are now unwilling to have clients or trainers hold horses while they are being shod, electing instead to have their assistants hold or to place the horse in crossties. Between clients, all tools are disinfected. Even when stay-at-home orders are lifted, may vets and farriers will keep their biosecurity practices in place to keep staff and clients safe.

Though the pandemic has changed the way equine professionals must interact with their clients, requiring much more interaction from a distance or via phone or text, equine professionals still strive to give their two- and four-legged clients the best of care.