You had to see it to believe it.
With Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) savaging favored Yaupon (c, 4, Uncle Mo–Modification, by Vindication) repeatedly down the stretch in Saturday's GI Forego S. at Saratoga, the 2-1 pacesetter battled on gamely along the rail to secure a dramatic head victory. Chance It (Currency Swap) was third.
“I will watch that replay many times in my future,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “For that to happen in a Grade I at Saratoga with two horses on the lead, that will be memorable. I was worried he was going to bite Ricardo [Santana, Jr.].”
He continued, “Everybody's always known what a brilliant horse he is, the talent that he's shown and for him to show up today on a stage and beat five Grade I winners was amazing.”
Santana added, “That was kind of scary. That never happened to me before and the only thing I can think is don't stop riding.”
Yaupon led narrowly through fractions of :23.09 and :45.70 with Firenze Fire in hot pursuit, and the stage was set as they turned for home. The two raced shoulder to shoulder in the stretch with Firenze Fire savaging his rival inside the final sixteenth of a mile, biting at his halter. Yaupon never blinked, however, and kept on battling to secure the narrow victory. Three years ago, ironically, it was Firenze Fire who was savaged late by Whereshetoldmetogo (El Padrino) in a winning effort in the GIII Gallant Bob S. at Parx.
Yaupon, a sharp winner of last summer's GII Amsterdam S. at Saratoga, entered off a win over three rivals with a co-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure in Pimlico's Lite the Fuse S. July 4. A perfect four-for-four to start his career, headed by Pimlico's GIII Chick Lang S. Oct. 1, Yaupon concluded his sophomore season with a disappointing eighth as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 7. He was eighth once again in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan in his first start this term Mar. 27.
Champion sprinter, 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and 8-year-old fan favorite Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) was pulled up and vanned off with an apparent left front leg injury after finishing fifth and has been retired. He walked onto the van under his own power. “Whitmore is okay and is resting comfortably at the barn,” a Tweet from Moquett Racing read. “Although his injury is small in nature, when he walks out of Stall 19 and gets on the van to go home, it will be as a retired champion.”
Pedigree Notes:
Yaupon, a $255,000 OBS June acquisition (:10), is one of 40 graded winners for leading sire Uncle Mo, a smashing debut winner and 'TDN Rising Star' on the Travers undercard himself back in 2010. Yaupon is the second graded runner out of Modification, whose Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last) was second in both the 2014 GII Del Mar Derby and GII Twilight Derby.
Her unraced 2-year-old filly Royal Flower (American Pharoah) brought $1.2 million from Mike G. Rutherford at last year's Keeneland September sale. Modification, who is a half-sister to GSW Sky Alliance (Sky Classic), delivered a colt by Good Magic in 2020. The 2009 GI Humana Distaff S. third-place finisher was bred to Curlin for 2022. She brought $195,000 from Betz Thoroughbreds at the 2010 KEENOV Sale.
Saturday, Saratoga
FOREGO S.-GI, $600,000, Saratoga, 8-28, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.74, ft.
1–YAUPON, 118, c, 4, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Modification (GISP, $166,116), by Vindication
2nd Dam: Swift Alliance, by Afleet
3rd Dam: Stately Bride, by Tom Rolfe
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($350,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $485,000 RNA
2yo '19 FTFMAR; $255,000 2yo '19 OBSOPN). O-L. William and
Corinne Heiligbrodt; B-Betz, Lamantia, CoCo Equine, Magers,
Burns (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Ricardo Santana, Jr.
$320,000. Lifetime Record: 8-6-0-0, $703,264. *1/2 to
Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last), MGSP, $366,705. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*.
2–Firenze Fire, 122, h, 6, Poseidon's Warrior–My Every Wish, by
Langfuhr. O-Mr. Amore Stable; B-Mr Amore Stables (FL);
T-Kelly J. Breen. $112,000.
3–Chance It, 118, c, 4, Currency Swap–Vagabon Diva, by
Pleasantly Perfect. O-Shooting Star Thoroughbreds, LLC;
B-Bett Usher (FL); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.. $60,000.
Margins: HD, 2HF, NO. Odds: 2.00, 8.70, 19.20.
Also Ran: Mind Control, Whitmore, Mischevious Alex, Doubly Blessed, Lexitonian.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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