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Ward Retains Stranglehold On Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint With 1-2 Finish By Outadore, Fauci

Not only did trainer Wesley Ward continue his domination of the $500,000 Bal a Bali Juvenile Turf Sprint Saturday at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., he saddled the exacta finish, Outadore and Fauci.

Ward won the first two editions of the 6 1/2-furlong race, beating males with fillies, Moonlight Romance in 2018 and Cambria last year. With Kentucky Downs now offering a sprint stake for juvenile fillies, Ward turned to his colts and they delivered for him. Breeze Easy's Outadore stayed perfect in his second career start with a 1 3/4-length victory under Irad Ortiz, Jr. in 1:17.31. Fauci and jockey Tyler Gaffalione were 3 1/4 lengths ahead of the third-place horse, Cowan.

Ward, well-known for his success with 2-year-olds, answered a question about being unbeaten in the race with a question – “Isn't that what you're supposed to do?” – and punctuated it with a laugh.

Starting from the outside posts in the field of 10 running over the course rated as “soft,” Outadore (9) and Fauci (10) stalked from a few lengths back of the early pace set by County Final of :21.79 and :46.51. Outadore made his move first with a five-wide surge through the turn and took over the lead near the eighth pole. Fauci followed Outadore's rally on the outside, but could not catch his stablemate.

Outadore, the 9-5 favorite, paid $5.60 to win. The first-place money pushed his career earnings to $334,100.

“He's a nice horse, really nice horse,” said jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. “He broke good over there. He probably needed that first race when he won. He was ready today. He knew what he was doing. He broke and pulled me right there. He relaxed so nice, when I asked he just went ahead. It felt like he had a little more in the tank today.”

While pleased with their performances, Ward said he expects more from Outadore and Fauci as prospects for the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, to be run at one mile at Keeneland on Nov. 6.

“I think both will go a little farther, which is nice as well,” he said. “I think they'll both go a mile on the grass no problem. So, we'll probably split them up in their next start, one to the Bourbon (at Keeneland), one to the Pilgrim at Belmont. We're going to talk it over with both owners and make a plan. The way it looks, Irad (Ortiz) said he was wanting more ground and was kind of waiting. First thing Tyler (Gaffalione) said was, 'Wesley, please, run him farther.' So we're really excited about both colts.”

Outadore a gray/roan son of Outwork, was purchased for $290,000 as a yearling at 2019 Keeneland September. He won his debut at Saratoga on July 26, pressing the pace in a 5 1/2-furlong race that he won by 2 3/4 lengths, setting him up for his start at Kentucky Downs.

“Very nice colt,” Ward said. “He took a little while with some minor shin issues, as most 2-year-olds do. So we gave him the time. Sam Ross, his owner with Mike Hall, is a wonderful guy, and he's jumping up and down and screaming in West Virginia. That's the way you want these owners to be.”

Breeze Easy already has a Breeders' Cup victory on its resume: Four Wheel Drive, who won the 2019 Juvenile Turf Sprint for Ward at Santa Anita. Outadore could take his owners right back to racing's championship meet next month.

“The horse is going wonderful and Wesley (Ward) is doing a good job with the horse,” Hill said. “Mike Mollica and I picked this horse out at Keeneland sale last year and we're back shopping this year. We're really happy with this horse and looking forward to going to the Breeders' Cup.”

Fauci, co-owned by Lindy Farms and Ice Wine Stable, has never been worse that second in his four career starts. The son of Malibu Moon was purchased as a yearling at 2019 Keeneland September for $175,000. He is 1-3-0 from his four starts and with the $95,000 he earned in the Juvenile Turf Sprint has banked $166,800.

Gaffalione said that he and Fauci were a bit slow getting started.

“We didn't get away the cleanest,” he said. “I just wasn't settled in the gate; they sprung a little quick. I just never got his feet planted. But from there on, he traveled nice. I had a great stalking position following the winner most of the way. I got him out at the quarter pole. He had every chance from there. Just second-best today. Great effort. I think he could benefit from more ground. He doesn't have a real explosive turn of foot, but he keeps coming.”

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Imprimus Earns Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Berth With Hard-Fought Victory At Kentucky Downs

One year after getting beat as the favorite in the Grade 3, $700,000 Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes, Imprimis rewarded those who retained the faith in him on Saturday as the Broken Vow gelding got up by a neck over Front Run the Fed to capture the 2020 edition of the race at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky.

The six-furlong Turf Sprint offered the winner a fees-paid spot in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1) on Nov. 7 at Keeneland as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series' “Win and You're In” program.

The trip to Kentucky Downs for Imprimis represented just the second start of the year for the 6-year-old and his first win since taking the 2019 Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes. Though the record shows the dark bay gelding coming in off a loss in the Grade 3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 8, he actually crossed the wire first by 2 1/4 lengths that day but was disqualified for interference and placed third.

“None of us were happy about it. I'd say 90 percent of the people, because they're my friends or trying to make me feel better, they all thought we got a bad deal,” trainer Joe Orseno said. “But it is what it is. You can't take the win away from the horse. He ran his heart out off a 10-month layoff. Went up there and won that. We're going to get to our goal, that's the Breeders' Cup. He loves Keeneland. So we're pretty excited.”

That big run Imprimis put in at Saratoga was his first start since running sixth in the last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, and it served a warning for the kind of form he would bring to Franklin, Ky.

Sent off as the 3-1 favorite in the 11-horse field, Imprimis rated in fifth in an outside path as Bombard covered the opening quarter mile in :22.39 but found himself shuffled back with a wall of horses in front of him as the field reached the top of the stretch.

With three-sixteenths of a mile to go, Imprimis began making his big on the far outside under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and ended up in a three-way battle to the wire that saw him surge past Front Run the Fed and third-place finisher Bombard.

“A year ago (when fourth as the favorite), it was his first race since Royal Ascot,” Orseno said. “He wasn't quite back to himself. We tried to rush him along for the Breeders' Cup. We probably made a couple of bad moves.

“I had him where I wanted him (this year),” Orseno added. “I did everything we could do as far as the training and everything he's doing, his weight. We were very happy with him coming here. I expected this effort. But this was a tough race. There were some quality horses in there. I mean, the Breeders' Cup won't be any tougher. We're very happy where we have him right now.”

Said Ortiz: “He ran big. I rode him before on the soft turf at Pimlico, and I knew he handled it pretty good. So I wasn't afraid. I rode him with confidence. They moved outside of me, and I didn't want to see that, but they moved so I said let me just wait because it was a little early. When I tipped him out, he responded really well. He was coming.”

When Imprimis hit the wire in 1:09.93 over a course rated soft, it capped a huge day for owner Mike Hall of Breeze Easy, LLC, who also won the $500,000 Bal a Bali Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes with Outadore.

“It feels wonderful. What a wonderful horse,” Hall said of Imprimis. “We've had so much fun with him. Since the day we bought him, he's just been an awesome horse. Joe Orseno has done a great job keeping him going.”

Hall was just sorry that his Breeze Easy partner Sam Ross was home in Parkersburg, W.Va., and not at the track. “I know he's jumping up and down,” Hall said. “I love him like my dad, and if it wasn't for him, we probably wouldn't be here. He makes this whole game for us much more exciting than what I could do by myself.”

Totally Boss, winner of the Turf Sprint Stakes last year, finished seventh on Saturday.

“He didn't seem to like the track today,” said Florent Geroux, jockey for Totally Boss. “He was stumbling a lot and never got his footing right. He ran even, but hated the track from the beginning. He was never in a good spot.”

Bred in Florida by Craig Wheeler, Imprimis now boasts eight wins from 15 career starts with $759,948 in earnings.

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Pletcher Back On Top At Saratoga; Irad Ortiz Jr., Klaravich Stables Also Claim Titles

Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Klaravich Stables finished atop their respective standings with the trio finishing as the leading trainer, jockey and owner for the 40-day summer meet at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., that concluded on Labor Day Monday.

“It doesn't get old and it doesn't get easier,” said Pletcher. “I've been fortunate to have won it that many times, but I still have a tremendous appreciation for how hard it is to do. I have a lot of great owners and I'm grateful for the opportunities with so many good horses.”

Pletcher returned to familiar territory, finishing as the leading trainer for the Saratoga summer meet for the 14th time in his illustrious career, tallying 32 wins.

Pletcher, who won his first Saratoga crown in 1998, won the H. Allen Jerkens award as the meet's top conditioner for the first time since 2017, registering a record of 32-23-15 with 142 starters. His success ended reigning four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown's run of two consecutive meet titles and three in four years. Brown finished second with 28 wins.

Pletcher expressed his gratitude for the team effort in securing the title.

“It means a lot to the whole team,” said Pletcher. “A lot of people put in a lot of hard work. We were understaffed coming in and a lot of guys and girls put in a lot of work for this. I'm grateful for that and happy to be a part of the achievement.”

Among Pletcher's highlights was saddling Halladay for his Grade 1 Fourstardave triumph on August 22 while racking up stakes wins with Spinoff [Alydar], Nonna Madeline [Summer Colony] and Moretti [Birdstone].

“Halladay winning the Fourstardave stands out for me,” said Pletcher. “Grade 1 wins are hard to come by and that was a big win.”

The 53-year-old Pletcher won six Saratoga training titles consecutively from 2010-15 and tallied his most wins in a summer meet with 40 in 2017.

“Someone said to me this morning if I won that it would be the fourth different decade I've won a training title and I thought that was kind of cool,” said Pletcher. “I'd say aside from the first one in 1998, this was the next most rewarding.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. earned the Angel Cordero, Jr. Award for the third time overall and first since 2018, finishing with 59 wins to top younger brother Jose Ortiz [58 wins] and Joel Rosario [48] in third. Ortiz, Jr. won his first crown in 2015.

“It's very special. My agent [Steve Rushing] did a great job and I'm very thankful for all the trainers and owners, without them I would not be here,” said Ortiz, Jr., who missed three days of racing late in the meet with a wrist injury. “After my injury, I had to take off a few days and they still named me on their horses and gave me the confidence and the opportunity.”

The 28-year-old native of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico compiled a 59-47-43 record in 282 mounts, totaling earnings of more than $4.4 million with a winning percentage of better than 20 percent.

A memorable meet was highlighted by his winning ride aboard Improbable in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 1, part of a day in which he registered four wins in total. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Improbable marked the second Whitney winner in three years for Ortiz, Jr., who also was victorious with Diversify in 2018.

Ortiz, Jr. won 10 stakes at the meet including graded scores in the Grade 3 Peter Pan aboard Country Grammer on Opening Day; the Grade 3 With Anticipation on Fire At Will; and the Grade 2 Honorable Miss with Come Dancing on Sunday.

The veteran rider won with 5-of-8 mounts on July 23rd during a 10-race card at the Spa, led by a victory aboard Fresco in the NYSSS Statue of Liberty.

Ortiz, Jr. said he enjoyed the daily competition with his brother.

“We have fun,” said Ortiz, Jr. “He wants the best for me and I want the best for him.”

Klaravich Stables was once again the top Saratoga owner, recording 13 wins, 11 runner-up finishes and 17 third-place efforts from 58 starts. The win total was three more than the next-closest competitors in Repole Stable. Headed by Seth Klarman, the stable again teamed with Brown for its meet highlights, which included the stakes scores of Selflessly in the Grade 3 Lake George and Domestic Spending in the Saratoga Derby Invitational.

Live racing will now shift to Belmont Park for the 27-day fall meet, featuring 38 stakes worth $5.58 million in purse money, that will kick off on Friday, September 18 and run through Sunday, November 1.

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Saratoga Wrap: Despite No Fans On-Track, Wagering Nearly Matches 2019 Figures

The New York Racing Association, Inc. successfully concluded its 2020 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., without interruption and with all-sources handle topping $700 million for the second consecutive year.

Highlighted by Tiz the Law's dominant performance in winning the 151st running of the Grade 1, $1-million Runhappy Travers, the meet was conducted without spectators and with only a limited number of essential personnel, horsemen and owners on-site due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All-sources handle for the 2020 summer meet totaled $702,535,468 compared to $705,343,949 wagered from all sources on Saratoga in 2019.

Average daily handle for the 40-day meet was $17,563,387. The 2019 meet, which was run across 39 days due to the cancellation of a full card due to weather, generated average daily handle of $18,085,742.

Pari-mutuel wagering funds the majority of the NYRA purse account, which is awarded to horsemen and, in turn, benefits hundreds of small businesses operating at NYRA tracks and others dependent on the thoroughbred racing industry.

“NYRA thanks the horsemen and women as well as the entire backstretch community whose professionalism and dedication in adhering to our COVID-19 protocols enabled us to conduct our summer meet without interruption,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “We would also like to thank city and county leaders for their efforts in working with us to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants, and the Saratoga community for welcoming us without reservation. While the 2020 Saratoga meet was a success in many ways, it will most be remembered for the absence of our passionate fans and the irreplaceable energy that they bring to Saratoga each summer. Despite not being able to attend in person, horseplayers watched and wagered with tremendous enthusiasm, and we thank them for their continued support.”

A total of 409 races were run this summer including 226 on dirt and 183 on the turf. 32 races were taken off the turf due to weather. Average field size over the 409 races was 7.4. This compares to 403 total races run in 2019, including 225 on dirt and 178 on turf. 38 were taken off the turf due to weather. Average field size in 2019 was 7.9.

Klaravich Stables was the meet's leading owner with 13 wins. Trainer Todd Pletcher claimed the H. Allen Jerkens training title for the 14th time in his illustrious career with 32 wins. The Ortiz brothers battled down to the final race of the meet as Irad Ortiz, Jr. edged out Jose Ortiz 59 to 58 to claim the Angel Cordero, Jr. riding title.

NYRA Bets, the official betting partner for Saratoga Race Course, experienced significant growth during the meet. NYRA and locally-based Stewart's Shops partnered this summer to unveil a new method for fans to fund their NYRA Bets accounts through the introduction of NYRA Bets Gift Cards. Horseplayers responded enthusiastically and purchased more than 12,000 gift cards at Stewart's Shops between Opening Day and Labor Day.

During this season without spectators, fans turned to Saratoga Live, NYRA's highly-acclaimed and award-winning television program, in greater numbers than ever before. Average viewership of Saratoga Live on FS1 totaled approximately 120,000, while just under 1.3 million viewers watched the Runhappy Travers on FOX. Overall time spent viewing Saratoga Live increased by 300 percent during the more than 210 hours of live programming broadcast on FOX Sports throughout the meet.

NYRA was active on the charitable front to help support the Saratoga community during the pandemic.

NYRA Cares generated $13,380 for the Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund which will distribute the money to locally-based charities and non-profit organizations impacted by COVID-19. The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce raised the funds through an online auction of items provided by NYRA as well as through donations from fans.

NYRA donated $20,000 to four Saratoga Springs charities through the sale of Saratoga Race Course-branded face masks. NYRA worked closely with Saratoga Springs Mayor Meg Kelly in selecting the beneficiaries which provide food, shelter and other critical resources. The funds were divided evenly among AIM Services, Inc.; Franklin Community Center; Shelters of Saratoga and the SNACpack Program (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children).

NYRA also made good use of its popular picnic tables which went unoccupied during the season by lending them to the Saratoga Springs City School District, the City of Saratoga Springs and the village of Schuylerville to enable students and residents to enjoy outdoor dining while maintaining social distancing.

“NYRA has not only been an outstanding partner from a philanthropic standpoint, but also as a leader in the continued effort to keep our community safe,” said Mayor Kelly. “For months, we have worked closely with NYRA to ensure this year's meet would be a success despite the challenging environment. We thank NYRA for its commitment to the health and safety of all city residents this summer.”

As a not-for-profit organization, NYRA's mission is to strengthen and grow the sport of thoroughbred racing in New York state, which drives an industry responsible for 19,000 jobs and $3 billion in annual economic impact, including $240 million alone in the Capital Region during a traditional Saratoga summer meet.

Live racing returns to Belmont Park on Friday, September 18 for the 27-day fall meet, which includes 38 stakes worth $5.58 million in purse money. Following opening weekend at Belmont, live racing will be conducted Thursday through Sunday, with the exception of Columbus Day weekend, when live racing will be offered on Monday, October 12 and will resume on Friday, October 16. The meet runs through Sunday, November 1.

New York state currently requires all racetracks to operate without spectators in attendance to combat the spread of COVID-19.

America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the Belmont Park fall meet with coverage to air on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

For more information, visit NYRA.com.

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