Dismissed at 12-1 by the bettors, Ozara (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) pulled off the upset over heavily favored Weigh the Risks (Mendelssohn) from the Chad Brown barn to win Sunday's opener at Saratoga, a $136,000 maiden special weight race run at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf.
The win came less than a year after bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased the filly out of the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The purchase price was 350,000 guineas.
“This was very much a team effort,” winning trainer Christophe Clement said. “Mike Ryan bought the filly for Mr. (Everett) Dobson of Cheyenne Stable. This wasn't an upset to us because we thought she was training well. We always liked her.”
#10 Ozara wins first time out in the opener at Saratoga under @Tyler_Gaff for trainer @clementstable!
#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/bMsn6vzXT2
— TwinSpires Racing
(@TwinSpires) August 6, 2023
The winning team also included jockey Tyler Gaffalione, whose perfect rail-skimming ride probably made the difference. By the time the field passed the wire for the first time, Gaffalione had guided his mount from the nine post to the rail. He started his bid midway down the backstretch and was fourth with a half-mile to go. Turning for home, a path opened up in the two path and Ozara pushed her way through to the lead to win by a neck over the fast-closing Weigh the Risks, who had to swing eight wide at the top of the stretch. Weigh the Risks was the even money favorite.
“I'm delighted,” Clement said. “It worked out perfectly. She had a great trip. Thank you, Tyler. He worked her last time and she had a very good work with him. It's nice when a jockey can get to know them before they run first time out. We have a great jockeys colony here in New York and Tyler makes it even better here in the summer.”
1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-6, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.48, gd, neck.
OZARA (IRE) (f, 2, Lope de Vega {Ire}–Cercle d'Or {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) drifted up from her 6-1 morning line to be 12-1 as the gates sprung in her Sunday debut. Able to clear down to the rail from her outside draw, she chased pacesetter Sands of War (War Front) up the backstretch but was eager to make a move and did so as the field moved into the far turn. Up the inside past the quarter pole, Ozara got the racing room she needed and pounced between horses to strike the front, powering home and just holding off the late challenge of even-money favorite Weight the Risks (Mendelssohn) to win by a neck. Brought to the United States after selling in Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling sale, Ozara is out of a half-sister to MG1SW and G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Golden Horn (Cape Cross {Ire}). Her dam foaled a yearling filly by Frankel (GB) last year but was not reported bred for 2023. Sales Price: 350,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Cheyenne Stable LLC; B-Fleche D'Or Partnership (Ire); T-Christophe Clement.
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