Ricardo Santana Jr. | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘He Has It All’: Volatile Too Quick For Alfred G. Vanderbilt Rivals

Volatile extended an impressive start to his 4-year-old campaign, staying undefeated in 2020 after going to the front and drawing away from the four-horse field in the stretch for a 1 1/4-length win in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Phoenix Thoroughbreds III, Volatile started his 2020 season with a 7 ½-length allowance score in April at Oaklawn before dominating in his first stakes appearance with an eight-length triumph at Churchill Downs in the Aristides on June 6 that netted a 112 Beyer Speed Figure.

Whitmore, the 4-1 second choice, broke through the gate before the start of the race but was quickly pulled up by jockey Joel Rosario. Lexitonian, the longest shot on the board, was subsequently scratched at the gate, and the four-horse field was backed out and then reloaded.

Volatile, who Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen moved up in class, wasn't fazed by the slight delay, going an easy quarter-mile in 23.46 seconds and the half in 46.67 on the fast main track.

Volatile set the pace and kicked on when straightened for home by jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., repelling Whitmore's inside bid near the top of the stretch before completing six furlongs in a final time of 1:09.61.

The Violence colt improved to 3-for-3 this year and is 5-1-0 in six career starts – all at six furlongs. An $850,000 purchase at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, he has won four straight starts and has earned winner's circle trips at four different racetracks.

“He was really on his toes today,” said Santana, Jr., who won two on the card. “Steve gave him a lot of time from his last race and he was feeling great. I was really happy with how he was out there. I'm glad we backed off from the gate again. When we came up [to the gate] he relaxed really well and then I was happy because I could see he was ready to go. The gate opened and he put me in the spot that he wanted, and I was happy, too. Turning for home, he kicked really well.”

The 2-5 favorite, Volatile returned $2.80 on a $2 win wager. He improved his career earnings to $341,040 and gave Asmussen his third career Vanderbilt win, joining Justin Phillip in 2013 and Majesticperfection in 2010.

“We saw the first two races from him this year and they were absolutely brilliant,” Asmussen said. “I feel very good about getting those races into him before he met accomplished horses like this. But from an ability or a speed level, he has it all.”

Asmussen said he was confident Volatile could be stretched out at some point. The conditioner said the plan is to target the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 7 at Keeneland.

“We will discuss it, but we obviously feel the Breeders' Cup is where we want to be with him at the of the year and how we get there from here is going to be the plan,” Asmussen said.

Six-time graded stakes-winner Whitmore finished a half-length in front of Mind Control for second. The Ron Moquett trainee, whose previous Saratoga appearance was a victorious 2018 Grade 1 Forego, was making his first start since winning the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint in April at Oaklawn.

“I was in a good position and he was enjoying everything in there,” Rosario said. “I thought for a second we were going to come and get the winner, but he was too good today. I was up close and my horse was there for me. I could see the pace wasn't very fast, but he was traveling hard and very comfortable on the inside there. He's a champ.”

Mind Control, who won the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at the Spa last year for trainer Gregg Sacco, edged Firenze Fire by a neck for third.

Live racing returns on Saratoga on Sunday with a 10-race card which features the Grade 2, $150,000 Bernard Baruch over the Mellon turf course for 3-year-olds and upward. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

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Field Pass Prevails In Tight Transylvania Stakes Finish

Three Diamonds Farm's Field Pass held off Street Ready by a nose to win Sunday's 32nd running of the $100,000 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) for 3-year-olds at Keeneland on closing day of the Lexington, Ky., track's five-day summer Thoroughbred meet.

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Field Pass covered the 1 1/16 miles on a turf course labeled good in 1:42.56.

Juggernaut led the field through fractions of :23.33, :47.76 and 1:12.45 with Fancy Liquor and Street Ready in closest pursuit and Field Pass saving ground in fifth.

In the stretch, Fancy Liquor pushed to the front but was joined at midstretch by Field Pass on his outside. Those two were immediately joined by Street Ready, who ducked to the inside under Chris Landeros. The trio dueled to the wire with Field Pass barely prevailing.

The victory, the fourth stakes triumph and second Grade 3 win for Field Pass, was worth $60,000 and increased the colt's bankroll to $418,610.

Field Pass is a Maryland-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid out of the Runaway Groom mare Only Me.

Sent off as the favorite in the field of 10, Field Pass returned $6.40, $4.40 and $3.60. Street Ready paid $12.60 and $7.60 and finished a neck ahead of Fancy Liquor, who paid $5.20 to show under Florent Geroux.

It was another half-length back to City Man, who was followed in order by Spanish Kingdom, Bama Breeze, Irish Mias, Vintage Print, Kinenos and Juggernaut.

In partnership with Keeneland, sponsor Kentucky Utilities has provided $7,500 in matching funds to support God's Pantry Food Bank and Nourish Lexington, two programs that are teaming to provide meals to those in need in Lexington during the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Keeneland is a proud founding partner of Nourish Lexington, which uses the skills and talents of displaced hospitality employees to prepare and serve these meals. Since its inception on April 1, Nourish Lexington has served more than 80,000 meals.

God's Pantry is critical to Nourish Lexington because many ingredients for meals are from the food bank.

To support this effort, please click here.

Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Quotes
Ricardo Santana Jr.: “He was sitting behind the speed, perfect. Turning for home, I took him out. He got in the clear and started running. Every time he saw those two horses on the inside he kept fighting.”

Mike Maker: “This horse loves to win. He's all heart. As Ricardo said, he never really doubted (Field Pass) would win. When he thought he was getting the lead, he started kinda backing off. When he felt the pressure, he dug back in.”

Will he get better in longer races for 3-year-olds? “I think so. We're gonna find out.”

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Options Galore For Ogden Phipps Winner She’s A Julie’s Next Start

Owner Peter Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds said Grade 1 Ogden Phipps winner She's a Julie has several options in play following her triumph in the 1 1/8-mile event on June 13 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the daughter of Elusive Quality is “50-50” for the Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Handicap on July 11 at Delaware Park according to Bradley, who owns She's a Julie in partnership with Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables.

Other options for the two-time Grade 1-winning millionaire include the Grade 3, $250,000 Molly Pitcher on July 18 at Monmouth Park, or to train up to the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 1 at Saratoga.

“We're looking at it,” Bradley said of the Delaware Handicap. “As Steve says, we'll let her tell us, but we've marked that, the Molly Pitcher or maybe even wait until the Personal Ensign.”

She's a Julie posted her first breeze since the Ogden Phipps on Sunday morning, working five furlongs in 1:02.48 over the Belmont main track.

She's a Julie was a 14-1 upset winner of the Ogden Phipps where she made a three-wide move under urging from jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. and nosed out graded stakes winner Point of Honor for the win.

“She gives it her all every time and is a bit of a grinder,” said Bradley. “The race set up with speed in front of her and that's when she's at her best. She's been training well, couldn't be happier with her.”

She's a Julie made amends in the Ogden Phipps following a disappointing sixth in her 2020 bow in the Shawnee at Churchill Downs, where she hopped at the start, got out of position and came up empty.

“The way she hit the gate that day and got out of position, she was a lost cause from there on out,” Bradley said. “She's a big, strong filly and Ricardo did the right thing that day and wrapped up on her. As Steve said, put a line through that race. What she's got is a heart that's twice as big as she is and she's a very big horse.”

She's a Julie boasts lifetime earnings of $1,187,880 and boasts five graded stakes victories, all of which have taken place over different tracks.

Bradley found more Belmont success when Captain Bombastic took the Mike Lee on June 14 for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Bradley purchased the Forty Tales New York-bred for $80,000 on behalf of Team Hanley at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale last March.

“He was a balanced and very athletic looking horse,” Bradley said. “He moved across the ground well, galloped out nicely and just did all the things you want him to do. Forty Tales isn't really a household name as a stallion, but we had a price point we were looking at it. The one turn is really what he wants.”

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Street Sense Colt Cazadero Punctual Favorite In Bashford Manor

Odds-on favorite Cazadero reaffirmed his dazzling 8 3/4-length debut win with another impressive performance at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in Saturday's 119th running of the $100,000 Bashford Manor (Grade III), beating County Final by 4 3/4 lengths while running six furlongs in 1:09.73.

Sent to post as the 2-5 favorite in a field of seven 2-year-olds, Stonestreet Stables' homebred Cazadero tracked pacesetter County Final, who blitzed his way to the front through swift fractions of a :21.24 and :45.12. Off the turn, jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. shook the reins on Cazadero, who quickly drew even with the leader at the three-sixteenths pole and asserted himself in deep stretch for the comfortable victory.

“He is an incredibly nice horse,” Santana said. “We sat in a really good spot today and was very comfortable. He kept finding his stride throughout the stretch.”

It was the record sixth Bashord Manor win for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who previously won the juvenile event with Lunarpal (2004), Kodiak Kowboy (2007), Kantharos (2010), Cinco Charlie (2014) and Sir Truebadour (2018).

“He's been a very fast horse in his training and handled everything very well today,” Asmussen said.

Cazadero's triumph was worth $60,760 and increased his bankroll to $106,160 with a perfect record in two starts. His debut win came May 29 at Churchill Downs in a five-furlong maiden special weight.

Cazadero is a 2-year-old son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of the Forest Wildcat mare Wild Gams. He was bred in Kentucky by his owner Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC.

“He was a later foal (born May 8, 2018) but we knew he was wickedly fast,” Banke said. “He grew up on our farm and has showed that speed in his two starts.”

Cazadero returned $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10. County Final, under James Graham at 16-1, paid $6.80 and $4.80 and finished 1 ¾ lengths in front of Herd Immunity who paid $4.60 to show under Brian Hernandez Jr. at 12-1.

Hulen, Hyperfocus, Gatsby and Crown and Coke completed the order of finish.

First run in 1902, the Bashford Manor is named for the former Louisville Thoroughbred breeding and racing farm that dominated the American racing scene in the early 1900s. George J. Long, a wealthy foundry owner, purchased Bashford Manor Farm in 1887 and developed his Thoroughbred operation that provided him two Derby wins as an owner, 1892 (Azra) and 1906 (Sir Huon), and three as a breeder, 1892 (Azra), 1899 (Manuel) and 1906 (Sir Huon). In addition, Bashford Manor also won the Kentucky Oaks in 1894 (Selika) and 1915 (Kathleen). The original Wilder family owned Bashford Manor. The Wilders were direct descendants of Lord Baltimore, whose English home was also called Bashford Manor. Long died in 1930 and the farm was eventually sold in 1973 to make way for the development of a mall complex, fittingly named Bashford Manor, that formally closed in 2003.

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