Tag: saratoga

Thanks To Explosive Finish From Agate Road, Repole Wins Another Saratoga Maiden

Just five races after Mike Repole was visiting the Saratoga winner's circle with 2-year-old winner Life's an Audible (Audible) in Saturday's first race, the owner wasted little time getting back to that same spot. Repole won his second maiden special weight race on the day and his seventh at the meet when Agate Road (Quality Road) unleashed a furious stretch drive to win the day's sixth race, a maiden on the turf.

Repole's 2-year-olds continue to be a relentless force at the Spa.

“He's a nice Quality Road and we really liked him,” Repole said. “Todd (Pletcher) is having a great meet, we're having a great meet and my team is doing a great job. A lot of these are 2-year-olds we bought at the sales. Our 2-year-olds are running really well. We're really loading up for this year and next year.”

Agate Road was a $650,000 Keeneland September purchase and the dam, Yellow Agate (Gemologist) won the GI Frizette S. for trainer Christophe Clement. Though there didn't appear to be a lot of turf breeding in the colt's pedigree, Pletcher must have known something. He entered Agate Road in an Aug. 5 maiden that was washed off the turf. Agate Road finished second in the one-mile event, losing by just a nose.

But rather than staying on the dirt, Pletcher placed the juvenile right back in a turf maiden. The result was a much- improved effort from the even-money favorite. Breaking from the 10 hole in a field of 10, Agate Road came out at the start and by the time he could be straightened up by Irad Ortiz, Jr. he was last. Ortiz got the colt going near the top of the stretch, but it still looked like a lost cause. At the eighth pole, he had just one horse beat. But from there launched a stretch rally for the ages. He passed eight horses and made up about six lengths inside the final furlong to win by a neck over Stolen Magic (Good Magic).

“I wouldn't say it was a masterful ride from Irad when he went 10-wide,” Repole said. “He's had better rides. When he broke a little slow from the 10 post he was going to be wide. He must have come home in under 12. He was flying at the end.”

The final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth run over a firm turf course was 1:46.79 and Agate Road paid $4.10.

From his army of 2-year-olds, Repole may not be done. On Sunday, he will run Scalable in a six-furlong maiden special weight race and Miz Sense (Street Sense) in the GI Spinaway S. On Monday, he will send out Be You (Curlin) in the closing-day feature, the GI Hopeful S.

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Life’s an Audible Pounces, Graduates at Second Asking

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Different surface. Different distance. Different pace scenario. Far different outcome for Life's an Audible (Audible) Saturday in the opener at Saratoga Race Course.

When her career debut at 1 1/16 miles on turf on July 30 was switched to the main track at one mile due to wet conditions, Life's an Audible was prominent for six furlongs, but weakened and ended up 21 lengths behind her Todd Pletcher stablemate Miz Sense (Street Sense.

Running 5 1/2 furlongs over a turf course rated as firm in her second start Saturday, the Repole Stable chestnut came from off the pace under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and beat the maiden special weight field by 1 1/4 lengths. Sent off at 7-1 in the field of 10 fillies, she reached the wire in 1:03.29 and paid $16.40.

It was the second consecutive day that Pletcher watched one of his 2-year-olds flourish in its second start. On Friday, Locked (Gun Runner), turned in a very professional performance for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm.

Bayare (Midshipman), the 2-1 favorite, and Echo Baybe (IRE) (Cable Bay {IRE}) set the early pace through fractions of :21.54 seconds and :45.38. Starting from Post 9, Ortiz worked Life's an Audible toward the inside. She got the job done in the stretch.

“Shortening up from an off-the-turf race; got some experience in there,” Pletcher said. “They went pretty fast early. She got out-footed a little bit in the beginning but picked it up nicely around the turn came with a good run down the lane.”

Repole purchased Life's an Audible for $200,000 at the OBS March sale. She was bred in Kentucky by Susan Moulton.

Ortiz was aboard for the July 30 race and figured that Life's an Audible would again be part of the pace scenario. Instead, she was about six lengths back after a quarter mile.

“She was quick last time, so I knew that she was going to be close, but they ran away from me early on,” he said.

Ortiz guided the filly closer to the rail and had her in position to make a late run.

“When she hit the clear she took off,” he said.

 

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.29, fm, 1 1/4 lengths.
LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE (f, 2, Audible–Catkins, by Data Link) was an early factor on debut but faded to be a well-beaten fourth at Saratoga in a rained-off one-mile event July 30. On the turf in a true sprint Saturday, the 7-1 shot took her time getting into stride and race in the back half of the field before moving up into the turn. Fanned out to be six wide past the quarter pole, the $200,000 OBS March grad rallied to the front inside the final sixteenth and got a bit of separation late to score by 1 1/4 lengths over first-time starter Tammy Lynn (Distorted Humor). Life's an Audible becomes the sixth winner for her freshman sire (by Into Mischief). Catkins has a yearling Tom's d'Etat colt, reported a Liam's Map filly this year, and visited Nashville for 2024. Sales History: $25,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $64,050. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Repole Stable; B-Susan Moulton (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

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Quality Road’s Agate Road Defies All Logic In ‘Rising Star’ Turf Debut

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's Agate Road (c, 2, Quality Road–Yellow Agate, by Gemologist) was hammered into even-money favoritism for his turf and two-turn debuts on the strength of a near-miss runner-up effort in a rained-off maiden Aug. 5. At the end of 8 1/2 very eventful furlongs Saturday afternoon at the Spa, the $650,000 Keeneland September purchase was named a 'TDN Rising Star'.

Drawn widest in a field of 10, Agate Road was behind the eight ball right from the opening bell, as he broke a good two paths to his outside, costing himself any shot at securing a forward position. To make matters a bit more complicated, he didn't take the first turn particularly well and settled near the tail of the field as 11-1 Ocala Rocket (Hard Spun) led them along at a moderate early clip. Racing with just two behind as they hit the backstretch, but still patiently handled by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Agate Road found himself with about eight lengths to find banking around the final turn, but was forced to take the scenic route, conceding ground to add to his trouble line through the opening 6 1/2 furlongs. But, switched out widest into the lane and despite being bothered by a shifting-out rival nearing the furlong grounds, Agate Road steamed home down the center of the course to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in a race he really had no business winning. He becomes the 15th 'Rising Star' for his sire.

Agate Road is the second winner from three foals to race out of Yellow Agate, a $70,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $210,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by China Horse Club who validated 13-10 favoritism in the GI Frizette S. in 2016. The mare is also responsible for Agate Road's year-older full-sister Plentitude, a maiden winner at first asking over the Tampa main in April track before taking an allowance sprinting over the Belmont turf course in June. She was most recently fourth in the Blue Sparkler S. at Monmouth July 8

The dam of the yearling filly Gin's Beach Road (Quality Road), a $650,000 acquisition by Live Oak at last month's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, Yellow Agate aborted her Constitution foal of 2023 before being bred once again to Quality Road.

6th-Saratoga, $105,189, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:46.79, fm, neck.
AGATE ROAD, c, 2, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Yellow Agate (GISW, $291,503), by Gemologist
2nd Dam: Lemon Sorbet, by Lemon Drop Kid
3rd Dam: Flabbergasted (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
Sales history: $650,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $78,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

O-Repole Stable & St Elias Stable; B-CHC Inc (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.

 

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Lord Nelson’s Alva Starr Powerful in the Prioress

Dale P. Ladner's Alva Starr (Lord Nelson), a smashing winner over older female sprinters while making her stakes debut in the Dashing Beauty S. at Delaware Park July 8, negotiated the hike into graded stakes company with aplomb, routing four rivals in Saturday's GII Prioress S. at Saratoga.

Sent off as the 7-2 third choice, with GIII Victory Ride S. runner-up Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) the pari-mutuel princess at 3-5, the bay–bred by Ladner in partnership with trainer Brett Brinkman–attended a sharp early pace while three wide, turned back a challenge from the heavy favorite nearing the stretch and ran away with authority in the final furlong to romp by 8 3/4 lengths.

Jersey Pearl (Bee Jersey), a latest fifth in the GI Test S. Aug. 5, outfinished a disappointing Dazzling Blue for second.

“This filly had not missed a beat since the Delaware race and we just felt really good coming into the race,” Brinkman said.

“It doesn't put us into the winner's circle, but we felt good about it. A lot of times good horses make it look easy, but they are running fast and she's got a quick turn of foot from a high cruising speed and that's all I told Jose [Lezcano] when he worked her and when he got on her today. I said, 'Let her be who she wants to be, she is very manageable and use her assets.'”

A start in Keeneland's GII Raven Run S. Oct. 21 may be next for Alva Starr, who was narrowly defeated by the aforementioned Jersey Pearl by a neck in a Churchill optional claimer May 27.

Pedigree Notes:

Alva Starr, already one of five stakes winners for Lord Nelson, becomes the first graded winner for her late sire. Into Mischief is now the broodmare sire of four graded winners, including Saratoga's GI Whitney S. winner White Abarrio (Race Day).

The winner's dam Sittin At the Bar, just a $30,000 BSCYRL yearling purchase, won 11 of 19 career starts–led by nine stakes victories in Louisiana–for Ladner and Brinkman.

Sittin At the Bar has also produced the 2021 Prioress heroine Cilla (California Chrome) for these same connections and two other stakes winners. She is responsible for a Frosted filly of 2022 and a Gun Runner filly of 2023. She was bred back to Cyberknife.

 

Saturday, Saratoga
PRIORESS S.-GII, $242,500, Saratoga, 9-2, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:09.14, ft.
1–ALVA STARR, 120, f, 3, by Lord Nelson
          1st Dam: Sittin At the Bar (MSW & GSP, $705,896), by Into Mischief
          2nd Dam: Fast Laner, by Mutakddim
          3rd Dam: Lois Laner, by Cutlass Reality
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-P. Dale Ladner; B-Brett A. Brinkman & P. Dale Ladner (KY); T-Brett A. Brinkman; J-Jose Lezcano. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $268,900. *1/2 to Cilla (California Chrome), GSW & GISP, $509,000; 1/2 to Jack the Umpire (Bodemeister), SW, $193,435; 1/2 to Club Car (Malibu Moon), SW & MGSP, $677,265. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jersey Pearl, 120, f, 3, Bee Jersey–Jersey's Soul, by Perfect Soul (Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($12,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Silverton Hill LLC; B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Darrin Miller. $50,000.
3–Dazzling Blue, 120, f, 3, Into Mischief–Blue Violet, by Curlin. ($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Juddmonte; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $30,000.
Margins: 8 3/4, 2HF, 7HF. Odds: 3.50, 3.05, 0.65.
Also Ran: Unsung Melody, Unified Alliance.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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