Justice Julia (Medaglia d'Oro–Dreaming of Julia) would have been the sexier half of a commonly owned entry that was sent off as the 7-10 favorite in what became the first race of the final week of racing at Saratoga, but the half-sister to champion Malathaat (Curlin) was never truly involved, and entrymate Emery (f, 2, More Than Ready–Athena, by Street Sense) proved more than equal to the task, skipping clear in the final 150 yards to debut impressively.
Away in midpack in a scratched-down field of five, Emery tracked from an inside position early on before easing out into the clear down the back as Waskesiu (American Pharoah) took them along through a quarter in :21.97 over a drying-out strip. Three deep into the stretch, Emery came after the pacesetter with about a furlong to travel and did her best work through the line, scoring by about four lengths over Waskesiu. The cleverly named Before You Go Go (Mitole) was free of excuses in third, as apparently was Justice Julia, who trailed in.
“From the time I got on her, she was cool, calm and collected,” winning rider Tyler Gaffalione, told Saratoga Live. “She warmed up great and did what I asked her to, she's really kind. She broke alertly and put herself into a great spot. Once we got to the outside, she was very comfortable and just kept kind of building on that.”
Gaffalione, who missed some time after being thrown from the stricken New York Thunder (Nyquist) in last Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens S., reflected on his summer at the Spa. His current tally of 30 wins is just three shy of his career best.
“It's amazing,” he said. “Anytime you can come up here and compete with these guys, it feels really good. I owe a lot of credit to my agent, he's been getting me on a lot of live mounts and horseman have been putting me on good horses. There's just something about being up here in Saratoga, it just gives you a little more life and you want to try to be as successful as possible here.”
A $235,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase by the Stonestreet braintrust, Emery has a now-yearling American Pharoah half-sister that cost $70,000 at last year's Novembeer Sale. Stonestreet acquired the winner's dam, who hails from the female family of Grade I winner Peeping Tom (Eagle Eyed), for $130,000 at last year's KEENOV sale, and she produced a filly by Improbable this term before being covered by Good Magic.
2nd-Saratoga, $101,850, Msw, 8-30, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:09.80, my, 5 3/4 lengths.
EMERY (f, 2, More Than Ready–Athena {MSW, $459,222}, by Street Sense) Sales history: $235,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Mary K Grum (KY); T-Brad H Cox.
#1a Emery breaks her maiden on debut in R2 at Saratoga for trainer @bradcoxracing with @Tyler_Gaff aboard!
#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/ULy5TuHSXI
— TwinSpires Racing
(@TwinSpires) August 30, 2023
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