Perfect Alibi All Class In Adirondack

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Tracy Farmer’s Perfect Alibi utilized her class advantage and the added distance to get home first against a tough Frank’s Rockette in Sunday’s $200,000 Adirondack Stakes (G2) at Saratoga.

Breaking from post 3 as the 6/1 third choice under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Perfect Alibi settled comfortably in the middle of the pack and track while Integral posted opening fractions of :22.06 and :45.84. At the top of the stretch, Integral’s lead was moments from vanishing as four fillies each geared up for a shot at the front.

Perfect Alibi waited until an opening appeared in the middle of the five foes ahead of her, then surged through it. Racing between Frank’s Rockette to her inside and Magic Dance to her outside, Perfect Alibi fought her way forward in deep stretch before crossing a 1/2-length in front at the wire. The Mark Casse trainee completed the 6 1/2-furlong sprint in 1:18.39 over the fast main track.

“I had a good trip,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I broke running because she’s that kind of filly. She has a nice stride. I got a good position on the turn and I just had my hands down and relaxed. Turning for home, (Magic Dance) was on the outside, so I didn’t want to make a premature move and try to get through because it looked like (her rider) had a lot of horse, so I just waited. They didn’t keep a straight (path), so I got through in between the horses and she responded really well.”

Frank’s Rockette was sent postward as the 3/5 favorite on the heels of her dominating 8 3/4-length debut at Churchill Downs on June 21 but couldn’t keep pace late with the winner after getting bumped by a slowing rival and had to settle for second. Magic Dance, the field’s lone stakes winner coming into the race, stumbled badly out of the gate and had to go wide in the far turn before finishing 1 1/4 lengths back in third. Miss Peppina, Big Q, Mylastfirstkiss, a spent Integral, and an eased Just Fly completed the order of finish.

Perfect Alibi’s win was her first at the stakes level, having finished a game second while running out of race track in the 5 1/2-furlong Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park. The 2-year-old daughter of Sky Mesa, purchased as a yearling for $220,000, broke her maiden on debut by 9 1/2 lengths and has now earned $188,488 to go with her 3-2-1-0 record.

“This filly is funny because in the morning when she breezes, you wouldn’t know she’s anything,” Casse said. “She’ll go a 1/2 (mile) in 50 (seconds) and it’s like she’s giving you everything. I was a little surprised she broke her maiden the way she did so easy.”

Perfect Alibi returned $15.40 to win, $4 to place, and $2.40 to show. Frank’s Rockette brought back $2.60 to place and $2.10 to show, while Magic Dance paid $2.30 to show.