SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – In wire-to-wire fashion, Sandy’z Slew dominated Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Troy Stakes at Saratoga. This was the third consecutive win for the eight-year-old son of Limehouse and his first career stakes victory.
Sandy’z Slew broke well, jumped to the front, and almost immediately had a length on the rest of the field. Meanwhile, the 3-2 favorite, Disco Partner, sat off the pace on the rail with Tombelaine on his outside and the pair of Ready for Rye and Blind Ambition close behind. Sandy’z Slew was in complete control the entire time, setting fractions of :22.58, :46. 22, and :58.48. As they hit the top of the stretch it looked like Disco Partner might make a move, however, Sandy’z Slew responded to the urging by jockey Jose Ortiz and kept well ahead of the rest of the field. Blind Ambition made up the most ground and looked for a second like he might have enough of a late run to catch Sandy’z Slew, however, there was just too much ground to make up. Sandy’z Slew finished 3/4 lengths ahead of Blind Ambition. Disco Partner finished third followed by Square Shooter in fourth.
Sandy’z Slew returned $10.00 to win, $5.40 to place, and $3.20 to show. Blind Ambition brought back $5.50 to place and $3.50 to show, while Disco Partner paid $ to show.
It was said after the victory that the horse didn’t go to the Winner’s circle. TVG was going to give an update but did I miss it?
From http://www.drf.com/news/sandyz-slew-exits-troy-win-injured-suspensory:
Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said Sandy’z Slew was resting comfortably on Monday, 24 hours after being vanned off following his wire-to-wire victory in Sunday’s Grade 3 Troy Stakes.
“He was walking around on it pretty good today,” said Englehart. “It’s a suspensory injury. Whether he hit it, pulled it, or strained it, we’ll see.”
Englehart said Sandy’z Slew had been fitted with a gel cast in an effort to reduce inflammation and that the horse would have a scan on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury.
Englehart said he’s still not certain at what point Sandy’z Slew might have sustained the injury in the Troy.
“Jose [Ortiz] told me he thought around the three-eighths pole he slipped a little and might have done something then,” said Englehart. “I thought it might have happened at the sixteenth pole when he switched his lead, because at that point he went from being in control of the race to where the second horse really made up a lot of ground in the last sixteenth of a mile. Everything Jose did yesterday after the race was precautionary to make sure he was okay.”
The Troy was the fourth win in the last five starts for Sandy’z Slew, an 8-year-old gelded son of Limehouse whom Englehart claimed here a year ago for $40,000 on behalf of owner Jimmy Riccio.
“I don’t want to say one way or another whether he’ll be retired, but everyone involved in the situation knows he doesn’t owe us anything and if we’re the least bit skeptical whether he can come back, everyone is on the same page. In fact I’ve already heard Jose say he wants to make him his first horse on the farm he bought in Ocala if we do have to retire him.”