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Saratoga Report #2

Saratoga Report #2

Palace Malice Takes the Jim Dandy
Palace Malice Takes the Jim Dandy

Three Stars of the Week

– 1st Star: Palace Malice (KY) – The Belmont took nothing out of this horse, as Palace Malice ran his career best race in winning the Jim Dandy Saturday afternoon.  The final time was the 2nd fastest in Jim Dandy history, and puts him in a position to become the top ranked three-year old in the country next to his stable mate Verrazano.  Much like his father Curlin, Palace Malice looks to be developing to maximum potential late in his three-year old year.  He’ll move on to the Travers next, where he should be tough to handle once again.  Because the caliber of this years Travers Stakes is so strong, a win in that race will be critical to the three-year old horse of the year award.

– 2nd Star: Laughing (IRE) – Laughing all the way to the bank!!  Those that backed her in the Diana Stakes had to be smiling from ear to ear as Laughing set the softest of fractions, and was able to just barely hold off Dream Peace to win by a head at the end.  This was Laughing’s first Grade 1 victory to go along with a pair of Grade 3 victories as well.  It also gives her back to back victories, and suggests that she can be competitive in more races of this caliber in the future which is something I was unsure of going into the race.

– 3rd Star: Lighthouse Bay (KY) – When Kauai Katie and So Many Ways started to falter at the top of the stretch, you knew a big price was coming in, you just didn’t know who it was going to be.  Lighthouse Bay had shown a sign of improvement in winning an ungraded stakes at Parx last time out, but obviously this was a huge improvement on Saturday.  The win will most likely propel her into the Test Stakes on Travers day.

Flop of the Week

Kauai Katie (KY) – This could be one of the biggest puzzlers of the whole season so far.  Kauai Katie looked unbeatable at six furlongs, but was DEAD LAST in the Prioress Stakes this Saturday.  She never looked comfortable from the start of things, and struggled to keep with a pace that is usually moderate for her.  She did lose a shoe in the race, so maybe that gives us some sort of explanation.  As of now she has to be listed as a horse that has started to decline a bit.

Trainer Standings

Rank Trainer Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Total $ Win% Top3 Top3%
1 Todd A. Pletcher 31 12 2 5 $1,273,507 39% 19 61%
2 William I. Mott 23 5 4 2 $349,115 22% 11 48%
3 Chad C. Brown 25 4 4 6 $520,719 16% 14 56%
3 George Weaver 10 4 1 1 $350,823 40% 6 60%
3 Steven M. Asmussen 18 4 5 1 $313,852 22% 10 56%
3 David Jacobson 19 4 0 4 $153,194 21% 8 42%
7 Michael J. Maker 22 3 2 5 $227,524 14% 10 45%
7 Albert M. Stall, Jr. 6 3 1 1 $185,084 50% 5 83%
7 Wesley A. Ward 14 3 2 2 $171,225 21% 7 50%
7 Michael E. Hushion 7 3 0 0 $138,466 43% 3 43%
7 Dominic G. Galluscio 8 3 0 0 $90,639 38% 3 38%
12 Thomas Albertrani 19 2 4 1 $216,456 11% 7 37%
12 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 18 2 3 1 $181,286 11% 6 33%
12 Christophe Clement 16 2 2 5 $172,010 13% 9 56%
12 Rudy R. Rodriguez 22 2 4 4 $167,025 9% 10 45%
12 Claude R. McGaughey III 8 2 0 3 $155,000 25% 5 63%
12 Jason Servis 9 2 1 0 $116,783 22% 3 33%
12 Mitchell E. Friedman 7 2 0 1 $97,675 29% 3 43%
12 John P. Terranova, II 5 2 0 1 $75,693 40% 3 60%
12 Carlos F. Martin 6 2 0 2 $74,000 33% 4 67%

Jockey Standings

Rank Jockey Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Total $ Win% Top3 Top3%
1 Joel Rosario 85 16 16 13 $1,438,467 19% 45 53%
2 Javier Castellano 81 13 13 13 $1,144,610 16% 39 48%
3 John R. Velazquez 59 9 7 9 $834,820 15% 25 42%
4 Jose Lezcano 62 6 4 9 $795,003 10% 19 31%
4 Cornelio H. Velasquez 47 6 3 6 $377,523 13% 15 32%
6 Rosie Napravnik 57 5 10 7 $472,568 9% 22 39%
6 Luis Saez 61 5 6 5 $422,880 8% 16 26%
8 Junior Alvarado 36 4 2 3 $380,535 11% 9 25%
8 Jose L. Ortiz 47 4 5 3 $349,771 9% 12 26%
8 Joseph Rocco, Jr. 32 4 0 0 $328,568 13% 4 13%
8 Rajiv Maragh 49 4 4 8 $285,660 8% 16 33%
8 Alex O. Solis 21 4 2 1 $250,027 19% 7 33%
8 Jose L. Espinoza 27 4 1 3 $172,560 15% 8 30%
14 Mike E. Smith 5 3 0 1 $462,800 60% 4 80%
14 Irad Ortiz, Jr. 57 3 8 6 $323,811 5% 17 30%
16 Robby Albarado 27 2 4 3 $236,855 7% 9 33%
16 Edgar S. Prado 22 2 6 3 $198,547 9% 11 50%
16 Paco Lopez 7 2 0 1 $95,130 29% 3 43%

Preview to Next Week

– Wednesday – The John’s Call – Three Year Olds and Upward – 1 5/8 (Turf) – Purse: $100,000

– Thursday – The John Morrissey Stakes – New York Breds, Three Year Olds and Upward – 6 1/2 Furlongs – Purse: $100,000

– Thursday – A. P. Smithwick Memorial – Four Year Olds and Upward – 2 1/16 Miles (Steeplechase) – Purse: $100,000

– Friday – The Sportech Caress Stakes – FIlly and Mares 3 Year Olds and Upward – 5 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) – Purse: $100,000

– Saturday – The De La Rose Stakes – Filly and Mares 3 Year Olds and Upward – One Mile (Turf) – Purse: $100,000

– Saturday – The Whitney Handicap (Grade 1) – 3 Year Olds and Upward – 1 1/8 Miles – Purse: $750,000

– Sunday – The Vanderbilt Handicap (Grade 1) – 3 Year Olds and Upward – 6 Furlongs – Purse: $400,000

– Monday – The Waya Stakes – Filly and Mares 3 Year Olds and Upward – 1 1/2 Miles (Turf) – Purse: $100,000

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