Spinoff Finally Scores in Alydar

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Wertheimer and Frere homebred Spinoff finally got his first stakes score with a strong stretch effort to win Sunday’s $85,000 Alydar Stakes at Saratoga.

Breaking from post 3 as the 3/1 second choice under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Spinoff remained three-wide in the clear while Its All Relevant set the pace heading into the clubhouse turn.

Its All Relevant raced unopposed through opening fractions of :24.97, :49.57, and 1:12.86 while Bodexpress kept closest watch.

Spinoff tipped out heading into the far turn, making a three-wide bid that quickly put him on top as the field straightened for home. The rest of the field fought in vain to keep pace, but none got close enough.

Maintaining his advantage for the full stretch, the Todd Pletcher trainee crossed 2 3/4 lengths ahead in hand, completing the 1 1/8-mile fast dirt route in a final time of 1:49.60

“My horse ran a great race today,” said Ortiz, Jr. “Last time, he got in a little trouble. He relaxed so well today and the race set up for him. In the turn, he relaxed in the clear, and when I asked him to go, I got plenty from him.”

The 3/5 favorite Endorsed was unable to keep pace behind a runaway Spinoff and chased him home for second, 4 1/2 lengths clear of Bodexpress. Backsideofthemoon and Its All Relevant completed the order of finish.

Tenfold was scratched.

Spinoff’s win was his first of the year and improved his overall record to 12-4-2-1 with $421,600 earned. The 4-year-old Hard Spun colt rebounded well from a last-out seventh-place finish against optional claiming foes on the Belmont Park dirt.

“It’s rewarding,” Pletcher said. “He’s a horse we always had high hopes for. We placed him pretty ambitiously. He’s always been right on the verge of breaking through, so hopefully, as a 4-year-old, maybe he can take it to the next level.”

Spinoff returned $8.40 to win, $2.90 to place, and $2.20 to show. Endorsed brought back $2.20 to place and $2.10 to show, while Bodexpress paid $2.50 to show.