SARATOGA SPRINGS – Trainer Todd Pletcher sent his stable’s top turf horse, English Channel, to Chicago for the Arlington Million, rather than keeping him home at the Old Spa for yesterday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Handicap at a mile-and-a-half over the inner turf course.
That’s because Pletcher had his second-stringer, Go Deputy, to pinch-hit, and the 6-year-old son of Deputy Minister came through, rallying into the far turn under Eibar Coa and kicking clear down the lane to win by 13/4 lengths.
Relaxed Gesture, who would have been well-backed in the Million, did stay home for the Sword Dancer, and went off the 3-5 favorite under Kent Desormeaux. He finished fifth after a nightmare trip. On the bit from the start, trainer Christophe Clement’s 5-year-old Irish-bred tugged his way to the early lead and showed the way for a half-mile, when he was wrestled back by Desormeaux to settle in off the crawling pace while hugging the hedge.
Heading into the far turn, Desormeaux tried to angle out for running room, but at the same time Coa ranged up outside to keep him pinned in behind horses. There Relaxed Gesture stayed, boxed in traffic around the turn and down the stretch. The few times a hole did open, Desormeaux didn’t have enough horse left to get there.
In the day’s co-feature, the Grade 2, $200,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at six furlongs, 8-5 favorite War Front spread-eagled a field of six veteran sprinters, taking the lead midway of the turn and drawing off to win 2½ lengths under Jose Santos.
Trained by Hall of Fame legend Allen “the Chief” Jerkens, who last weekend saddled the 3-year-old filly Swap Fliparoo to win the Grade 1 Test, War Front, a 4-year-old son of Danzig, was winless in his previous four starts dating to October, but he’d run a close second in three consecutive sprint stakes including the July 16 Tom Fool at Belmont, when he was beaten a neck by Silver Train, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint and this year’s Met Mile.
Afrashad, making his stakes debut after winning his first three starts gate-to-wire by open lengths (the last two coming off a two-year layoff) after breaking a step slowly, gunned up inside under Rich Migliore to set a blistering pace under heavy pressure from Bishop Court Hill, with War Front parked right outside those two. When Santos turned him loose, he easily took command and was never threatened to the wire, paying $5.50 with a final time of 1:10.1. Judiths Wild Rush came on late to complete a $26.80 exacta.
“I didn’t want to be too far back because he has a lot of speed,” Santos said. “When I asked my horse for run, he really kicked in. The track is a little slow today. They should have finished in 1:09.”
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There’s lots going on today at the Old Spa besides a pair of turf stakes for New York-breds, the $70,000 Irish Linnet at a mile-and-a-sixteenth for 3-year-old fillies and the $100,000 West Point at a mile-and-an-eighth for 3-year-olds and up.
Pro football fans have the chance to meet more than 20 retired NFL greats, including Leonard Marshall, Jack Youngblood, Lenny Moore, Rodney Hampton, Brad Van Pelt, Earl Morrell and Mark Moseley, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and get their autograph for a $5 charitable donation. You also can have lunch with them for $75.
Later in the afternoon, Saratoga celebrates “Jerry Bailey Day,” honoring the winningest rider in the history of the track. The fifth race is named for Bailey, and he’ll address the crowd after the race from the winner’s circle. There won’t be a dry eye in the house!
As if that weren’t enough, free tastings of the Stewart’s Shops ice-cream named for Bailey, “Choco Joco,” dark chocolate with sweet cherries, will be available at 4 p.m. by the jockeys’ silks room.
There also is a Saratoga sports travel bag giveaway.