Two-Year-Olds in Sanford Stakes Spotlight
The $175,000 six-furlong
Grade 3 Sanford Stakes, on Saratoga's opening Saturday, is the first of a
series of three graded dirt events tailored for 2-year-olds throughout the
meet.
Following the Sanford
Stakes, horse racing enthusiasts can look forward to the Saratoga Special (G2)
on August 10 and the prestigious Hopeful (G1) on September 2.
Only four horses have
swept the series: Regret (1914), Campfire (1916), Dehere (1993), and City Zip
(2000). Regret later won the Kentucky Derby.
the Sanford Stakes was
Secretariat’s first stakes win. Affirmed also won the Sanford and the Triple
Crown. Afleet Alex (2004) was the last Sanford hero to win a triple crown race.
On another note, Man
O'War suffered his only defeat in the 1919 Sanford to Upset.
This year’s Sanford
Stakes will feature an impressive field of eight colts and geldings, led by
Mentee who is the full sibling of the reigning 2-year-old Champion, Fierceness.
This year's race also
showcases the first crop sires Complexity, Echo Town, and King for a Day.
Highlighting the
significant influence of Uncle Mo's bloodlines, he’s represented by three sons
and he’s the damsire of a fourth.
The Sanford Stakes is
billed as race 11 of 12 with a 6:17 PM EST post time.
Let’s review the field.
1. Mentee (City of
Light - Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) (6-5)
In his debut at Belmont
at the Big A, Mentee dazzled with a new track record of 56.97, eclipsing the
57.0 record set in 1963 by Bazaar, and earned an 81 Brisnet speed rating. The
Todd Pletcher trainee got his final furlong in a sharp 12.17.
Although he opened up by five
lengths, Mentee was a touch green; he noticeably slowed, getting tired, but
also waited on horses and held on to graduate by a nose. Mentee is an athletic colt; he cut the
corner around the far turn and showed the same skill during morning works.
Mentee had two post-race
breezes in company at Saratoga. He settled comfortably on the rail, then during
the gallop out, was asked to pass his mate and did so willingly, so he doesn't
give the impression of a need-the-lead type.
However, in the last five
years, Todd Pletcher's sole stakes winner out of 14 last out 2-year-old maiden
winners was 2021 Sanford hero Wit. One placed, and five were third. Exotics.
2. Mr. Squeaky Wheels
(Gormley - Follow the Lite, by Lite the Fuse) (15-1)
Mr. Squeaky Wheels was
mostly professional in his Presque Isle Downs debut. He settled three-wide
while pressing the pace, targeted the green leaders, and opened up down the
stretch. He drifted a little but was all business, stopping the clock in 51.46
for 4 ½ furlongs and earning a 74 speed rating.
Four rivals of Mr.
Squeaky Wheels returned, to hit the board in their next start.
The Keven Rice trainee
had a post-race breeze at Keeneland and another at Ellis Park, and he'll be
shipping, moving up in class and distance while facing winners, a challenging
feat for a 2-year-old. Pass.
3. Baby Dukes (Maximus
Mischief - Flatter's Secret, by Flatter) (12-1)
Baby Dukes took command
shortly after the start of a 4 ½ furlong maiden event at PARX and drew off by four
lengths. The Robert Reid, Jr. trainee was professional, switched leads
correctly and kept a straight path down the lane. Baby Dukes stopped the clock
in 54.18, recording a 74 speed rating, and was never asked for his best. His
speed ratings are low, and he’s shipping and stepping up in class. Pass.
4. Soontobeking (King
for a Day - Swayed, by Freud) (20-1)
Soontobeking graduated in
his second start at Belmont at the Big A, completing 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05.53
with a final half-furlong in 6.60. His speed rating rose 4 points to a 78.
The George Weaver trainee
had minor trouble exiting the gate in both starts. However, he has the skill to
close from off the pace, target, and pass other horses. His gait isn't pretty;
he has high knee action and paddles with his right foreleg but gets the job
done. His last start produced a
next-out winner at the state-bred level.
Soontobeking posted a
trio of post-race works at Saratoga, including two moderate 5-furlong breezes.
We may see him head to the turf in the future; he kept pace with the older
stakes winner, Please Advise, in a 4-furlong spin around the turf, and Soontobeking
looked more comfortable than he did on dirt. He could close for a piece if the
pace is hot and his speed ratings are going the right way. Weaver’s last out
2-year-old maiden winners hit the board 67% in their next start. Live
longshot.
5. Three Echoes (Echo Town - Bayou Miss, by
Dixie Union) (4-1)
By #10 First-Crop Sire
and Grade 1-winning sprinter Echo Town, Three Echoes showed grit in his
Churchill debut. The Steve Asmussen trainee tailgated the early pace, slipped
past the tiring pacesetter through a keyhole on the rail, and persevered by ¾
length.
Then Three Echoes faced Studlydoright
in Saratoga's 5 ½ furlong Tremont Stakes. Three Echoes chased the early
pacesetter Touchy and was taken wide around the far turn by the same horse. Flavien
Prat guided Three Echoes to the rail, and Joel Rosario on Touchy followed,
keeping Three Echoes pinned to the rail. While this was going on, Studlydoright
galloped by both horses, and Three Echoes settled for third place, 2 ¼ lengths
behind the winner and a half-length behind Touchy.
Three Echoes showed
determination throughout and earned an 85 speed rating. He returned with a trio
of works, including one with Schuylerville Stakes entrant Aoraki, who outworked
him. Gritty colt who could improve with a clean trip. Contender.
6. Studlydoright (Nyquist - Peach of a Gal, by Curlin) (7-2)
Studlydoright has done
all right, winning both starts, including the Tremont Stakes. Although he's
showing early precocity, the John Robb trainee has a route horse's pedigree,
conformation, gait and running style.
Studlydoright closed from
off the pace and cut the far corner in both starts. He slowed slightly in the
stretch in the Tremont but got back into gear when he spotted dueling rivals in
front. Studlydoright completed 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.22 with a 6.39 final
half-furlong. His Brisnet speed rating jumped seven points to 89, and his 96
late pace figure is the highest in the Sanford Stakes field.
John Robb gave Studlydoright
a pair of post-race 5-furlong breezes at Laurel Park; the last was in 1:01
flat, fourth best of 14. Let’s see if Studlydoright can remain undefeated. Contender.
7. War Tax (Outwork - Transaction Tax, by Gemologist)
(15-1)
After graduating in his Belmont At The Big A
debut by two lengths, War Tax shipped to Churchill for the Bashford Manor
Stakes. It didn't go well, as he was mugged by two rivals at the start and
squeezed back. Then he had a wide trip and tired to eighth place, bested 21 ¼
lengths.
The Carlos Martin trainee
earned an 80 speed rating in his debut. I'm drawing a line through his Bashford
Manor performance, as he was wiped out at the start, and the race isn't
indicative of his best. War Tax returned to the worktab with a slow 5-furlong
move in 1:02.65. Martin has only 2 winners in 14 starters at Saratoga in the
last five years. Pass.
8. Mo Plex (Complexity
- Mo Joy, by Uncle Mo) (6-1)
By #2-ranked Second-Crop Sire
Complexity (Maclean's Music), Mo Plex lived up to his even-money odds in his 5
½ furlong debut at Belmont At The Big A against state-bred maidens, galloping
home a 10-length winner and stopping the clock in 1:05, with a 6.73
half-furlong.
The Jeremiah Englehart
trainee earned an 81 speed rating and returned to the worktab with two moderate
4-furlong breezes. An eye-catching debut and by a top-ranked sire makes Mo Plex
a contender.
Analysis
Ten of the last twelve
Sanford Stakes heroes won their previous start, and all except one hit the top
three in their last start. That includes the 2015 disqualified winner Magna
Light, and the official winner, Uncle Vinny.
Favorites don't fare well
in the Sanford; six won, the last in 20201, and two placed.
Pace pressers were most
successful, three closed and only one pacesetter prevailed.
Typical of early juvenile
races, most of the field flashed early speed in their previous race. Two, Studlydoright
and Soontobeking closed.
All eyes will be on
Fierceness' little bro Mentee, except mine. There's no doubt that Mentee is
brilliant, but how much did breaking the track record take out of him?
Studlydoright caught my
eye, and not just because of his name. I mean, the name's cool, but so's the
colt. He's built like a route horse but showed speed when passing other horses.
I like how he spotted rivals in front of him in the Tremont and increased his
speed to pass.
Three Echoes is a
fighter. He was bothered in the Tremont but kept fighting, and he should be
stronger for the Sanford Stakes.
Mo Plex couldn't have won
his debut any easier, and Jeremiah Englehart has two stakes winners and two
runners-up from eight last-out 2-year-old maiden winners. Mo Plex may be
hampered by a far outside post.
Selections
6. Studlydoright (7-2)
5. Three Echoes (4-1)
1. Mentee (6-5)
8. Mo Plex (6-1)
