‘ALY’ WINS THRILLER
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Call them the “Cardiac Kiddies.”
Three 2-year-old fillies – I Promise, Subtle Aly and Blitzing – staged a barn-burner before a crowd of 30,052 in yesterday’s traditional opening-day feature, the Grade 3, $100,000 Schuylerville, hitting the wire in a blanket finish, with Subtle Aly, ridden by Edgar Prado, prevailing by a desperate bob of the nose over I Promise, and Blitzing just a neck back in third.
I Promise, trained by Gary Contessa, was 11-1 coming off a seven-length romp over New York-breds first time out at Belmont Park. She gunned to the lead up the rail under Eibar Coa and set a snappy pace (:22, :45.2), pressed early by Dreabons Legacy, then around the turn by Lady Chace. Turning for home, I Promise kicked clear again, but Prado swung Subtle Aly off the fence to split horses, then collared I Promise mid-stretch.
In a bitter battle down the lane, Subtle Aly – a five-length winner in her first start for Steve Asmussen, now in Rick Dutrow’s barn – began to inch ahead. But Blitzing, who won her debut for Asmussen by two lengths at Churchill Downs, rallied like a locomotive after chasing the pace wide around the turn under Shaun Bridgmohan.
Just when it looked like Blitzing would get there in time, I Promise remarkably dug in and came again along the rail. She got her nose down a jump in front and a jump past the wire, but Subtle Aly had a nostril in front when it counted.
With a final time of 1:11, Subtle Aly paid $10.20 topping a $106 exacta. According to Plan, favored at 2-1 in the field of eight, was a non-threatening fourth.
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Back in the summer of 1999, More Than Ready, unbeaten in his first three starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, blitzed the Sanford Stakes by 93/4 lengths under John Velazquez, blazing six furlongs in 1:09.3 – one of the most impressive performances ever by a 2-year-old in the long history of the Old Spa.
Seven years later, More Than Ready’s lookalike 2-year-old son, aptly named Ready’s Image, stands poised to follow in daddy’s footsteps as the likely favorite in today’s 93rd running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Sanford.
But the Sanford won’t be a walkover. Fed Watcher was impressive breaking his maiden first time out June 30 at Belmont for Rick Violette, Barclay Tagg’s Tale of Ekati took his debut July 7 at Belmont by 81/4 lengths, and Steve Asmussen has Sok Sok, winner of his lone start by three lengths June 16 at Chuchill Downs.
