It probably seemed like an eternity for jockey Martin Garcia and the connections of Champagne d’Oro through the stretch drive, but they managed to hold off the other eleven starters to wire the field and score a half-length victory in the Grade 1, $300,000 Acorn at one mile.
Garcia, who just three weeks ago rose to fame for his victory aboard Lookin At Lucky in the Preakness, gunned the filly to the lead along the rail. And under a heavy right-handed whip, managed to hold off favorite Amen Hallelujah as she closed strongly through the center of the track.
“I let her have the lead and just kept her together and comfortable,” Garcia said. “I know she can run.”
Sent off as the second-longest price in the field at 39-1, the 3-year-old filly by Medaglia d’Oro has success on the lead, something she couldn’t get in her last start in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, where she finished 11th after getting steadied in traffic.
“Today everything was right. She runs better up front,” said Richard Baltas, assistant to trainer Eric Guillot. “She got an easy pace and had something left.”
There are no plans as to where or when her next start will be, but she will be stabled in Saratoga this summer.
— Anthony Affrunti
MANHATTAN H’CAP
Under a patient ride by Edgar Prado, D’Funnybone grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch and drew off to score a 3 1/4 -length win over Discreetly Mine in the Grade 2, $245,000 Woody Stephens Stakes.
Sent off as the favorite, D’Funnybone was able to take advantage of a speed duel between Discreetly Mine and Eightyfiveinafifty, who set fast fractions of 22.28 and 44.82 seconds. At the top of the stretch, D’Funnybone took over the lead and was never seriously threatened thereafter, running the seven furlongs in 1:22.64.
Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said D’Funnybone will aim to make his next start in the Grade 1, seven-furlong King’s Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 28.
— John DaSilva
JUST A GAME
Out of the gate as the even-money favorite, Proviso, owned by Juddmonte Farm, showed that her last race victory against the colts was no fluke as she scored a half-length victory over Phola in the Grade 1, $400,000 Just a Game Stakes at a mile over the Widener Turf.
Under a patient ride under jockey Mike Smith, Proviso was allowed to stalk along the outside of pacesetter Speak Easy Gal and held off a late challenge from Phola to win under a left-handed whip by Smith.
“She ran great,” Smith said. “She’s probably better when she’s running at a target. The race came up light on the speed part. It all worked out.”
The 5-year-old mare, previously trained by the late Bobby Frankel, made her third start since moving to trainer Bill Mott’s barn.
“I thought the race might shape up as it did,” Mott said. “I thought she might accelerate quicker than she did, but they were cruising right along.”
Mott said he is pointing Proviso for the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana at 1 miles at Saratoga on July 31.
— Anthony Affrunti
TRUE NORTH
Bribon made a powerful wide move on the far turn to gain the lead and drew off to win the Grade 2, $250,000, True North Handicap by 1½ lengths over Snapshot. Checklist, an uncoupled entrymate to winner, was sent off the favorite and was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third.
Garrett Gomez was aboard the winner for Todd Pletcher, who ran the six furlongs in 1:09.63.
The race was affected by the scratch of morning-line favorite Custom for Carlos, who got a gash on one of his front feet overnight.
Bribon could have raced in the Grade 1 Met Mile on Monday, because he won the event last year, but Pletcher already had Quality Road in the race so he elected to run Bribon here instead. According to Pletcher, both Bribon and Checklist could run at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt on Aug. 8.
