Quality over quantity is paramount with Fergal Lynch these days. He notched another stakes victory on Saturday at Laurel aboard Larry Johnson’s Spun Glass in the Jameela Stakes, a sprint on the turf. They raced midpack during the early stages and closed down the lane to register by one-half length. The Michael Trombetta runner paid $6.40 to win.
Brother Cathal Lynch broke a couple more maidens last week at Delaware Park. Runnymoore Racing’s Cold Feet, a 2-year-old homebred colt, ran off by nine lengths under Mychel Sanchez to win Wednesday’s fourth race, good for $8.00 in the win slot.
Thursday’s second race at Delaware proved a coming-out party for another Runnymoore homebred, Penny Polka, a 2-year-old filly. She and Sanchez had to work harder than her stablemate, getting up in the final strides by a head after a long duel down the stretch, although the final time was eight fifths swifter than that run by Cold Feet. Penny Polka paid $5.60 to win.
Pat Gallagher is having something of a humdrum year but Sunday’s victory in the Del Mar nightcap by Claddagh Cure has given him something to look forward to. The Frankfort Park Farm homebred 3-year-old filly is now 2-for-3 after rallying under Umberto Rispoli to capture this first-level allowance mile on the turf by one and one-half lengths. She paid $23.80 fresh off her maiden victory at Santa Anita in early June.
James Graham and Brendan Walsh collaborated on a victory by James Branham’s Shes Bout a Mover, longshot winner of Ellis Park’s third race on Sunday. The 3-year-old filly was always forwardly placed in this first-level allowance sprint on the grass and held off multiple challenges in deep stretch to get up by a half-length. The longest of six shots, she returned $28.72 to win.
Not sure if bloodstock agent Mike Ryan couldn’t get the price he was looking for on Be Your Best or if his plan was to keep and race the 2-year-old Irish-bred filly all along. Regardless, she made an impressive debut in Saratoga’s second race on Sunday, rallying under Jose Ortiz to score by three lengths against maidens on the turf. The Horacio de Paz trainee paid $19.80 to win.
Coolmore picked up a Grade 2 feather for their well-festooned cap when Kimari won last Wednesday’s Honorable Miss at Saratoga. The 5-year-old mare, trained by Wesley Ward, tracked the pace in this six-furlong dash on the main track, bid for the lead in upper stretch, collared the frontrunner inside the sixteenth pole and won by one-half length. Joel Rosario rode the $8.10 winner.
Kimari (left), Joel Rosario up, shown winning the Honorable Miss at Saratoga.
Michelle Nevin got her first win of the Saratoga meet in Friday’s eighth race, a second-level allowance/optional claiming sprint on the grass. Dancing Buck, a J&N Stables homebred, won his second straight race against open company, coming on late under Rosario to score by one and one-half lengths. The 4-year-old gelding, now 5-for-12 in his career, paid a robust $17.80 to win.
