Saratoga: Emcee gives Godolphin-McLaughlin team another big win in Forego

Tom Keyser

Emcee, with Alan Garcia riding, wins the Forego for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The beat continued for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and the Godolphin Stable on Saturday afternoon at Saratoga after Emcee gave the team its fourth Grade 1 win of the meet by rallying to a convincing 4 1/2-length victory over Hamazing Destiny, the longest shot in the field, in the $500,000 Forego.

McLaughlin's earlier Grade 1 successes for Godolphin here this summer came with Questing in both the Alabama and Coaching Club American Oaks and last week with Alpha, who dead-heated for first in the Travers.  Alpha also won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy earlier in the session.

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Emcee, who had already finished a game third after contesting the pace in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt on Aug. 5, was well placed under rider Alan Garcia from the outset of the seven-furlong Forego, stalking the early pace of Pacific Ocean.

McLaughlin admitted to some anxious moments when Pacific Ocean floated his horse a little wide leaving the final bend, allowing Jersey Town to slip through near the rail and move clear in early stretch. But Emcee had plenty left once settling for the drive, exploding past Jersey Town through midstretch to an easy win.

Hamazing Destiny raced wide and forged past the tiring Jersey Town to finish second, with Caixa Eletronica checking home fourth. Defending champion Jackson Bend, injured in a training mishap two weeks earlier, was a brief factor along the inside before fading steadily to finish last in a field reduced to just seven starters by the scratch of morning-line favorite Shackelford.

Emcee completed seven furlongs in 1:21.00 over the fast track and paid $5.10.

"It was a great win and Alan rode a great race," said McLaughlin. "I'm just happy to win with this horse, he deserved a Grade 1 and he got it today. It was a very impressive race."

McLaughlin said he didn't believe the scratch of Shackelford earlier in the day changed the dynamic of the race all that much.

"We felt Shackelford might be there ahead of us with [Pacific Ocean] and we'd lay third, but we laid second instead, that's all," said McLaughlin.  "But it helped we didn't have to run against him. He's a very nice horse and I'm sorry they had to scratch him."
      
McLaughlin then reflected on his outstanding meet.

"It's an unbelievable meet, it's just huge," said McLaughlin. "It's an honor to train for Godolphin, and having such quality horses makes my job easier. It's hard even to believe, it will take a while to sink in."