Saratoga: So Many Ways gives Tony Dutrow second straight Spinaway win

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y .- For the second year in a row, trainer Tony Dutrow won the Grade 1 Spinaway and for the second year in a row he did so at the direct expense of a filly trained by Wesley Ward after So Many Ways parlayed a perfect trip into a 2 1/2-length victory over the 22-1 Sweet Shirley Mae on Sunday in Saratoga’s most prestigious race for 2-year-old fillies. Teen Pauline, who set a track record in her debut, finished third as the 3-5 favorite.

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Grace Hall had only a maiden win under her belt when she rallied from five lengths off the lead to defeat Ward’s filly Judy the Beauty in the 2011 Spinaway. So Many Ways had already raced twice coming into this year’s Spinaway, cruising to an easy debut win at Parx before shipping locally to capture the Grade 3 Schuylerville on the opening weekend of the current meet.

Dutrow couldn’t have asked for a better trip than the one jockey Javier Castellano orchestrated on Sunday when able to rate So Many Ways just behind a contested pace set by the odds-on Teen Pauline and forced from the outset by Corail. So Many Ways pounced on the top pair approaching the quarter pole, edged clear nearing midstretch , and was never seriously threatened thereafter. Sweet Shirley Mae dropped well off the leaders before finishing willingly down the center of the course to be second best.

Teen Pauline, who set a track record going five furlongs when winning her debut by nearly five lengths on July 25, had little left once settling into the stretch after being softened up on the lead by Corail. The Steve Asmussen-trained Teen Pauline eventually faded to finish third, two lengths behind Sweet Shirley Mae. Seasoned Warrior, the second choice in the wagering behind Teen Pauline, failed to show her best speed dropping far off the early leaders before making up some ground without seriously threatening the top pair.

So Many Ways ran seven furlongs in 1:23.74 and paid $9.80

“I was feeling strong about her running the way she did in the Schuylerville and I was really feeling very strongly she would improve off that today,” said Dutrow, who trains So Many Ways for owner Maggi Moss. “I just didn’t know if that was going to be good enough because I didn’t know how good or talented Asmussen’s filly was. I’m not surprised but I sure am happy.”

Dutrow said he loved the position his filly had behind the dueling leaders.

“She came out of there with run on her mind, she got her position, Todd [Pletcher] pushed Asmussen and our filly picked up the pieces,” said Dutrow. “I think I said before the race our filly would finish up. We’ve won it two years in a row now and I can’t believe I’m standing here.”

Dutrow said he has no plans at the moment for So Many Ways’s next start.