Saratoga: Spurious Precision fights off all comers in Saratoga Special

Barbara D. Livingston

Spurious Precision substituted for injured stablemate Carried Interest in the Saratoga Special, and won the Grade 2 race under Alan Garcia.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Spurious Precision proved to be more than a capable replacement for stablemate Carried Interest, taking control of Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special soon after the start and drawing clear to a five-length victory at Saratoga.

He’s So Fine, last for the opening half-mile of the 6 1/2-furlong race, rallied between horses to get second under David Cohen by three-quarters of a length over In Harm’s Way, who got third by a head over Drum Roll. Southern Honor and Dan the Tin Man completed the order of finish.

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In addition to replacing stablemate Carried Interest, who was forced to miss the race due to a tender shin, Spurious Precision replaced Shanghai Bobby as the Saratoga Special favorite, going off at 3-5. Shanghai Bobby, trained by Todd Pletcher, was scratched Sunday morning due to a temperature.

Spurious Precision won impressively despite running an opening quarter in 21.35 seconds and a half-mile in 44.02 while being pressed by Drum Roll. Going to the front wasn’t necessarily the plan, but Spurious Precision broke running under Alan Garcia.

“He put Alan in an impossible spot,” winning trainer Rick Violette said. “He beat the latch. He broke so good it’s not like you can take back at that point, and there was just serious pressure every jump of the way. I was just watching for horses to come at him, and they did, but he had a lot left.”

Spurious Precision, a son of High Cotton owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.53 and returned $3.50.

“He broke very sharp," Garcia said. "I said I don’t want to take away anything [that comes] easy, so let’s go on and if he’s good enough he’s going to beat this group, and this horse showed he can go far."

Violette, who has now won four 2-year-old races at the meet, said he would point Spurious Precision to the Grade 1, $400,000 Champagne at Belmont Park on Oct. 6.