Antipathy proves she's no flash-in-pan with Shuvee win

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Antipathy had her breakout performance last month at Belmont Park when she came within a neck of Grade 1 winners Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar in the $1 million Ogden Phipps.

Sunday at Saratoga, Antipathy had her breakthrough effort, becoming a graded stakes winner when she took the Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Handicap by two lengths over Stanwyck in the mud. The New York-bred Hot Stones finished third, followed, in order, by Ambusher, Flashy American, Unlimited Budget and Swinger’s Party.

The win was the third for Antipathy in nine career starts, her first in a stakes and first since winning an allowance race at Gulfstream on Jan. 31. In two second-level allowance tries since, Antipathy finished second to Natalie Victoria and Belle Gallantey. The former came back to win a listed stakes and the latter came back to win the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap.

“She’s just gotten good; she’s improved a lot,” said Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Antipathy for Godolphin Racing.

Antipathy received a heady ride from jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Though Ortiz felt he might be loose on the lead, he took a hold of Antipathy around the first turn when Corey Lanerie sent Swinger’s Party to the front. Ortiz put Antipathy in the three path down the backside as he tracked Swinger’s Party until the field moved into the far turn.

Antipathy took the lead 3 1/2 furlongs out and, despite drifting out over the laboring surface in the stretch, she held Stanwyck at bay. Antipathy, a daughter of A.P. Indy, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.80 and returned $6.40 as the second choice.

“On paper it looked like we were the only speed in the race but [Swinger’s Party] wanted to go so I let her go,” Ortiz said. “I think [Lanerie] did the right thing, we were going to go too slow, so he let her run a little bit. Then I got clear on the outside and sat second. My filly was ready today.”

McLaughlin said Ortiz gave his filly “an excellent ride.”

McLaughlin said Antipathy may have earned a rematch with Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign here on Aug. 22.

“We’ve been pointing for this for so long I wasn’t sure what was next,” McLaughlin said. “We might.”