Aqueduct: Samraat remains unbeaten by romping in Damon Runyon

Any doubts whether the 2-year-old New York-bred colt Samraat could handle two turns were erased when he stretched out and dominated five rivals in Wednesday’s $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct.

An easy winner of his first two starts by a combined nine lengths, Samraat ($3.40) did even better going a mile and 70 yards on the inner track, romping by 16 3/4 lengths under Jose Ortiz over a surface rated good. He was pressured through modest fractions of 49.73 seconds and 1:15.31, leading by two lengths, but opened up by eight lengths at the eighth pole and increased his advantage as he crossed the wire in 1:44.09.

Rick Violette, who trains Samraat for My Meadowview Farm, said the son of Noble Causeway will get a shot to tackle open company stakes competition, perhaps for the Grade 3 Withers on Feb. 1. Aqueduct’s first stakes for 3-year-olds of 2014 is the Grade 2 Jerome on Jan. 4, but Violette said he thinks that race might be too quick of a turnaround.

"I originally was thinking the Jerome, but we moved this back three days because of the weather and it was going to be tight, anyway, so I'm not sure we make it,” Violette said. “I could even send him to Florida for a month just to keep him in training and get him out of the cold weather, then bring him up for the spot after that, which is the Withers. I think we might have to test open company. If not his next start, then the start after that.”

Violette said he was confident Samraat would do well in a two-turn route.

"Pedigree-wise it's supposed to be up his alley, and it was,” Violette said. “The pace slows down a little bit, he gets into a nice rhythm, and the only thing that concerned me was his preparation. We've had a lot of bad weather and he missed some training, but he was good enough to overcome that today."

Ortiz, who has been aboard for all three of Samraat’s victories, said the colt came out of the gate better than he did previously.

“The horse usually doesn't break very good, but Rick schooled a few times and today he broke really good,” Ortiz said. “He put me on the lead through a slow pace, and when I said 'go' at the quarter pole he kicked away. He rates pretty well. When he feels the other horses he feels a little keen, but I don't think he needs the lead."

Forever Utopia, racing on dirt for the first time after running on dirt in his first four starts, was a distant second to Samraat and 2 ¾ lengths clear of 2-1 second choice Deceived, who did well to finish third after lunging at the start and breaking last.