Asmussen sends two serious colts in Saratoga Special
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted some horsemen when it comes to preparing their 2-year-olds for the races, trainer Steve Asmussen has seemed to be undeterred in that department.
Asmussen has won 17 races for 2-year-olds in 2020, including going 8 for 16 with his babies at the Churchill Downs spring meet. Friday, Asmussen sends out a powerful 1-2 punch in the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special, the first of what will be just two juvenile stakes open to both sexes at the Spa this summer.
The New York Racing Association did not card the Sanford Stakes – typically run the first Saturday of the meet – owing in part to the late start of its Belmont spring meet and inability to run enough 2-year-old races. The Special and the Grade 1 Hopeful on Labor Day will be the two graded open juvenile stakes at the meet.
Among Asmussen’s seven 2-year-old winners at Churchill were Cazadero and Jackie’s Warrior, and both return in the Saratoga Special. Cazadero won a maiden race by 8 3/4 lengths and the Bashford Manor by 4 3/4 lengths. In his maiden win, he dueled on the lead with favorite Knicks Front, who faded to eighth. In the Bashford Manor, Cazadero stalked the pace from third.
“He’s got obvious ability, but maturity – woo, man, he’s an old soul,” said Asmussen, who has won this race four times. “He’s a no-nonsense, knows-what-he-wants-to-do horse.”
Cazadero, a son of Street Sense owned by Stonestreet Stables, has trained very well since he’s been at Saratoga.
“He’s wonderfully consistent, he’s got a very consistent attitude, trains nicely,” Asmussen said.
Ricardo Santana Jr. rides Cazadero from post 6.
Jackie’s Warrior, a son of Maclean’s Music, was a 2 1/2-length debut winner going five furlongs in 57.49 seconds on June 19. The horse he beat, Therideofalifetime, came back to win his maiden by 8 1/4 lengths on July 11 at Keeneland and is one of the serious threats in Friday’s race.
“He’s a fast horse,” Asmussen said of Jackie’s Warrior, owned by Kirk Robison. “You saw who he beat came back complimented him nicely at Keeneland. He’s trained nicely here and deserves this opportunity, that’s for sure.”
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Jackie’s Warrior will break from the outside post in what is a 10-horse Saratoga Special field. Eleven were entered, but Roderick, who drew post 11, will scratch to run in Saturday’s Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar.
Trainer Ignacio Correas wasn’t overly disappointed that Therideofalifetime got beat first time out. That he was able to run him a second time against maidens gave the colt, a son of Candy Ride owned by Stephen Fidel, valuable experience.
“When you win first time out then you have to sit on them and wait,” Correas said. “At least he has two races, he has more experience. I think at this point it’s important because once you win, everyone that’s going to come after you is going to be good.”
Correas likes Therideofalifetime’s draw of post 9 because he says it will give jockey Jose Ortiz options.
Papetu, a son of Dialed In who has won both his starts, drew the rail for trainer Antonio Sano, who won this race in 2016 with Gunnevera.
The Special field is completed by Belmont maiden winners Garoppolo, Hold the Salsa, and Market Alert; Saratoga maiden winner Momos; Monmouth maiden winner Pickin’ Time; and Gulfstream maiden-claiming winner Caramel Chip.