Awesome Czech notches second consecutive Ticonderoga Stakes
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Awesome Czech salvaged what had thus far been a disappointing year by scoring a repeat victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes at Belmont Park.
Under a patient Ricardo Santana Jr., Awesome Czech split horses in midstretch and outfinished Midnight Concerto to win the Ticonderoga by one length. It was 2 1/4 lengths back to Victory Hall in third.
The win was the first for Awesome Czech since she won last year’s Ticonderoga by a neck. She had lost six straight races, including all five of her starts this year.
“Her campaign this year just kind of did not set up properly,” trainer Horacio De Paz said. “It was just bad luck and some trips. She had a tough trip at Saratoga. She ran well at Laurel but the ground was pretty yielding that day. She didn’t dislike it, but she didn’t really like it. She still tried.”
On Saturday, Awesome Czech sat in fourth position while Spinning Colors and Sail With the Wind sped off to stage their own little race up front. Midway down the backstretch, Spinning Colors inherited the lead when the right rein on Sail With the Wind broke and jockey Junior Alvarado had to ease her out of the race.
Awesome Czech held her position while Being Betty and Nonna Lynne made the first runs at Spinning Colors. In the stretch, Santana guided Awesome Czech between Spinning Colors and Being Betty and she outfinished a wide-rallying Midnight Concerto, who was coming off a victory in the Yaddo in August at Saratoga.
Midnight Concerto finished second by 2 1/4 lengths over Victory Hall, who was a head better than Nonna Lynne.
Awesome Czech was the third winner on the card for Santana and second stakes win for Santana and De Paz. They also won the Mohawk with Sounds Like a Plan.
Awesome Czech, a 5-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn owned and bred by Barry Schwartz, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.72 and returned $5.14 as the favorite. Awesome Czech improved her record to 7-5-4 from 25 starts and increased her lifetime earnings to $783,490.
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