Awesome Debate splashes to upset in Union Avenue
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Owner Mark Van Vranken and trainer Bruce Brown claimed Awesome Debate for $45,000 on July 18 at Saratoga and on Aug. 9 thought they had found a great spot at Finger Lakes to recoup some of that investment.
Sent off the 3-5 favorite in a New York-bred allowance with a $25,800 purse, Awesome Debate leapt in the air at the break, stumbled once she landed, and raced last of five all the way around the track.
Following that non-effort and with the prospect of a five-horse field in Thursday’s $100,000 Union Avenue Handicap at Saratoga, Brown entered Awesome Debate back on 10 days’ rest.
That proved to be an even better spot as Awesome Debate screamed past pacesetting favorite Sadie Lady in upper stretch and splashed her way to a convincing 4 1/4-length victory in the Union Avenue over a sloppy main track. Irish Constitution rallied for second, three-quarters of a length in front of Hannah Dances, who stumbled at the break.
Sadie Lady, the 3-5 favorite, burned out on the front end under Jose Ortiz and finished fourth in a race with no show wagering. Diva Banker was last of five.
The win was worth $55,000 to the winners, which gave Van Vranken, his partners at NRB Racing, and Brown a positive return on their investment. According to Van Vranken, they won a four-way shake to claim Awesome Debate here July 18.
Awesome Debate won that race over a sloppy track, the same conditions as were in play Thursday.
The biggest difference was the presence of the heavily favored Sadie Lady, who had won two stakes in her last three starts for trainer Rob Atras.
Sadie Lady loomed the main speed of the race, but Luis Saez made sure to keep Awesome Debate within a length of that rival through a quarter in 21.91 seconds and a half-mile in 44.98.
Saez kept Awesome Debate several paths away from Sadie Lady, went by in upper stretch, and geared his filly down late.
“The plan was be right there, be on the engine, and not let [Sadie Lady] breath too much,” said Saez, who won his meet-leading 44th race. “Everything worked out pretty well.”
The victory helped erase the memory of the Finger Lakes debacle from Brown’s mind.
“That was just a total mess, afterward I really felt bad how everything went up there,” Brown said. “If she had run hard that day maybe she wouldn’t have run as well today. In the moment I was very upset, but this makes it better.”
Awesome Debate, a daughter of Honorable Dillon, covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.48 and returned $8.60 as the second choice.