Bahamian Squall gets second shot at Vanderbilt
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With a better post position and a little racing luck, Bahamian Squall may well have won the 2013 Alfred G. Vanderbilt and become a Grade 1 winner. Instead, he had to settle for second behind Justin Phillip after breaking from the rail and getting jammed up in traffic along the inside around the turn.
Trainer David Fawkes will give Bahamian Squall a second chance to win the six-furlong Vanderbilt on Saturday at Saratoga. He will make just his second start of the year. Bahamian Squall finished third in the Housebuster at Gulfstream on July 5 and will be seeking his first victory since capturing Calder’s Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap 13 months earlier.
Remembering last year’s Vanderbilt, Fawkes said: “Our horse finished strong once finally getting out in the clear, and hopefully we’ll be a little luckier at the draw this time around.”
Bahamian Squall finished fifth in the Grade 1 Vosburgh and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint following his big effort in the Vanderbilt. But a foot abscess cost him the first half of his 2014 campaign.
“Naturally, I’m a little concerned that he hasn’t won in so long, but I put him in some really tough spots after we left Saratoga, and then we lost all that time because of the foot issue,” said Fawkes. “We’ve been pointing for this race ever since I got him back in training. I thought he ran well in his first start back at Gulfstream, and he’s the kind of horse who usually needs a race.”
Fawkes sent Bahamian Squall up from Florida last week and got a work in over the track Saturday, five furlongs in 1:01.62 and out six furlongs in 1:14.99 with jockey Luis Saez aboard. Saez will be reunited with Bahamian Squall on Saturday.
“Although his form doesn’t show it because of his lack of activity, I think he’s doing as well coming into this race as he was a year ago,” said Fawkes.
Among those likely to face Bahamian Squall in the Vanderbilt are Bakken, Capo Bastone, Happy My Way, Palace, Salutos Amigos, and Vyjack.