The Big Beast brings huge potential into King's Bishop
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ask trainer Anthony Dutrow to talk about The Big Beast and his eyes start to widen at the mere mention of his talented 3-year-old prospect, who will share top billing Saturday at Saratoga with Coup de Grace in the $500,000 King’s Bishop.
“I’ve known Tony a long time, and I can’t ever remember him talking about a horse like he talks about The Big Beast,” said Dick Jerardi, longtime sports writer for the Philadelphia Daily News and a columnist for Daily Racing Form .
One can’t blame Dutrow for extolling the virtues of The Big Beast, who enters the Grade 1 King’s Bishop off a pair of one-sided victories, including a 6 1/4-length entry-level allowance win here July 26 for which he received a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
“We are really excited about him because of the confidence he’s carrying in himself right now along with the fact that he’s a pretty talented horse,” said Dutrow. “I’ve watched this horse go from ‘I kind of don’t get it’ to ‘I can’t wait to get out there and show everybody what I’m capable of’ just within the last few months.”
The Big Beast won his last two races on the lead but figures to sit off the likely pace of C. Zee and Fast Anna after drawing post 7 in a field of eight 3-year-olds set to go seven furlongs in the King’s Bishop.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 The Big Beast. Trainer Tony Dutrow is 12 for 17 with a $6.35 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints at Saratoga following a winning effort.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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“He had the 1 hole his last two races. Now we get to sit outside the speed, so I have to feel we’re in a perfect world right this second,” said Dutrow. “I also have to feel like the distance is a good thing for him. I really respect all the other horses in this race, but I’m real excited about watching my horse compete against them and can’t help but feel really confident in how he’ll perform.”
Coup de Grace would benefit from a lively pace, having parlayed a similar scenario into a three-length victory over C. Zee in the Grade 2 Amsterdam here four weeks ago while matching the 102 Beyer that The Big Beast registered earlier on the card.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Coup de Grace. Trainer Larry Jones is 2 for 3 with a $5.06 ROI over the past five years in graded stakes dirt sprints on the NYRA circuit.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Fast Anna was never challenged during each of his first two career victories at Gulfstream Park and has trained extremely well since trainer Kathy Ritvo shipped him to Saratoga earlier this month.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Fast Anna. Trainer Kathy Ritvo is 2 for 45 with a $0.50 ROI over the past five years in sprints on the NYRA circuit (0 for 15 in dirt sprints).Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Wildcat Red turns back to seven furlongs for the first time since winning Gulfstream’s Grade 3 Hutcheson in impressive fashion in February. He’s exiting a third-place finish behind Bayern in the Grade 1 Haskell.
C. Zee was dead game in defeat in the Amsterdam after breaking from the rail and getting pressed through a lightning-fast pace. He drew post 1 again in the King’s Bishop.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Wildcat Red. Trainer Jose Garoffalo is 8 for 71 with a $0.89 ROI over the past five years shortening from routes to sprints.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
King’s Bishop, Race 10
KEY CONTENDERS
The Big Beast (Last 3 Beyers: 102-87-74)
◗ Should sit a perfect trip and get first run over his chief rival, Coup de Grace, breaking from post 7 under leading rider Javier Castellano.
◗ Enters the race light on experience, having had only four previous starts, none beyond six furlongs, with three of those races coming against maidens.
Coup de Grace (Last 3 Beyers: 102-95-90)
◗ Showed a real affinity for the local course when benefitting from a torrid pace to dominate the Amsterdam while posting a career-best Beyer.
◗ Is already a proven commodity at the distance, having rallied to win the Grade 3 Bay Shore for trainer Chad Brown earlier this season.
Wildcat Red (Last 3 Beyers: 93-93-54)
◗ Comes off a solid try in the Haskell but has yet to win a race outside Gulfstream Park.
Fast Anna (Last 2 Beyers: 87-84)
◗ Unbeaten and untested in two starts but, like The Big Beast, is light on experience and takes a huge class jump.