The Big Beast catches Fast Anna to win King's Bishop

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though Javier Castellano had guided The Big Beast to a pair of front-running victories in his last two starts, the jockey came to the paddock for Saturday’s Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga with a different plan.

Drawn in post 7, with speed horses Fast Anna and Wildcat Red to his inside, Castellano told trainer Tony Dutrow he wanted to take the horse off the pace. With a furlong remaining, and Fast Anna motoring along with a 1 1/2-length lead, Castellano began to wonder if he made the wrong game plan.

“I was concerned when turning for home I saw Fast Anna keep the same rhythm," Castellano said. "I thought at the eighth pole I’m not gonna catch him. But my horse has such a big, beautiful stride, he carried me the last sixteenth.”

The Big Beast unleashed that big, beautiful stride inside the final furlong and was able to wear down Fast Anna to win the $500,000 King’s Bishop by a neck. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Coup de Grace, the 2-1 favorite, in third. He was followed, in order, by Noble Moon, Wildcat Red, Noble Cornerstone, Myositis Dan and C. Zee.

The win was the third from five starts and first in a stakes for The Big Beast, a son of Yes It’s True owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong.
It was also the third graded stakes victory - and seventh win overall - at the meet for Dutrow.

“I feel good about the summers I’ve had at Saratoga - I’ve had another summer like this - but this is a fantastic summer for me and the people that are helping me,” Dutrow said. "I’m so blessed. I don’t take any of this for granted.”

Dutrow and his camp made another strategic decision that may have helped earn the victory. The Big Beast had been a handful the last time he came to the paddock here to race, and Dutrow and his assistant Carol Fisher decided this time to accompany The Big Beast with a pony. He saddled perfectly calm in the paddock and acted well on the track before the race.

“He got loose last time up here,” Dutrow said. ‘’We schooled him with the pony. We thought that was the best way to get the saddle on him uneventfully.”

Though The Big Beast actually broke on top, Castellano reined him in to sit third while Fast Anna, who hit the side of the gate when the doors opened, went to the lead chased by Wildcat Red. Fast Anna, under John Velazquez, went in splits of 22.88 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.05 for the half-mile.

Fast Anna spurted away from Wildcat Red, but could not hold off The Big Beast, who despite being carried five wide was able to catch Fast Anna.

The Big Beast covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.35 over a track upgraded to fast and returned $7.70 as the second choice.

Fast Anna, making just the third start of his life and first start in a stakes race, ran dynamite to be second. Jockey John Velazquez said Fast Anna was a bit rank.

“I waited the best I could and the other horse got me,” he said.