Bound for Nowhere will not be on lead in Troy Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Wesley Ward felt Bound for Nowhere went too fast too early in the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park and paid the price for it finishing third as the even-money favorite.
Friday, Ward hopes for a different type of trip when Bound for Nowhere runs in the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy Stakes in what appears to be a loaded field of 12 set to run 5 1/2 furlongs over Saratoga’s Mellon turf course.
Two starts back, Bound for Nowhere overcame a slow start to rally from ninth in a 12-horse field to win Keeneland’s Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes over Imprimis, one of his rivals in the Troy.
While Ward may not want to see Bound for Nowhere that far out of it early, he doesn’t want to see him dueling on the lead through a quarter in 22.06 seconds and a half-mile in 44.06 with two other horses, as was the case in the Jaipur.
“We’re going to grab him by the neck this time so he doesn’t smoke out there the first part,” Ward said. “We definitely don’t want to go 44. The race before he came from back and we have a great post to do it.”
Bound for Nowhere is drawn in post 11.
“The good thing is we’re out there and we’re not going to get pressure from the outside speed,” Ward said.
The only horse to Bound for Nowhere’s outside is Casa Creed, the horse who rallied from eighth to win the Jaipur. Casa Creed has won two straight races since shortening up in distance – the Elusive Quality at seven furlongs and the Jaipur at six. He now tries 5 1/2 as trainer Bill Mott tries to find out if Casa Creed is worthy of pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, which this year is run at five furlongs at Del Mar.
“Frankly, you’re going into different territory there,” Mott said. “Five-and-a-half is plenty different. Maybe he’s going to be in between five-eighths and a mile.”
Casa Creed’s kick is certainly more effective at shorter distances. He had difficulty finishing off his races at a mile.
Chewing Gum, also trained by Mott, finished second in the Jaipur. He is similar to Casa Creed in that he is probably more effective at six and seven furlongs. He finished fourth in the Troy last year as the 2-1 favorite.
Chewing Gum breaks from post 2 under Jose Ortiz, and at 118 pounds he is in six pounds lighter than Bound for Nowhere and Casa Creed.
Imprimis crossed the wire first by 2 1/4 lengths in last year’s Troy but was disqualified for interfering with Shekky Shebaz, who was beaten a head for second. The the stewards deemed Imprimis cost that horse a position and disqualified Imprimis to third.
Imprimis was beaten a nose by Bound for Nowhere in the Shakertown, this after hitting his head against the gate pre-race. Trainer Joe Orseno said it was deemed the horse had a broken bone in his nose.
Imprimis has drawn an inside post in eight of his last nine races. Friday, Imprimis drew post 7 which made Orseno “ecstatic,” he said.
“He’s had a bad post for a year and a half,” Orseno said. “He’s been stuck on the inside and I just can’t believe the bad luck this horse has had. There’s a lot nice horses in there, but if he shows up like he normally does we’re okay.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Imprimis.
Gear Jockey made a successful start at 5 1/2 furlongs, winning a second-level allowance at that distance here on July 17 after running well at a mile.
“The time wasn’t great, but visually it was a very good race,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “You got to get a trip, especially in a 12-horse. He doesn’t get way back, I’m excited about running him.”
Jose Lezcano rides from post 6.
Chateau, a graded stakes winner on dirt, will make just his second try on turf in his 37th career start. He figures to be the speed.
Fast Boat, a two-time turf-sprint stakes winner this year, and Carotari, beaten a neck by Fast Boat in the Pulse Power Turf Sprint at Sam Houston, are among other contenders in this field. Front Run the Fed was beaten a head by Casa Creed in the Elusive Quality and is going first time for new connections and first time at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Classy John, Backtohisroots, and Lazuli complete the field.