Buster's Daydream cruises in Sanford
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Maryland-based horses continued their dominance of New York's juvenile stakes program as Buster's Daydream rolled to a 5 1/4-length victory over Seeking the Money in Thursday's $107,800, Grade 2 Sanford Stakes before 12,494 over a muddy Saratoga track.
His victory came a day after Touch Love, trained by Maryland-based Anthony Dutrow, won the Schuylerville for juvenile fillies. She also won the Astoria at Belmont. Buster's Daydream, a son of Housebuster, added the Sanford to the Flash and Tremont - both Grade 3 events - that he won in June at Belmont Park.
"Can we earn respect now. What do we have to do next?" owner Stephen Barberino Jr. bellowed in the winner's circle.
Barberino may have been referring to the fact that Buster's Daydream was let go at 4-1 despite having been the most accomplished horse in the field. Proud Citizen, the 6-5 favorite off a maiden win, broke in the air and finished a nonthreatening fifth. Heavyweight Champ, the 5-2 second choice off of his maiden win, veered in at the break and finished third.
"He's been reading the media and he thought maybe we weren't getting as much respect as we should," winning trainer Tim Tullock said. "I thought the same thing, but I wasn't going to worry about it."
Buster's Daydream, under John Velazquez, broke alertly and opened up a 1 1/2-length lead after a half-mile run in 45.64 seconds. Approaching the top of the stretch, Velazquez asked Buster's Daydream to run and he accelerated to a six-length lead at the furlong marker. He covered six furlongs in 1:10.55 over a muddy track and returned $10.40 to win.
Tullock said Buster's Daydream would not run in the Saratoga Special on Aug. 15, but instead would wait for either the Hopeful here on Sept. 1 or the Futurity at Belmont on Sept. 16.