Coup de Grace wins Amsterdam going away

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Larry Jones said “he still needed to learn some things” about Coup de Grace following his victory in an overnight stakes at Delaware earlier this month. And Jones said those lessons went a long way toward making Coup de Grace a Grade 2 stakes winner for the first time Saturday at Saratoga with his convincing three-length victory over C. Zee in the $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes.

Jones took over the training of Coup de Grace shortly after his sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on June 7. Coup de Grace overcame some trouble to register a popular neck decision when dropped in against softer company at Delaware four weeks later, although Jones said he still felt he needed to do some tweaking before sending the son of Tapit to Saratoga for the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam.

“He almost ran over a horse coming down the lane at Delaware, and it seemed his steering wasn’t the best in the world,” said Jones, who was not in attendance Saturday as he continues to recuperate from the serious injuries he sustained in a training mishap earlier this year. “So, we made an equipment change, switched bits, and he didn’t make the same mistakes today that he made in his last race. Rosie [Napravnik] had no problem guiding him and keeping him off horses today.”

Coup de Grace and Napravnik dropped near the rear of the pack during the early stages of the Amsterdam as C. Zee and Tiznowforamerica slugged it out on the lead, laying down demanding splits of 21.87 and 44.45 seconds for the opening quarter and half-mile. C. Zee emerged with a short advantage once settling into the stretch, but Coup de Grace was in high gear, swinging five wide while leaving the bend, then continuing his run near the center of the track to wear down the leader and win going away.

C. Zee held on determinedly despite setting the contested pace, finishing two lengths better than the 6-5 favorite, Captain Serious, who raced well placed behind the embattled leaders and had no excuse. John’s Island, Casiguapo, Big Guy Ian, and the tiring Tiznowforamerica completed the order of finish.

Coup de Grace, owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms Inc., covered the distance in 1:15.32 over a fast track and paid $5.70.

“I’m very pleased to see he’s done this twice in a row now, make a big run down the lane like that,” said Jones. “Hopefully, we’ll be back with designs on the King’s Bishop. Seven furlongs should suit him better than six or 6 1/2, and while I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t stretch out next year, I see no reason to stretch this horse out this year. Hopefully, he’ll be able to work his way into the Breeders’ Cup, whether it’s the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.”