Dontlookbackatall rallies late for narrow victory in Caress
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There is indeed power in numbers.
Despite having to scratch the morning-line favorite Roses from Debra from Thursday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Caress Stakes, trainer Christophe Clement still found himself in the Saratoga winner’s circle when the race was over as his other horse Dontlookbackatall came with a late run under Irad Ortiz Jr. to win the 5 1/2-furlong turf stakes by a neck.
Danse Macabre, making her first start in eight months, came with an inside rally under Adam Beschizza to get second by a neck over the pacesetting Future Is Now. Secret Money finished fourth, followed by Zeitlos, Star Guest – who was sent off the 2-1 favorite after drawing in from the also-eligible list – Freedom Speaks, Kaufymaker, Run for the Hills, and Kerry.
Ortiz, scheduled to ride Roses for Debra, picked up the mount on Dontlookbackatall when Joel Rosario had to take off his four scheduled mounts Thursday due to illness.
Roses for Debra won last year’s Caress and was coming into this year’s renewal off a narrow defeat to Future Is Now in the Grade 2 Intercontinental last month. Clement said Roses for Debra developed a temperature the day after entries were made last week and she didn’t get any better in time to run. Clement said as of Thursday, Roses for Debra was still coughing.
Regardless of Roses for Debra’s status, Clement had confidence Dontlookbackatall would run well. She had won her previous two starts, albeit against lesser company.
Thursday, Dontlookbackatall fell into a beautiful trip under Ortiz as Future Is Now, under Paco Lopez, went out for the lead and was joined up front by Kaufymaker and Run for the Hills.
Ortiz stayed behind that trio through a half-mile in 43.82 seconds and remained patient until just above the sixteenth pole. At that point, Ortiz guided Dontlookbackatall into the four path and she kicked hard, outfinishing the rail-rallying Danse Macabre.
Dontlookbackatall, a Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Peace and Justice owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Scarlet Oak Racing, and Titletown Racing Stables, covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.39 and returned $19.20.
Watching the replay from the winner’s circle, Clement marveled at the patience Ortiz displayed.
“Most people would have moved earlier, and he’s waiting and waiting and even now coming to the stretch [the competition] is all-out and look at Irad how cool he is, still sitting,” Clement said. “It’s extraordinary. Remarkable ride.”
Ortiz said he was “sad” to learn that Roses for Debra scratched but he had ridden Dontlookbackatall in her previous two stakes wins and loved the trip he was getting early on Thursday.
“It looked like two horses have more speed than us and my plan was to sit right behind them,” Ortiz said. “[Run for the Hills] broke good today and showed some speed so I dropped in and run behind those horses. I took my time and when I asked her she was there for me.”
Danse Macabre, who hadn’t raced since she finished second in the Autumn Days at Aqueduct last November, made a good late rally along the rail, but had to settle for second.
“There wasn’t much of an interruption in my run, it was very, very smooth, uninterrupted,” Beschizza said. “I just found myself mid-race struggling to go the early speed… She can make a good, solid two-furlong run. Nowadays, she’s a three-quarters filly, that’s her ideal distance.”
The next female turf sprint stakes in Saratoga is the $150,000 Smart N Fancy on Aug. 23. But there are more lucrative opportunities elsewhere such as the $1 million Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 31.
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