Drake's Passage shows he likes the distance with Albany Stakes victory
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - As well as Drake’s Passage had run winning a pair of one-turn-mile races earlier in his career, Christophe Clement, his trainer, felt the horse would be even better once he got to run farther.
Drake’s Passage provided clear evidence his trainer’s assessment was accurate as, in his first try at 1 1/8 miles and around two turns, Drake’s Passage galloped to a 7 1/4-length victory in Sunday’s $250,000 Albany Stakes at Saratoga.
“His works have been remarkable,” Clement said. “I wasn’t sure to win, I was sure of a very good performance.”
Drake’s Passage was one of three very good stakes performances turned in by Clement runners Sunday on the New York Showcase Day program featuring six stakes and 11 for New York-breds. Clement swept the two turf stakes, winning the $200,000 West Point with City Man and the $200,000 Yaddo with New Ginya.
“It’s great, well done team, well done Miguel,” said Clement, referring to his son and assistant.
Drake’s Passage had always shown talent, Christophe Clement said, outworking most of his horses, New York-breds or not, on dirt as a 2-year-old. He got hurt after winning his maiden last December at Aqueduct and didn’t make it back to the races until July, when he captured a first-level allowance by 1 1/2 lengths.
Similar to that race, Drake’s Passage was a stalking second in the Albany under Manny Franco, sitting two lengths behind pacesetting Mariachi through six furlongs in 1:12.55.
Approaching the quarter pole, Franco moved toward Mariachi, took over from him above the eighth pole and widened his advantage in the final furlong.
Drake’s Passage, owned and bred by Robert Evans, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.95 and returned $4.50. He was the third of four winners on the card for Franco.
“I was happy where I was, he was taking me since the beginning of the race,” Franco said. “I just wanted to wait as long as I could because I knew I had a lot of horse. I knew I had the horse on the lead, you saw I took a peek back see to where the company was and it was a matter of time.”
Clement said he would eventually like to try Drake’s Passage in open company, but did not immediately have a race in mind.
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