Eyeinthesky up late in Galway Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse believes Eyeinthesky has more ability than she’s shown to date. He’s hoping perhaps with maturity she will display that talent next year at a high level.

Sunday, Eyeinthesky gave Casse perhaps a glimpse of the future when she rallied determinedly while four wide in the stretch to win the $100,000 Galway Stakes by a head over Abyssinian. It was a neck back to Sister Peacock in third.

The win was the fourth from 14 starts for Eyeinthesky, a 4-year-old daughter of Sky Mesa owned by Gary Barber. It was the second Saratoga stakes win of the weekend for Barber and Casse, who won Saturday’s Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap with Got Stormy.

“There’s still some untapped talent there and it may not come til she’s 4,” Casse said. “I may do what I did with Got Stormy. She may run one more time and we’ll give her a few months off and try to bring her back as a 4-year-old and maybe she’ll mature then.”

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Eyeinthesky won the Mizdirection Stakes at Aqueduct in April on the front end. In her last three starts, before the Galway, Eyeinthesky tried to come from off the pace without success. She did finish second to the undefeated Break Even in the Coronation Cup here on July 14.

Sunday, breaking from the outside post under Joel Rosario, Eyeinthesky actually broke on top, but soon settled back into sixth as Sister Peacock, under Chris Landeros, cleared the field and ran an opening quarter in 21.84 seconds and a half-mile in 44.11 seconds with O’Keeffe and Abyssinian in pursuit.

Rosario was attempting to work out an outside stalking trip, but he made the smart move to save ground when it appeared Karama was going to carry her out down the backside. After saving ground around the turn, Rosario tipped Eyeinthesky out wide for the stretch drive and she was able to collar Sister Peacock while outfinishing Abyssinian.

Sister Peacock was third by a length over Brooke Marie, who was followed, in order, by O’Keeffe, Bohemian Bourbon, Missmizz, Karama, Elsa, and Chelsea Cloisters.

Eyeinthesky covered 5 1/2 furlongs over firm turf in 1:01.39 and returned $7.50 as the favorite.

Rosario said when he rode Eyeinthesky in the Coronation Cup he went wide on both turns and thought that cost him.

“I wanted to save a little ground, especially on the turn, to give her a little chance to go ahead and go on,” Rosario said. “For a second I thought she was not going to get there but she kept coming and coming.”