Fast Boat storms to victory in Troy Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Trainer Joe Sharp said he can usually tell when Fast Boat was sitting on a big race. And he was confident he was seeing all the right signs coming into the $200,000 Troy Stakes.
And sure enough Sharp was right, as Fast Boat finished full of run down the center of the course to overtake the pacesetting Caratori to register a half-length victory in the Grade 3 Troy, the third and final stakes to be decided Friday at Saratoga.
Fast Boat, who finished an even-running sixth over a “good” course in the Grade 1 Jaipur in his previous start, broke alertly then settled mid-pack in the run down the backstretch of the 5 1/2-furlong Troy. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione swung Fast Boat five wide to commence his bid, the former claimer rallying resolutely despite swapping leads in late stretch to run down Caratori at the end.
Caratori quickly sprinted clear under his new rider Javier Castellano, shook loose upon settling into the stretch but could not contain the winner’s closing surge. Gear Jockey broke slowest, raced very wide into the stretch and finished with good energy of his own to finish another length farther back in third. Imprimis, who was disqualified from an apparent victory in the 2020 edition of the Troy, weakened late to finish fourth, a half-length in front of the 2-1 favorite Bound for Nowhere.
Fast Boat, who also won the Grade 2 Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on April 30, was claimed for $40,000 by his present connections during the fall of 2018 and raced under a $15,000 tag two months later at the Fair Grounds. The 6-year-old son of City Zip, who is owned by Brad Grady, completed 5 1/2 furlongs over a firm course in 1:01.24 and paid $23.80.
“He was training very forwardly into the race,” said Sharp. “He’s a horse we’ve gotten to know really well and we can tell when he’s doing well and going to run a big race and everything pointed to a big effort today. The weather co-operated. He prefers a firm turf course. Last time we had a ton of rain the night before the Jaipur and I think we lost a great opportunity with the give in the ground.”
Sharp said while the stretch run was a little nerve-wracking, that he could tell by Fast Boat’s momentum that he would get to the leader in time.
“The horse on the lead" -- Carotari -- "dug in again when he got to him, but when he fires his big ones, it’s always fun to watch,” Sharp said.
Sharp noted that Fast Boat would have one more start, likely at Keeneland, prior to his major goal which is the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.