Foolish Ghost gets to the front when it counts in John Morrissey Handicap
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y - Foolish Ghost had won eight times in his career, but never without having the lead at every point of call in the race.
So, when Wow Brown outsprinted Foolish Ghost for the early lead in Thursday’s $100,000 John Morrissey Stakes at rain-soaked Saratoga, trainer Ray Handal turned to his assistant Kate Merritt and said, “We’re dead.”
Not so fast.
Wow Brown couldn’t maintain his fast early pace, Foolish Ghost took over from him turning for home, and despite being kept wide in the lane by Joel Rosario, Foolish Ghost spurted clear to a convincing 3 3/4-length victory in the Morrissey for New York-bred sprinters run over a sloppy Saratoga main track.
My Boy Tate, who looked poised to make a run between horses under Luis Saez, had to settle for second, 1 1/2 lengths clear of stablemate Our Last Buck. Morning Breez finished fourth and was followed, in order, by Captain Bombastic, Wow Brown, Jemography and Wudda U Think Now, the 2-1 favorite who acted up in the gate pre-race. Runningwscissors was scratched to run in an allowance race here on Sunday.
Foolish Ghost, claimed by Handal for $25,000 here last August, was making his 34th career start, first in a stakes race.
“Because we had no other options,” said Handal, who noted that owner Rich Newman and Ken Russell encouraged him to run in the stakes.
Handal didn’t have a call with a jockey in the Morrissey and was thrilled to pick up Rosario at the draw.
“Couldn’t have picked a [better] guy to suit a horse that’s kind of a run-off type of horse,” Handal said. “He’s unbelievable getting horses like him to switch off.”
Rosario, who was riding Foolish Ghost for the first time, noted that Michael Davila Jr. really wanted the lead on Wow Brown, so he let him have it, while parking Foolish Ghost about a half-length outside of him through a quarter in 21.88 seconds.
“He seemed like he was happy with that,” Rosario said.
Turning for home, Rosario sent Foolish Ghost to the lead and then guided him a few paths wider down the stretch.
“Sometimes with a muddy track, that part of the track is a little better and I stayed out there and he was fine with it,” Rosario said. “He was there for me nice and he handled the surface really well.”
Foolish Ghost, a 6-year-old gelding by Mineshaft, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.70 and returned $10.20 as the third choice.