Glycogen runs down Mel Went Home to spring minor upset in P.G. Johnson
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Parx-based trainer John Servis won the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga in 2000 and went 22 years – 19 starters – without winning another race at the upstate New York track.
“That’s why I don’t come unless I got a good shot,” Servis said. “It’s too far to come just to practice.”
Over the last five Saratoga meets, Servis has won with four of seven starters, including Glycogen, who on Friday took advantage of a heady ride by John Velazaquez to win the $200,000 P.G. Johnson Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga. Glycogen took over in deep stretch from Mel Went Home, who finished second by 3 1/2 lengths over favored Pros and Cons.
It was another 5 1/4 lengths back to 8-5 second choice Baliage in fourth. Urgent Claire was basically eased. Boomesherang was scratched after rearing up in the starting gate. Up Before the Dawn was scratched to run in Monday’s $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Glycogen, a towering daughter of Jack Christopher, had won her maiden at Ellis Park in Kentucky, seemingly making her a candidate for the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Turf. But Servis opted to swap Early Autumn, who won here earlier in the meeting, and Glycogen, sending Early Autumn to Kentucky and Glycogen here.
“I thought the race suited her better,” Servis said, referring to Glycogen. “I liked the distance, I liked the two turns instead of three or four or whatever it is at Kentucky Downs. It worked out.”
The start of the race was delayed a few minutes when Boomesherang reared up in the gate and was scratched by the track veterinarian. Jockey Edgard Zayas was uninjured.
With no one seemingly intent on the lead, Baliage, under Manny Franco took it, with Mel Went Home stalking her from second through a half-mile in 50.01 seconds. Jose Ortiz, on Pros and Cons, made an early move down the backstretch, which prompted Jose Lezcano to move on Mel Went Home to hold position.
Mel Went Home overtook Baliage turning for home and had a clear lead in midstretch. But she appeared to tire as Glycogen, who had saved all the ground from fourth under Velazquez, rallied in the three path in the stretch and took control of things at the sixteenth pole.
“With the pace how it was, she was much closer,” Velazquez said. “She was very professional. I pushed out right at the three-sixteenths and got rolling.”
Glycogen, who is owned by Main Line Racing Stable and Avalon Racing Stables, covered the 1 1/16-miles in 1:43.94 and returned $10.32 to win.
Servis, who has 20 horses at Turfway Park in addition to the 37 he has at Parx, said Glycogen would likely ship back to Turfway, making a race like the Grade 2, $400,000 Jessamine at Keeneland on Oct. 2 a likely next spot.
Robbie Medina, the trainer of Mel Went Home, said the early move that Lezcano had to make on his filly likely cost her in the end.
Medina said Ortiz on Pros and Cons “moved too soon so he had to use her to hold his spot,” Medina said. “Lezcano said when he made the lead he thought he was home free. He said probably because he had to move too soon it took a little bit of the starch out of her inside the sixteenth pole. He said Jose gave Johnny an assist and I totally agree with that.”
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