Haveyougoneaway upsets Ballerina
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y - Haveyougoneaway has come a long way in a short period of time.
Haveyougoneaway came to Saratoga the winner of multiple listed stakes, but she’ll leave here a multiple graded winner after upsetting the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Saturday at Saratoga.
The recipient of a patient ride from John Velazquez, Haveyougoneaway rallied four wide down the lane to outfinish By the Moon by a half-length in the seven-furlong Ballerina for fillies and mares. It was another length back to Carina Mia, the even-money favorite, in third.
The win gave trainer Tom Morley his first Grade 1 victory and earned the New York-bred Haveyougoneaway a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.
“Means everything - it’s the Ballerina,” Morley said of winning his first Grade 1. “It doesn’t get much better than this - Travers Day and we’re here in Saratoga.”
Though Kendrick Carmouche had ridden Haveyougoneaway to a pair of stakes victories, including a neck score in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss here on July 27, the decision was made to switch to the Hall of Famer Velazquez for this Grade 1 attempt.
“Decision was made between the team,” said Morley, who trains Haveyougoneaway for Gary Barber and Sequel Racing. “Johnny’s been there, done that, he was available. Take nothing away from Kendrick - he gave her two absolutely smashing rides.”
Velazquez had Haveyougoneaway in fourth position, only about two lengths off a modest early pace that had Sarah Sis, Carina Mia and Paulassilverlining heads apart through an opening quarter of 23.39 seconds.
Carina Mia, under Joel Rosario, took a short lead with a half-mile to run but she couldn’t shake Paulassilverlining until midstretch.
Meanwhile, Javier Castellano made an early move on By the Moon while Velazquez waited slightly longer on Haveyougoneaway, who came four to five wide into the stretch.
With Carina Mia drifting out, Paulassilverlining had the lead at the eighth pole. By the Moon rallied between a straightened-out Carina Mia and Paulassilverlining, while Haveyougoneaway kept coming down the center of the track to get up.
“I was right there, so I knew they were going slow," Velazquez said. "I got to the half-mile pole, they spread out, I said, ‘That’s good.' Javier got into a spot. I didn’t want to get involved in that. I wanted to wait until the quarter pole and let her finish from there, and it worked out good.”
Haveyougoneaway, a daughter of Congrats, covered the seven furlongs in 1:21.63 and returned $22.
Having had three races in eight weeks, Haveyougoneaway may simply train up to the Breeders’ Cup, Morley said.