I Spent It scores for Dutrow in Saratoga Special

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Less than a week after losing one 2-year-old graded stakes winner due to injury, trainer Anthony Dutrow Jr. found himself a second after I Spent It exploded along the rail to an extremely impressive 2 3/4-length victory over Mr. Z in Sunday’s $200,000 Saratoga Special.

Dutrow won the first graded 2-year-old stakes of the meet with Big Trouble, who out-finished Mr. Z to capture the Grade 3 Sanford on July 19. But Big Trouble was discovered to have suffered a torn suspensory ligament in his right foreleg following a subsequent workout in preparation for the Grade 1 Hopeful, an injury which has put his racing career on hold at least through the end of the year. Enter I Spent It, a son of Super Saver, who had won his only previous start, a five-furlong maiden special-weight dash July 2 at Belmont Park.

Breaking from the rail under jockey Javier Castellano in a field of 10 juveniles going 6 1/2 furlongs in the Saratoga Special, I Spent It was reserved within perfect striking position of the pacesetting Nonna’s Boy while saving ground around the turn. Castellano briefly attempted to ease I Spent It out, seeking clearance at the top of the stretch only to find his path still blocked as the field began to bunch up behind the tiring leader.

Castellano then angled I Spent It back to the rail and squeezed him through a narrow opening nearing the eighth pole, after which the talented 2-year-old quickly asserted his superiority, drawing well clear at the wire before galloping out like a youngster who’ll get even better the farther he goes.

Mr. Z clearly was second best, finishing five lengths clear of W V Jetsetter, who out-finished Cleveland Sound by a nose to be third.

Along with earning $120,000 for I Spent It’s victory in the Saratoga Special, owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong received an additional $100,000 bonus awarded any 2-year-old who wins a graded stakes in New York after breaking his maiden during the Belmont spring-summer meet.

I Spent It returned $7.80 as the tepid favorite after completing the distance in 1:16.79 over a fast track.

“He’s always led us all to believe, especially since his last race, that we really thought we were going to see something like this today,” said Dutrow. “He needs somewhere to go. He’s waiting, waiting, and when there’s a little hole there, he goes for it like he’s done it a million times. Not many horses can push the button like that. And I watched the gallop out, and it was really good. It’s one step at a time, but I don’t want to trade places with anybody.”

Dutrow said there’s been no discussion regarding what might be next for I Spent It.

“I am hoping to wait for the Champagne, but that’s not my decision to make,” said Dutrow.

The Grade 1 Champagne will be run Oct. 4 at Belmont Park.