Itsallcomintogetha holds off Ramblin' Wreck in Cab Calloway
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The $150,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Saratoga was all about family. Just not the family everybody thought it would be about.
Itsallcomintogetha, under Jose Gomez, took control soon after the start and held off a late-stretch bid from heavily favored Ramblin’ Wreck to win the Cab Calloway by a long neck. It was 4 1/2 lengths back to Vacation Dance in third.
Coming off a victory in the Spectacular Bid division of the NYSS last month at Belmont, Ramblin’ Wreck was sent off the 1-2 favorite to join his half-brother Dakota Gold as a winner of the Cab Calloway.
Instead, Itsallcomintogetha became the third progeny of the mare Ladywell Court to win a New York Stallion Stakes, joining half-sisters Goodbye Brockley – who did so here in Saratoga five years ago – and Lady Joan in that regard. All the siblings as well as the dam and, in the case of Itsallcomintogetha, the sire Weekend Hideaway, were trained by Phil Serpe.
“They’re all runners,” Serpe said.
Serpe said the key to Itsallcomintogetha running her best is racing around two turns and beyond seven furlongs. Itsallcomintogetha won a one-mile maiden race two starts back in front-running fashion. Last time, in the Spectacular Bid at seven furlongs, Itsallcomintogetha got involved in a pace battle that helped set the race up for Ramblin’ Wreck, to whom Itsallcomintogetha was third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths.
Thursday, Gomez was able to get Itsallcomintogetha to the front and maintain a clear advantage through a quarter in 24.18 seconds, a half-mile in 49.25, and six furlongs in 1:13.59. Vacation Dance, under Kendrick Carmouche, was the closest pursuer.
Turning into the lane, Gomez still had plenty of horse while Irad Ortiz Jr. on Ramblin’ Wreck, who were fourth early, cut the corner and tried to rally along the rail.
Itsallcomintogetha kept going while Ramblin’ Wreck was gradually gaining, but Ramblin’ Wreck ran out of real estate.
“He’s just been relaxing a lot more,” Gomez said. “He’s figuring out that he can’t just go fast, fast, fast. He knows what he has to do now.”
Itsallcomintogetha, owned and bred by Hilly Fields Stable, covered the mile in 1:36.62 and returned $20 to win.
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Though the turf was labeled firm, Ortiz said there was some give to it, which may have slightly hindered Ramblin’ Wreck.
“Probably my horse is better when its firmer like it was last time at Belmont,” Ortiz said. “No excuse, he had a beautiful trip, he just got beat.”
The top two could meet again in the $125,000 Rick Violette Stakes here Aug. 17.
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