Micromanage pulls away in Birdstone Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As far as Micromanage is concerned, they picked the wrong year to eliminate the Breeders’ Cup Marathon.

Micromanage displayed an affinity for the marathon distance of 1 3/4 miles on Thursday, stalking from second the pacesetting Irsaal until the quarter pole before drawing away in the stretch to win the $100,000 Birdstone Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths. Irsaal finished second, 15 1/2 lengths clear of Slim Shadey. Don Dulce, Seton Hall, and More Hundred Acre completed the order of finish.

Micromanage, a 4-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro out of the dam Catnip, who is a half-sister to 1996 Belmont Stakes winner Editor’s Note, covered the 1 3/4 miles in 2:58.13 and returned $3 as the 1-2 favorite. Javier Castellano rode the winner for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole.

“We actually thought we might be laying third stalking two horses instead of one,” Pletcher said. “The main thing Javier and I talked about was getting in a nice comfortable gallop, a nice comfortable rhythm and just let him go around there.”

The win was the fifth from 18 starts for Micromanage, who could be pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Greenwood Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Parx Racing on Sept. 1 or possibly transferred to the grass.

“One thing we kicked around is trying him on the grass at some point,” Pletcher said. “There are a lot more opportunities on the turf at these type of distances, so at some point we might give that a whirl.”

Earlier on the card, Cat Feathers soared to a 3 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Mrs. Ogden Phipps Steeplechase Stakes. Ridden by Bernie Dalton for his wife, owner/trainer Kate Dalton, Cat Feathers covered 2 1/16 miles in 3:49.74 and returned $10.80.

The win ended an 11-race losing streak dating back two years for Cat Feathers, who won the 2012 Mrs. Ogden Phipps at odds of 23-1.