Offering Plan proves he's not done yet with West Point victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - After narrow losses in each of the last three runnings of the West Point Stakes, the 7-year-old Offering Plan finally came out on the right side of a close finish, outsprinting Dot Matrix to the wire to win the $150,000 West Point by a neck at Saratoga.

In 2016, Offering Plan was beaten a neck when third to King Kreesa in the West Point. In 2017 and 2018, Offering Plan was beaten a half-length by Get Jets and Kharafa, respectively, in this race.

“I’m so proud of him at his age to come back another year and give a really good performance and finally win this race,” said trainer Chad Brown.

Offering Plan was in fourth early, about 12 lengths off the pace as Everyonelovesjames, under Eric Cancel, set an ambitious pace, chased by Mo Maverick, with Therapist in third. Everyonelovesjames ran six furlongs in 1:11.79.

Turning into the lane, Castellano swung Offering Plan four wide while Joel Rosario took Dot Matrix five wide. Everyonelovesjames still held a two-length lead in midstretch, but the trio of Therapist, Offering Plan, and Dot Matrix came charging in the final furlong with Offering Plan getting up at the wire.

Dot Matrix was second by a length over Therapist.

Brown and winning jockey Javier Castellano both said that Offering Plan was emboldened by Dot Matrix, rallying outside of him.

“At the top of the stretch he lost his momentum, believe it or not the horse outside when he tried to go by he carried [Offering Plan’s] momentum to go forward and woke up my horse to pass the other horses,” Castellano said.

Offering Plan, a son of Spring At Last, improved his record to 9 for 27 and increased his lifetime earnings to $863,973.

Offering Plan is owned by Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin’s Nantucket Thoroughbreds, Gary Aisquith, and Bethlehem Stables. Kumin noted Offering Plan was part of the first group of horses he ever purchased along with Lady Eli and Tammy the Torpedo.

“We weren’t sure if after the last race maybe he was done, we weren’t sure if we trusted him today,” Kumin said. “[Brown] did an awesome job as always and it was a great win,” Kumin said.

Offering Plan covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.18 and returned $6.40 as the favorite.

Yaddo: Belle of the Spa pulls upset

Trainer Bruce Brown said he would have been happy to be second in Friday’s $150,000 Yaddo Stakes when he saw favored Munchkin Money sidle up alongside his 31-1 longshot Belle of the Spa in midstretch.

But Belle of the Spa apparently was not so content as, under Dylan Davis, she battled back from the inside and outfinished Munchkin Money by a neck to win the Yaddo as the longest shot in the field. Munchkin Money was second by 1 1/4 lengths over Kreesie.

The complexion of the race changed when Fifty Five, the even-money morning-line favorite, was scratched to run in Saturday’s Grade 2 Ballston Spa.

It was the fourth win from 11 starts for Belle of the Spa, a daughter of Pure Prize bred and owned by Anthony McCarthy, who named this mare for his mother who died earlier this year.

“It couldn’t mean more,” Brown said. “We pointed for this race all winter thinking we knew what kind of horse she was. We were a little worried with the [wet] condition of the turf but she’s just so game. I would have been happy if we were second midstretch but she kept fighting on. She’s got a lot of grit and determination.”

English Soul figured to be on the lead, but she leapt at the break and was taken in hand by Manny Franco.

Davis put Belle of the Spa on the lead and was able to make a clear lead through fractions of 25.08, 50.51, and 1:15.63 with English Soul and Munchkin Money behind her. Munchkin Money, under Junior Alvarado, made a run at Belle of the Spa, but the latter was just too game.

Belle of the Spa covered the 1 1/16 miles over good ground in 1:43.75 and returned $64.

“I really thought Junior was going to keep on going but I felt like my horse was still fighting, she was fighting petty hard,” Davis said. “She gave a little more than the other horse did and we were able to get it done.”

Held Accountable, who ultimately finished last, broke through the starting gate before rest of the field. The stewards decided that she did so on her own accord and thus did not declare her a non-starter.