Original holds off Public Sector in Manila Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y. - Original played a game of catch me if you can, and none of his five opponents could, as the son of Quality Road held on for a head victory over favored Public Sector in Sunday’s $100,000 Manila Stakes for 3-year-old turf horses at Belmont Park.
Public Sector finished 1 1/2 lengths clear of Straw Into Gold, who was followed by It’s a Gamble, Annex, and Hot Blooded. Like the King, who ran in Saturday’s Grade 3 Kent at Delaware, and Ridin With Biden, who is running in Monday’s Grade 3 Dwyer on dirt at Belmont, both scratched.
The victory was the second in seven starts for Original, owned by Eric Fein and trained by John Terranova. Original had finished third in both the Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy at Gulfstream and the Woodhaven at Aqueduct. Most recently, he finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Public Sector, in a first-level allowance at Belmont.
In that race, Public Sector was always within a length of Original. On Sunday, despite Original setting slow fractions over a good turf course, he was able to maintain a clear advantage for most of the trip. Public Sector, the even-money favorite, was fifth early on.
Original, under Luis Saez, got away with an opening half-mile in 50.30 seconds and opened his advantage to two lengths after six furlongs in 1:14.55. He was able to maintain a two-length advantage to the eighth pole before Public Sector, under Flavien Prat, began his charge. The wire came up first, though.
“I told Luis if you’re out there easy enough, try to get a little clear before they come to you, try to kick a little earlier,” Terranova said. “[Public Sector] handled off turf last time and he’s got a bigger turn of foot than us late, so try and get clear, which he did.”
Original covered the mile in 1:37.75 and returned $15.80 to win.
Public Sector was 3 1/2 lengths back in fifth after the opening half-mile. Prat swung him to the outside turning for home, but his late rally fell short.
“There were a couple of horses right in front of us early and he decided to try to switch him off and then they slowed it down and kept slowing it down,” said Chad Brown, the trainer of Public Sector. “He had a couple of horses in front of us that wouldn’t take us forward when we wanted to move, eventually he had to bite the bullet and go around and it was too late.”
While Terranova wasn’t sure what race he would look at next for Original, Brown believes Public Sector could stretch out to 1 3/16 miles in the Saratoga Derby on Aug. 7.