Ozara adds to perfect local record with Ballston Spa victory
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ozara continued her love affair with Saratoga which enabled her trainer, Miguel Clement, to continue his sensational summer at Saratoga.
The recipient of a perfect ground-saving ride from Dylan Davis, Ozara was able to move her way outside in the stretch and draw away to a 1 1/2-length victory over favored Deep Satin in Friday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Ballston Spa Stakes. Deep Satin, who unsuccessfully tried to keep Ozara boxed in in the stretch, held second by a head over No Mo Candy.
Whiskey Decision finished fourth, followed by Edict, Maggie Go, and Ocean Club. Be Your Best scratched to run in Saturday’s Grade 2 Beverly D. at Colonial Downs. Freedom Speaks scratched after running in a Thursday allowance.
The Ballston Spa was the seventh win from 13 career starts for Ozara, who began her career with a neck victory almost exactly two years ago over this same Saratoga turf course. Adding that victory with the one she scored taking the faster division of the De La Rose Stakes here on July 10 and the Ballston Spa, Ozara is 3 for 3 at the Spa.
Meanwhile, it was the fifth stakes win and fourth graded stakes for Miguel Clement, who now leads all trainers at this meet in both categories. Clement, who has 12 wins from 47 starters at the meet, has the likely favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer in Far Bridge and a contender in Saturday’s Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks in Go Go Boots.
“We’re on a heck of a run, thank God, I’m very happy, I’m very, very lucky,” said Clement, who took over the stable after the passing of his father Christophe in May. “It’s a well-needed distraction from everything else happening in my life. I’m just trying to keep my head above water and the horses are doing a heck of a job to help me out.”
Ozara finished third in the Eatontown Stakes on soft ground at Monmouth Park on June 14 so Clement wheeled her back in four weeks in the De La Rose on July 10 where she won by a half-length. Since Ozara was still doing well out of that race, Clement came back in another four weeks.
“To run her three times in eight weeks at the top level is by some people’s standards aggressive, but she was training well, her appetite was great, her energy level was up to the mark so go for it,” Clement said. “You have more to gain by running and winning and performing than they do in the stalls. You need to be aggressive and go for it when they’re doing well.”
Davis kept Ozara on the rail and behind the pace but was never more than two lengths behind Edict, who, under John Velazquez, carved out fractions of 23 seconds for the quarter, 46.69 for the half-mile and 1:10.33 for six furlongs.
In upper stretch, Davis had to create his own room, gently nudging Deep Satin and Jose Ortiz out a path. Ozara then kicked stronger than the rest, despite getting a little distracted late, according to Davis.
“Johnny ended up backing up a little earlier than I thought,” Davis said. “I was able to work out an outside trip from there without causing any trouble and just tapped her one time left-handed. She responded really nicely and took me on through the wire. She got a little green, I think she saw something there with the cameras right before the wire, she ducked in a little bit, but there was enough there.”
Ozara, a 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Lope de Vega owned by Cheyenne Stable, covered the 1 1/16 miles over firm ground in 1:39.65 and returned $9.20 as the third choice.
Clement said he may look to give Ozara a Grade 1 opportunity in races like the $800,000 First Lady at Keeneland on Oct. 4 and maybe the Matriarch at Del Mar in November.
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