Off the Record gives Brisset first Saratoga victory
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Rodolphe Brisset recorded his first Saratoga victory when the 3-year-old Off the Record slipped through an opening along the rail to win his debut by two lengths Wednesday at Saratoga.
A son of Distorted Humor, Off the Record showed real professionalism rallying along the rail over an extremely sloppy track. Off the Record covered seven furlongs in 1:24.50 and earned a 71 Beyer Speed Figure.
Off the Record is out of the dam Savvy Star, who also won her debut sprinting (6 1/2 furlongs) here in 2014. She got hurt in her next start and was retired. Savvy Star was trained by Bill Mott and Brisset worked with the filly as he was an exercise rider/assistant for Mott at that time.
“I thought it was pretty solid what he did,” Brisset said of Off the Record. “He got pinched down on the inside. Our horses, we like to develop them so they usually need a race. We know that. He did it on class, I guess. He showed us what he’s been showing us in the morning.”
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Brisset said he would look to run Off the Record in an allowance race next.
Meanwhile, Brisset said he is targeting the $100,000 Mahony Stakes for The Black Album, who is coming off a victory in the Charley Barley Stakes at Woodbine going a mile. Brisset said he wants to use the 5 1/2-furlong Mahony, on Aug. 7, as a prep for the Grade 3, $500,000 Franklin-Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12.
Quip, winner of the Grade 2 Oaklawn Park Handicap and runner-up in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, is in Saratoga, but Brisset said he is leaning toward shipping him to Del Mar for the Pacific Classic on Aug. 17 as opposed to running him in the Whitney against the likes of McKinzie, Thunder Snow, and possibly Preservationist.
“The way he run in the Foster, I don’t think the mile and a quarter will bother him,” Brisset said. “He galloped out pretty strong in that race. We’ll play it by ear.”