Roses for Debra takes Caress in first graded stakes try

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Roses for Debra served notice that Caravel might not be the only gray filly to reckon with in the filly and mare turf sprint division during the second half of the season after powering to a convincing 2 1/4-length victory over Wakanaka making her graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Caress Stakes at Saratoga.

Roses for Debra was transferred to trainer Christophe Clement’s barn during the spring by owner John O’Meara, her new mentor opting to switch her to the turf to open the campaign. Roses for Debra responded to that decision with a pair of one-sided allowance wins, the first at Pimlico, the second at Belmont Park, two outstanding performances that gave Clement the confidence to try her in the Grade 3 Caress.

With Irad Ortiz Jr. replacing regular rider Joel Rosario who was at Monmouth on Saturday, Roses for Debra broke very alertly before being taken in hand to stalk the pace of Bubble Rock. Roses for Debra fanned a bit wide off the turn, responded readily when roused by Ortiz in early stretch, readily collared the leader approaching the furlong grounds remained full of run to win going away.

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Wakanaka, turning back in distance off a third place finish going a mile in the Grade 1 Just a Game six weeks earlier, came wide moving to closer contention into the stretch, continued willingly out near the middle of the course but proved no match for the winner while holding a neck advantage over the tiring Bubble Rock at the end. Poppy Flower and the slow starting Our Flash Drive rounded out the complete order of finish.

The Caress was the seventh time Roses for Debra had crossed the finish line first in eight career starts although she was disqualified out of an apparent maiden win when debuting at Presque Isle Downs in May of 2022. The only real blemish on her record was a fourth place finish against allowance company last fall at Keeneland in her only start on dirt.

Roses for Debra completed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.39 seconds over a “good” course (99 Beyer Speed Figure) and paid $5.50 while giving Ortiz his fourth win on the card.

“I train and he [Ortiz] rides and he wins more races than me so I don’t tell him too much what to do,” Clement quipped when asked if he discussed strategy with his rider before the race. “He doesn’t tell me what to do to train them, so it works very well.”

Clement said he made the decision to try Roses for Debra on the turf for the first time in her seasonal debut because of all the success she’d had over the synthetic track at Presque Isle early in her career.

“When they have that form on the synthetic, it usually translates really well on turf and after the way she won at Pimlico, I was convinced she was a grass filly. She was impressive at Pimlico and very impressive at Belmont and came out of that race in great shape. I knew it was ambitious but I said why not have a look [at the Caress] and it’s nice when you’re aggressive and it works out. She has a spectacular turn of foot and when you have that kind of turn of foot in a sprint, it’s very dangerous.”

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