Rose's Vision pulls inside job in Better Talk Now

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In his previous start, Rose’s Vision slipped up the rail, finished well, but could not get to March to the Arch and had to settle for second in the Toronto Cup at Woodbine.

On Monday at Saratoga, Rose’s Vision used similar strategy but with a much better result, rallying along the inside to register a neck decision over Have At It in the $100,000 Better Talk Now Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf.

With Jose Ortiz aboard, Rose’s Vision raced mid-pack during the early stages of the Better Talk Now, eased off the rail briefly while rallying into the stretch, came back to the inside to continue his bid, and surged late to catch Have At It.

Have At It, never far back, rallied to the lead nearing the furlong marker. Prioritize rallied to finish third, beaten less than a length in his stakes debut.

Strike Power, the 2-1 favorite in his first start on grass, raced forwardly for six furlongs before tiring badly to finish ninth and last.

Rose’s Vision, a 3-year-old son of Artie Schiller, is trained by Stuart Simon for the Chiefswood Stable. He covered the distance in 1:35.02 over a firm course and returned $12.40.

The win was the first for Simon at Saratoga.

“You always know you’ve got to get lucky when you go on the inside like that,” said Simon. “Some days it doesn’t work out for us, but today it did. A great ride by Jose, of course.”

Although Rose’s Vision ran second in the Plate Trial over the artificial surface at Woodbine earlier this season, he’s proven to be most proficient on turf, having registered all three career wins on grass.

“We thought we had to chase after the Plate because it’s a million-dollar race back home,” said Simon. “But bottom line, he’s a turf miler, maybe up to a mile and one-eighth. This is his game.”

Simon said he could bring Rose’s Vision back to New York for the English Channel Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 27, a race he won with Dragon Bay in 2016.