Saratoga: Ex-claimer Da Big Hoss wins John's Call

SARATOGA SPRINGS N.Y. -- Da Big Hoss swooped to the lead turning for home and never looked back en route to a decisive two-length victory over Holiday Star in Wednesday’s $100,000 John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga.

Da Big Hoss was claimed for $50,000 by trainer Mike Maker for Skychai Racing LLC out of a victory at Churchill Downs on June 21. He returned quick dividends on that claim when he won a second-level optional claiming and allowance race, via steward’s disqualification, stretching out around three turns for the first time here earlier in the meet.

Da Big Hoss, a 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid, was allowed to bide his time during the early stages of the 1 5/8-mile John’s Call under leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. Da Big Hoss advanced steadily while three wide leaving the backstretch the final time, made a sudden move around the leaders to take command after angling widest into the stretch, quickly opened a comfortable advantage, and was not threatened thereafter.

Holiday Star, who also finished second in the John’s Call last summer, rallied belatedly down the middle of the course once he got clear on the final bend to easily best the others. He finished three lengths in front of Manchurian High with the pacesetting 6-5 favorite Global Strike finishing a tiring and disappointing fifth in a field of eight long-winded grass specialists. Da Big Hoss completed the distance over a firm course in 2:44.37 and paid $8.50.

“He’s a route turf horse,” said Maker when asked what motivated him to drop the claim slip on Da Big Horse. “He was lightly raced, is a very attractive horse, and everybody liked him. And he obviously likes this course.”