Saratoga: Readthebyline, Awesome Vision try to adapt to Evan Shipman distance
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It will be the early speed of Readthebyline versus the late run of Awesome Vision when those two head a field of six New York-breds entered in Monday’s $100,000 Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga.
Readthebyline, a gelding by Read the Footnotes, is coming off a six-length victory in an open-company allowance race at Belmont Park on June 22. He earned a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.
Readthebyline is uncomplicated. He shoots to the front and tries to carry his speed as far as he can.
“When he gets out there, he’s pretty tough,” trainer Rick Schosberg said. “Horses that go with him have to go really fast and sacrifice themselves. He can go really fast and finish.”
Readthebyline, who will be ridden by John Velazquez from post 3, will be trying 1 1/8 miles for the first time. He has already won twice around two turns over the inner track at Aqueduct.
There are some horses in the field who could try to pressure Readthebyline early. Two starts back, Anaphylaxis showed uncharacteristic speed in winning a second-level allowance race on the dirt. Last out, he finished fifth from off the pace in a starter/optional claimer on the turf. He breaks from the rail under Jose Lezcano.
Groomedforvictory, an 8-year-old Victory Gallop gelding, is a sprinter stretching out to 1 1/8 miles. He won his last start, a $25,000 claimer, by 5 1/2 lengths and was claimed out of the race by trainer Mike Maker for Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Joel Rosario rides.
[SARATOGA 2013: Complete meet coverage, exclusive DRF videos]
Awesome Vision should appreciate stretching out around two turns – he is 4 for 4 around two turns – after two losses in one-turn races at Belmont Park, including a third-place finish behind Readtheprospectus in the Commentator Handicap on June 1.
“He started to make a little challenge and just kind of leveled off,” trainer Tom Albertrani said of Awesome Vision’s effort in the Commentator. “We freshened him up, gave him more time in between. I just hope the two turns might be good for him.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Awesome Vision from post 2.
So Scott finished fourth behind Readthebyline in that June 22 race. He came back two weeks later to run second to Bad Hombre in a first-level, open-company allowance race at Belmont. Javier Castellano rides for trainer David Jacobson.
Last year, Bigger is Bettor upset the Albany Stakes, like the Evan Shipman run at 1 1/8 miles, at 24-1 for trainer Rodrigo Ubillo. Bigger Is Bettor had lost 15 straight races before winning a second-level New York-bred allowance race last out at Belmont.