Saratoga: Spurious Precision tunes up for Champagne

Spurious Precision, the leader of the 2-year-old division coming off his extremely impressive victory in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special earlier in the meet, breezed an easy half-mile in 48.12 seconds over the main track on Friday. The work was the first for Spurious Precision since the Special.

Spurious Precision broke off at the three-eighths pole, as is customary for most of trainer Rick Violette’s workers, and was well in hand as he made his way past the finish line and into the clubhouse turn to the mile pole. He then continued strongly around the bend, galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.62.

Spurious Precision, a son of High Cotton, won his debut by 3 1/2 lengths here on July 21 then returned three weeks later to dominate the Saratoga Special by five lengths despite being hard-pressed through some very fast fractions during the opening half-mile of the 6 1/2-furlong sprint.

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“Just his first breeze since the Special, we two-minute licked him once, and it was just terrific, a bunch of 12’s and he came back like he hadn’t done anything so I think we’re in a good spot and way ahead of schedule for the Champagne,” said Violette.

The Grade 1 Champagne will be run at Belmont on Oct. 6.

Violette said his other top 2-year-old, the undefeated Carried Interest, would likely work once before returning to Belmont early next week. His breeze will take place either Monday or Tuesday morning, depending upon the weather. Carried Interest developed a sore shin that prompted Violette to skip Monday’s Hopeful to await the Belmont Futurity on Sept. 29.

Violette also sent out his Grade 3-winning New York-bred turf mare Gitchee Goomie to breeze four furlongs in 48.27 earlier on Friday, her first work since finishing fourth as the favorite in defense of her title in the Yaddo here on Aug. 17.

“I’ll look at the next one for her at Belmont. I think it’s the Hettinger,” said Violette. “It’s a little quick but she didn’t run her `A’ race the other day so sometimes you can come back a little sooner. She’s trying to be a non-sweater. I’s been pretty much of an issue we’re been dealing with for the past few months. Otherwise there’s no excuse for her last start.”