Senbei leads all the way in Funny Cide victory
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Senbei ran his career record to 2 for 2 when he won the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes for 2-year-old New York-breds on Friday at Saratoga Race Course.
Senbei, ridden by Manny Franco, was never headed in the 6 1/2-furlong race and hung on with ease after setting swift early fractions of 22:00 and 44:88 over a track rated fast. He opened up to lead by 4 1/2 lengths in the stretch after his closest pursuers wilted, and was geared down at the finish to win by a diminishing 2 3/4 lengths in 1:18.09.
The finishing time was nearly a full second slower than the winning time for the Seeking the Ante for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies at the same distance one hour earlier. However, the winning filly in that race, November Rein, set internal fractions of 22:47 and 45.98.
The eight colts in the Funny Cide had combined for seven wins and two seconds in nine total career races, and betting focused on a handful of horses other than Senbei, including Montebello, a Bob Baffert trainee who went off at nearly 3-1 after winning an open Del Mar maiden in his debut on Aug. 7.
Montebello ran erratically throughout the race before re-breaking and making up ground late to finish second. Happy Happy B, who ran second in his only other career race, was passed late and finished third.
Trained by Christophe Clement, Senbei won his July 18 debut by 4 3/4 lengths at 5-1 at Saratoga over a muddy track. Franco was aboard for that win as well. He paid $19.20 to win in the Funny Cide as the sixth choice in the field of eight.
Franco said he was aware that he was posting swift fractions in the first half-mile of the Funny Cide, but he also said that Senbei felt strong underneath him going into the stretch.
“I was a little worried because I knew I was going a little bit faster [than I wanted],” Franco said, “but like I told the trainer and the owner, if that’s the way we need to get it done, than that’s what I’ll do.”
Clement said that Senbei would likely target the rich 2-year-old New York-bred stakes that are held in the state throughout the fall, depending on how Senbei comes out of the Funny Cide.
“Let’s just enjoy this one,” Clement said. “We don’t have to decide now. We’ll see how he is through the weekend and go from there.”
Senbei is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski. He was bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski. He is by Candy Ride, who stands for $75,000, and is out of the Western Cat mare Sweet Aloha. He is named for a Japanese rice cracker.