Slapintheface lands Dutrow a much-needed win in Mohawk
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On Saturday morning, trainer Tony Dutrow received a kick in the gut. In the afternoon, he received a much more pleasant Slapintheface.
Slapintheface, a 5-year-old gelding by Oscar Performance, made a successful stakes debut Saturday at Aqueduct, outfinishing a game Itsallcomintogetha to win the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes by a half-length. It was a head back Sounds Like a Plan in third.
The win gave Dutrow a much-needed emotional lift after one of his horses, More for Sure, suffered fatal injuries during a training accident in the morning at Belmont Park.
“Within 30 minutes of that happening, I was in my Floral Park apartment lying on the couch crying,” Dutrow said. “When I got done crying, I tried to put some sense to it. This is what I love, this is where I want to be.”
Dutrow spoke by phone from his Belmont Park barn, where it was feed time for the rest of his stable. He watched the Mohawk on the television in his barn.
What he saw was the continued development of a horse who last out rallied from 12 lengths back to win a second-level allowance at Aqueduct. That day, he was beneficiary of a fast early pace.
In the Mohawk, there was no pace as Itsallcomintogetha ran a half-mile in 50.17 seconds and six furlongs in 1:14.31 while being stalked by Sounds Like a Plan. Manny Franco had Slapintheface an up-close third and along the rail. Dutrow wasn’t sure what kind of kick Slapintheface was going to offer in the lane.
“I saw him up close earlier in the year and he ran well but he didn’t finish,” Dutrow said “All his great races… here he comes.”
Slapintheface offered a strong enough kick to run by Itsallcomintogetha, who finished a head in front of Sounds Like a Plan. It was another head back to George Briggs, the even-money favorite, in fourth.
Slapintheface, owned by Niall Brennan, won for the fourth time from 15 starts. All four of his wins have come over Aqueduct’s turf course.
“He sure likes that course, he’s been very successful around that oval,” Dutrow said. “Obviously, we’re very happy with him. We’ve been very patient. He only runs four or five times a year.”
Dutrow said Slapintheface would ship down to Brennan’s farm this week and get a break before preparing for a 6-year-old campaign.
Slapintheface covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.33 and returned $15.44 to win as the third choice.
New York Turf Sprint Championship
Twenty Six Black, under a perfect trip from Joel Rosario, rallied to win the inaugural $200,000 New York Turf Sprint Championship by one length over the pace-setting Waralo. It was a half-length back to Run Curtis Run in third as the order finish in the seven-horse field was in numerical order.
Twenty Six Black, a 5-year-old gelding by War Dancer, had run two strong races in Saratoga, finishing second in the Grade 2 Troy before winning the Disco Partner for New York-breds in a four-week period.
Twenty Six Black may have regressed when finishing third in the Belmont Turf Sprint Championship, but he was back on his game Saturday.
Rosario and Twenty Six Black sat a ground-saving fifth, about four lengths behind Warolo, who set splits of 22.91 seconds for the quarter and 45.91 for the half-mile.
Rosario got Twenty Six Black into the clear in upper stretch and he was able to wear down Waralo.
“I think [last time] he just regressed a little bit from his efforts at Saratoga and he came back here with a great effort,” said Horacio De Paz, who trains Twenty Six Black for owner/breeder Rogert Cinbora.
Twenty Six Black covered the six furlongs in 1:08.20 and returned $4.98 as the favorite.
Ticonderoga
De Paz won a second stakes on the card when Awesome Czech ($4.98) split horses in deep stretch and outfinished Gallant Greta to win the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares by a neck. It was two lengths back to Moonage Daydream, last year’s Ticonderoga winner who stumbled badly at the break.
Similar to Twenty Six Black, Awesome Czech put forth two strong performances at the Saratoga meet and may have regressed when finishing third in the Athenia Stakes against open company on Sept. 14.
Saturday, under Santana, Awesome Czech sat an up close third, while Spinning Colors set the pace, chased by Golden Rocket. Santana displayed patience as he found himself behind three horses turning for home.
A large seam presented itself in mid-stretch, Santana guided Awesome Czech on through and she was able to hold off a five-wide rallying Gallant Greta to record her third win from six starts this year and six from 18 overall.
“She’s more mature and Santana knows her well,” De Paz told NYRA publicity. “She’s been an awesome mare. To be consistent all throughout the year is not the easiest, so she’ll get a good little vacation now and it’s well deserved.”
Awesome Czech, a 4-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn owned and bred by Barry Schwartz, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.41 and returned $4.98 as the favorite.
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