Slow pace just right for My Typhoon

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Bill Mott was a little worried he might have been wheeling My Typhoon back a bit too quickly in Saturday's $200,000 at Saratoga, just four weeks after her fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Diana Handicap. As things turned out, he needn't have been so concerned.

Taking advantage of a slow early pace, My Typhoon led throughout under a well-judged ride by Garrett Gomez, then had enough left in reserve to withstand a closing surge from Karen's Caper and post a three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa. The win was the third of the day for both Mott and Gomez.

"I was a little concerned she was coming back too soon," Mott said. "She ran a winning race even though she finished fourth in the Diana, and any time you run hard like she did last time over soft ground, you have to worry if they'll have something left at the end the next time."

Gomez restrained My Typhoon through early splits of 24.64 seconds and 48.98, with Art Fan in close pursuit and 6-5 favorite Sweet Talker in perfect position just a couple of lengths back along the inside. My Typhoon disposed of Art Fan in early stretch, then held off a final challenge from Karen's Caper, who rallied three wide into the stretch and continued strongly to the end.

Sweet Talker saved ground throughout but failed to muster a closing response. She lost third money to Asi Siempre by a neck after bobbling briefly in deep stretch.

My Typhoon is a 4-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway owned by Live Oak Plantation. She covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.72 over a firm course and paid $8.10.

"If those fractions were correct, then they were the kind of fractions you like to see if you're on the front end," said Mott. "She was very rank a time or two last year and just ran herself out. But she's older and more mature now, and I was hoping if she had daylight in front of her she wouldn't be as rank today."