Speed vs. speed in Sanford
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Saturday’s $150,000 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga likely will not send anyone rushing to make future bets on next year’s Kentucky Derby but should – at least for the time being – determine who is the fastest 2-year-old in the area, with a fleet field of nine juveniles set to go six furlongs in the Grade 2 dash.
Stakes winners Cinco Charlie and Bessie’s Boy are obviously two of the top contenders, along with the Todd Pletcher-trained Nonna’s Boy. Among them, the three are perfect in five career starts.
Cinco Charlie was an easy winner of the Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs in his last outing, defeating Silverhill, who’ll also be in the starting gate for the Sanford. Bessie’s Boy was an easy six-length winner of Belmont Park’s Tremont Stakes on June 20, with the runner-up from that event, Chocolate Wildcat, coming off a rough trip and also signed on for the Sanford.[bc_video_id:330430:]
The keys to the Sanford, as is the case with most early-season 2-year-old stakes, should be the break and the pace scenario. Each of the leading contenders has been on the lead in his previous starts, as was the Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained impressive debut winner Souper Colossal.
“That’s the way these stakes are,” said Pletcher. “Usually, they come up with pretty similar running styles, and it takes a fast horse to win it.”
KEY CONTENDERS
CINCO CHARLIE (Beyers 81-82)
◗ Well drawn outside the other speed horses in this lineup, which should prove an advantage and give jockey Shaun Bridgmohan options his fellow riders won’t have.
◗ Owns the two best Beyer Speed Figures in the field, which indicates he is the fastest horse in the race.
◗ He is already stakes-tested and is one of only three members of this group to have raced six furlongs.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Cinco Charlie. Trainer Steve Asmussen is 1 for 15 with a $0.15 ROI over the past five years in graded stakes at Saratoga with 2-year-old colts. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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BESSIE’S BOY (Beyers 72-51)
◗ Beat only three rivals in the Tremont and benefited when the 4-5 Chocolate Wildcat had to take up sharply and dropped several lengths back from the rail during the opening quarter-mile.
◗ Easily handled Governmentshutdown in his debut, and that colt flattered the effort by winning his next two starts, including the Rollicking Stakes.
◗ He will have to step well up from a Beyer standpoint to contend with Cinco Charlie.
NONNA’S BOY (Beyer 74)
◗ Distorted Humor colt is from far and away the leading 2-year-old barn on the grounds, with the trainer-jockey pairing of Pletcher and John Velazquez having won this event five times.
◗ Looked very sharp while working five furlongs in 59.55 seconds in company here July 7.
◗ Might prove the speed of the speeds, and it’s Pletcher’s intention to send him right to the lead. “He’s very fast, and it will take someone pretty fast to get in front of him,” he said. “We have no intention of taking him back.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Nonna's Boy. Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velaquez have combined for 4 wins in 13 starts over the past five years at Saratoga with 2-year-olds making their second career start in graded stakes dirt sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Big Trouble. Trainer Anthony Dutrow is 11 for 24 (46 percent win rate) with a $2.53 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints with 2-year-olds following a maiden victory. Click for more details. – Dan Illman