Spendthrift, Pletcher, Velazquez continue red-hot October with Major Dude in Artie Schiller
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Jockey John Velazquez, trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Spendthrift Farm continued their run of success this fall, teaming up to win Saturday’s $150,000 Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct with Major Dude.
Sitting an up close third, and despite having to go a little wide over ground Velazquez said he wasn’t truly enjoying, Major Dude recorded a one-length victory in the Artie Schiller, his first victory in eight starts this year and eighth from 26 overall.
Major Dude won the Artie Schiller over Otago, who was a nose better than Horsepower. Sand Pipes and Big Everest completed the order of finish.
For Velazquez, it was sixth stakes victory in October, and third for Pletcher and Spendthrift Farm. For Pletcher, it was his fourth stakes win this month while Spendthrift Farm captured its fifth through the first 11 days of October.
There were various points in the Artie Schiller where Velazquez wasn’t certain he would get Major Dude to the winner’s circle. Major Dude got a little keen soon after the start, reacting to chirping from a rider on another horse out of the gate, according to Velazquez.
Velazquez then had to wait for pacesetter Big Everest and pace-prompter Horsepower to clear him around the first turn before he was able to get his horse to settle.
“I took a hold of him and he wanted to run off, at the same time he likes to drift out a little bit so I waited for the horses come in,” Velazquez said in a post-race interview broadcast on America’s Day at the Races. “When they came in, I put my hands down, he came off the bridle and it was much easier that way.”
Though the turf was listed as firm, Velazquez said it had a little give to it, which isn’t Major Dude’s preferred ground. In the stretch, Velazquez said when a horse came to Major Dude’s outside, it seemed to embolden him to go on after the leaders.
“When there’s a little softness, he runs just even,” Velazquez said. “He seemed like he was having a hard time getting his footing underneath him … I was worried because I didn’t think he had enough to go on but the horse to him and he gave me a good fight.”
Major Dude covered the mile in 1:36.69 and returned $3.46 as the odds-on favorite.
Love Cervere takes Glen Cove
Love Cervere remained perfect at Aqueduct and at six furlongs, rallying from the back of the pack under Manny Franco to win the Grade 3, $175,000 Glen Cove Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by one length.
Flat Out Time, making her first start on turf, finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of Abientot, who rallied from last to get third.
The win was the fourth from eight career starts for Love Cervere, a daughter of Into Mischief trained by Miguel Clement and owned by Edward Seltzer, Beverly Anderson, and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. Love Cervere is 3 for 3 at Aqueduct and at six furlongs having won her maiden last November and the Take the A Train Stakes in May.
Love Cervere received a terrific ride from Franco, saving all the ground early behind a half-mile in 44.61 seconds, tipping out into the clear unimpeded in the stretch and then rallying by the speed. It was one of four wins on the card for Franco, who is the leading rider at the meet with 31 wins.
“Miguel gave me a lot of confidence,” Franco told NYRA publicity. “He told me to ride the way that I wanted, but he wanted me to be patient the way the ground is. The field came back to me. At the same time, when I asked her, was there for me.”
Love Cervere covered the six furlongs in 1:08.44 and returned $6.76 as the 2-1 favorite.
“Pace makes the race, she has a great turn of foot, so the more pace the more effective she is,” Clement said.
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