Surveillance lands Potts a second Troy victory
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Wayne Potts won a three-way shake to claim Surveillance late last month for $62,500 and the horse paid immediate dividends on Saturday winning the $291,000 Troy Stakes, which was transferred from the turf to the dirt after Friday’s heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Debby.
The Troy was originally scheduled for Aug. 3 at Saratoga, but heavy rains preceding that card prompted New York Racing Association officials not to use the turf course that day and postpone the Troy by one week. Potts did not enter Surveillance when entries were taken the first time for the Troy, but the added week gave him confidence to enter this week.
“I thought it was a little too quick for him to wheel back,” said Potts, who claimed Surveillance on July 26.
Saturday, the Troy had 11 runners for the turf, but eight of those – including the top turf sprinter Cogburn – scratched. Surveillance and Disarmed were entered to run only on the main track.
Surveillance was a bit fractious in the gate, but, under the red-hot riding Tyler Gaffalione, wound up in a dream trip, stalking dueling leaders Outlaw Kid and Step Forward, who battled through a quarter in 22.12 seconds and a half-mile 45.47.
Turning for home, Gaffalione tipped Surveillance three-wide and he went by the dueling leaders en route to a 3 1/4-length victory. Outlaw Kid was a neck better than Step Forward, who was followed in order by Disarmed and Thin White Duke.
“He was tossing his head quite a bit, I never got him to settle in there, he kind of lunged the first step out of there,” said Gaffalione, who has ridden seven winners from 19 mounts in three days of racing this week. “After a quarter-mile into the race he got well within himself and he was traveling really well throughout.”
Surveillance, a 7-year-old son gelding by Constitution owned by Photos Finish LLC, covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.41 over a fast main track and returned $5 as the favorite. He earned $165,000 for his new connections.
The win came four years and two days after Potts won the Grade 3 Troy with the 9-year-old American Sailor, who had finished second but was put up when the stewards disqualified Imprimis for disqualification.
American Sailor never raced again, dying in a barn fire at Belmont Park in April 2021.
“It popped up on my memories yesterday four years ago and a day I got put up in the Troy,” said Potts, who got emotional talking about it.
Due to the surface switch, the Troy goes from a Grade 2 to a Grade 3 pending a review by the North American Graded Stakes Committee.
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