Toccet: Toast of Champagne

ELMONT, N.Y. - Toccet joined the list of contenders for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Saturday by rallying up the rail past a tiring Icecoldbeeratreds to win the Grade 1, $500,000 by 1 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park.

Icecoldbeeratreds, who opened up a 1 1/2-length lead at the eighth pole, finished second, three lengths ahead of Erinsouthernman. Pretty Wild, the 6-5 favorite, never threatened in finishing fourth. Cape Good Hope, Brancusi, Outer Reef, Desert Warrior, and Risky Cat completed the order of finish.

Toccet is named after Rick Tocchet, who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. Daniel Borislow, the owner and breeder of Toccet, blamed the misspelling on his bookkeeper.

It's not the only mistake Borislow made. Eighteen months ago, Borislow sold Cozzene's Angel, the dam of Toccet, for a relatively cheap price. "I've been trying to buy her back for three months," Borislow said.

For the moment, Borislow will have to settle for having a Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender. "We're going," he said. "As long as he comes out of it in good shape."

Under Jorge Chavez, Toccet settled in fourth position down the backstretch while Desert Warrior set the pace chased by Icecoldbeeratreds. Desert Warrior began to tire at the three-eighths pole, and Chavez had to guide Toccet around him. Meanwhile, Icecoldbeeratreds opened up a lengthy advantage in upper stretch.

Inside the sixteenth pole, Icecoldbeeratreds began to tire and Chavez rallied him up the rail to victory. Toccet covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.45 - .25 of a second slower than Storm Flag Flying in the Frizette. Toccet returned $20.20 to win.

"When he moved into third down the backside he looked to me like he was the only one still running," trainer John Scanlan said. "I was only concerned about the fence. The fence was horrible today.''

This year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile will be run at 1 1/8 miles. Scanlan said he wishes it was further.

"I wish it was a mile and a half," he said.

Icecoldbeeratreds, the Del Mar Futurity winner, appeared to fail in his test to show his connections he could get a distance.

"It's the first time going this far, so you've got to give him at least one more chance," jockey David Flores said. "He's only a 2-year-old. Hopefully, you'll see him in the Breeders' Cup."

Pretty Wild most likely will not run in the Breeders' Cup. After two solid efforts in the Hopeful and Futurity, Pretty Wild was beaten seven lengths in the Champagne.

"He didn't quite have anything today," jockey Shaun Bridgmohan said. "I called upon him down the backside and there was just no response. He was flat today."