Tricky Hat by a nose in John’s Call Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If you asked trainer Graham Motion, he’d probably tell you he’s seen dead heats that weren’t as close as the finish of Wednesday’s $100,000 John’s Call at Saratoga, where his Holiday Star came out on the short end, the very short end, of a nose decision with Tricky Hat in the restricted stakes for older horses on turf.
Tricky Hat, under a masterful ride by Rosie Napravnik, rallied up the rail and finished inches in front of Holiday Star, who was forced to race wide the entire 1 5/8 miles after breaking from the extreme outside in the John’s Call. Manchurian High wasn’t much farther behind the top pair at the wire, rallying belatedly to finish third, just a neck off the leaders.
Winning Cause, the 4-5 favorite, weakened grudgingly under late pressure and finished fourth in a scratch-reduced field of six long-distance grass specialists. The tiring pacesetter, Bohemian Dance, and Horvat Clan, who was eased in early stretch, rounded out the order of finish.
Tricky Hat rated just off the pace while well placed and allowed to save ground throughout by Napravnik. Tricky Hat was finally able to find room along the rail to launch his bid nearing the eighth pole, then dueled on even terms with Holiday Star the remainder of the way before winning the nose bob on the wire.
Holiday Star was hung out three wide while reserved within easy striking distance, forged to a short advantage in early stretch, continued on courageously to the end for jockey Edgar Prado, and just missed. Manchurian High trailed to the eighth pole and rallied belatedly. Winning Cause stalked the pace from the outset and came up empty at the end.
Tricky Hat paid $9.10.
“I thought he won initially, but I wasn’t real sure,” said Tricky Hat’s trainer, Shug McGaughey. “I thought Rosie rode a great race. She had to commit maybe a bit earlier than she wanted to, and when he made the lead, he hung a bit, as he can do. I’m pleased. He had two good races at Keeneland in the spring and then a clunker at Monmouth. He trained great, and he ran great today.”
Motion, who watched the race from Fair Hill in Maryland, summed up Holiday Star’s heartbreaking defeat in one word after the race: “Brutal!”