Wit shrugs off poor break, surges to Sanford Stakes triumph

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Wit stamped himself a potential star in the making after drawing off to a resounding eight-length victory over Headline Report in Saturday’s $150,000 Sanford at Saratoga, while leaving future challengers to ponder the question of just how formidable he might be if and when he learns to break with his competition.

As was the case in his career debut, a six-length maiden special weight triumph at Belmont Park on June 5, Wit did not come away cleanly from the gate before being sent along to a striking position along the rail in the opening furlong of the Grade 3 Sanford. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. took Wit in hand at that point, letting him rate along in midpack before asking him to commence his bid midway on the turn. Wit rallied five wide entering the stretch, readily over-took the leaders three-sixteenths from the wire and steadily increased his advantage while kept under right-hand pressure to the end.

Headline Report raced forwardly placed from the outset, joined for command into the stretch, but proved no match for the winner while easily best of the others, finishing 5 1/2 lengths in front of Dance Code, who checked in a soundly beaten third in a field of 11 2-year-olds.

The aptly named Wit, a son of Practical Joke, is owned in partnership by Repole Stable, St Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable. He is trained by Todd Pletcher, who won the Sanford for a record eighth time.

Wit completed the distance over a fast track in 1:11.20 and paid $4.20. Wit was given a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Pletcher was not in attendance for the race, watching instead from Monmouth Park, where he won a pair of stakes earlier in the afternoon and also sent out Following Sea to a second-place finish shortly after the Sanford in the Grade 1 Haskell.

“He’s not a great horse breaking out of there, so I gave him some time to find his stride, and he did,” said Ortiz, who rode Wit for the first time in the Sanford. “By the half-mile he started getting into a rhythm and he wanted to improve his position so I started letting him do it on his own. By the three-eighths pole I had to call his attention and he responded right away. And he did the rest. He stood quietly in the gate but he broke slow again. I think as he gets a little older, he’ll figure it out.”

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