In Charge Sargent Seattle Heads to Stakes Off Big Win by Brian Nadeau Consider Sargent Seattle One-Up on Discreet Cat
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SUBSCR ER IPT IN IO A N R S T COMPLIMENTS OF T !2!4/'! O L T IA H C E E 4HE S SP ARATOGA Year 7 • No. 19 SARATOGA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER ON THOROUGHBRED RACING Thursday, August 16, 2007 Come on, get Happy Million-dollar filly flies home in Adirondack BY SEAN CLANCY The present and the past met in the winner’s circle after More Happy won the Adirondack. John Sikura Jr. and Thomas Gaines carry on strong racing legacies; the co-owners finished each other’s thoughts while trying to put the victory into words. “My dad and Thomas’ dad were good friends,” Sikura said. “John’s father and my father were very, very, very good friends for many years,” Gaines said. “This is a special feeling to win this, it’s the next generation,” Sikura said. “This one is for our dads,” Gaines said. John Sikura Sr. and John Gaines would have liked More Happy, a strik- ing dark bay filly who ramped up her ca- reer mark to a perfect 2-for-2 while wir- ing eight rivals in the Gr. II Adirondack Wednesday. Owned by Sikura, Gaines More Happy (right) hangs on to and Olin Gentry, trained by Bob Baffert defeat A To The Croft in Wednes- day’s Adirondack. See ADIRONDACK page 8 Tod Marks SARATOGA SPECIAL PREVIEW In Charge Sargent Seattle heads to stakes off big win BY BRIAN NADEAU Consider Sargent Seattle one-up on Discreet Cat. The 2-year-old son of Vindication, whose Opening Day tour-de-force evoked memories of Discreet Cat’s debut romp here two years ago, makes start number two for trainer Stan Hough and owner Joyce Robsham in the Grade II, $150,000 Saratoga Special Thursday afternoon. While Robsham got more phone calls than Time Warner during a thunderstorm, she resisted the temptation to sell Sargent Seattle – a reversal of Tod Marks her decision on Discreet Cat. Sargent Seattle blazes into today’s feature, The Saratoga Special for 2-year-olds. See SPECIAL page 3 You Call. You Save. It’s that simple. 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To receive your savings, call NTRA Purchasing toll-free at: (866) 678-4289 Visit www.ntrapurchasing.com =John Deere discounts or discount coupons cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts provided through our current national agricultural program. 07-500-222 JDTRCCCE2_NoMow_SaraS1 1 7/12/07 11:26:08 AM 2 Thursday, August 16, 2007 While the future is still very much in front of Sargent Seattle, Hough took a Special – moment to compare shooting star Dis- Continued from page 1 creet Cat to his current charge. “They are different types of horses. Sold to Godolphin immediately after Discreet Cat was a special horse; big- his debut on the 2005 Travers under- ger and stronger and he could do things card, Discreet Cat went on to be one that most horses couldn’t. So far Sar- of the most captivating horses in train- gent Seattle has not shown that kind of ing. Robsham will play Sargent Seattle brilliance, but you never know,” Hough a little closer to the vest, giving Hough said. “He’s got a good kick to him, this a chance to build on the promise of that horse. Mentally he’s pretty good; you July 25 debut run. would just like him to develop a little “He had trained well and you always bit more. He’s a late foal and he’s not have hopes, but you never know until a very big horse. He’s doing better all they run in the afternoon,” Hough said. the time. So you roll the dice; you don’t “(Mrs. Robsham) chose not to sell, so know how he is going to fare. They are it’s exciting to run him back. She wants all good horses in there and it’s the kind to race, she really does. I thought that of race where if you run good, then it’s he was not just a five-eighths-of-a-mile great. But you will have to run to beat horse and I think he will certainly go a any of them.” middle distance. I don’t have any idea The Special, like most juvenile stakes how far he will go or how far his best are at the Spa, is far from a walkover. race will be. He acts like he will go a Alysse Jacobs The Roundhouse (left) and Riley Tucker tackle Sargent Seattle in The Saratoga Special today. Contention runs deep. Talent runs deep- little bit. I don’t think that will bother er. Six others will meet the starter and him, the 6 1/2 furlongs. Obviously the a little bit and then the last month or speed in there. I would hope to lay just look to advance to the Spa’s signature company is good.” so before he ran he really started do- behind the speed. Hopefully the 6 1/2 race for 2-year-olds; the $250,000 Gr. I Opening Day at the Spa is often a ing well,” the trainer said. “He showed will play to his advantage,” Hough Hopeful on Closing Day Sept. 3. showcase for top juveniles, and Dal- more speed than I thought he would in said. “Obviously we are all in the same George Weaver sent out Make The las Stewart, Steve Asmussen and Todd his debut. I didn’t know he would show boat. You couldn’t ask for a better race Point to a resounding win at Belmont Pletcher all started precocious and well- that much gate speed. He’s been a horse (in his debut). But there were a couple Park in his career debut. He broke run- bred freshman in a 5 1/2-furlong maid- that is not a real speedball, so I was sur- scratches in the race and Todd’s horse ning and drew off as an easy 4 3/4-length en dash this year. At the finish, only prised at that.” (Forest Prince) didn’t break good and winner. Off since that June 13 run, he Sargent Seattle stood tall. Pressing a With Castellano back aboard, Sar- rushed up and got tired, so who knows? shows a strong series of drills over the quick pace under Javier Castellano, the gent Seattle gets an additional furlong Tomorrow is a learning race, and it main track. Ramon Dominguez picks $475,000 yearling purchase assumed to work with, along with a race that will tell us where we go from here. I’d up the mount for Edgewood Farm. command turning for home and ran off should have more pace. Hough consid- rather run him tomorrow than run him “He’s training well. He did every- to a 6 1/2-length victory. While Hough ers both to be to his colt’s advantage, against Todd’s horse Ready’s Image in thing right in his maiden race. He didn’t wasn’t surprised at the outcome, he was but knows you can’t gain much from the Hopeful. You would like to have a run particularly fast, or run a fast fig- a little taken aback by the way it was one race against a half-dozen untested little more time (in between races) but ure, but he did it the right way,” Weaver accomplished. juveniles. the Hopeful would only be tougher at said. “He’s been a nice colt since the be- “In the early going he acted like he “I think he is going to have to come too much time, and you are going sev- was a nice horse. Then he tapered off from off the pace as there is a lot of en-eighths in there.” See SPECIAL page 4 65th Massachusetts Handicap Don’t Just Bet On Racehorses, 20 07 Own Racehorses September 22 $500,000 Guaranteed, plus up to With West Point Thoroughbreds you can own a percentage $200,000 in incentive bonuses* of a high-potential racehorse, at a fraction of the cost Saturday, September 22, 2007 Three-year-olds and Up One Mile and One-Eighth James B. 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