NEWS
Manndar shines in Manhattan
Posted: Saturday, June 17, 2000
Finder's Fee comes from far back to win Acorn Stakes; Lemon Drop Kid romps in Brooklyn
WITH four Grade 1 winners in the field, the $400,000 Manhattan Handicap (G1) outranked the main attraction on a sultry Belmont Stakes (G1) day, June 10, not only in terms of age and experience but achievement as well.
Manhattan H. (G1)
Belmont Park, June 10, $400,000, 11/4 miles, turf, good, 1:59.61
1—MANNDAR (Ire), c. 4, =Doyoun (Ire)—Madiriya (Ire), by Diesis (GB).
2—Boatman, c. 4, Irish River (Fr)—Peplum, by Nijinsky II.
3—Spindrift (Ire), h. 5, Mukaddamah—=Win for Me (Ire), by =Bonne Noel (GB).
Only eight of the 11 Belmont starters had even run in a Grade 1 race (they were a combined 0-for-11 before Commendable ran off with the Belmont), while the 1¼-mile Manhattan included such stars as High-Rise (Ire), winner of the 1998 Epsom Derby (Eng-G1); Honor Glide, who took the 1999 Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap (G1); defending 1999 Manhattan winner Yagli; and the newest addition to the elite group, Manndar (Ire).
Since arriving in the United States, Manndar, a four-year-old son of Doyoun out of Madiriya (Ire), by Diesis (GB), had started in five straight Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes. He finished no worse than fourth and finally broke through in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby (G1) day under new jockey Corey Nakatani.
For the Manhattan, Manndar was again teamed with Nakatani, and the pair proved to be a winning combination once again. Confidently ridden, Manndar angled off the rail heading into the lane, split horses in midstretch and dug in to post a one-length victory over Boatman for his second straight Grade 1 win. His time for the ten furlongs was 1:59.61 on good turf.
"When you've got the best horse, things tend to go right," Nakatani said. "I had the best horse here, and we got the good trip. I've gotten on him a couple of times in the morning, and he's got a lot of talent. He settled real nicely off the pace and ran when I asked him."
Spindrift (Ire) closed to gain third, a half-length back, with a leg-weary Yagli finishing fourth, followed by pacesetter Middlesex Drive, Honor Glide, Just Listen, and favored High-Rise, who appeared to take a bad step turning for home but later was pronounced fine by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. However, Yagli was disqualified to sixth after lugging in near the finish and interfering with Honor Glide.
"I think he ought to be retired," said trainer Bill Mott of the seven-year-old Yagli. "He's either got to go with easier company or be retired. He's not the same as he was a year ago."
Manndar, who was 3-to-1 and earned $240,000 for Columbine Stable, J. Merrick Jones, and Tom Nichols, will have three or four more starts before heading to the Breeders' Cup.
"We'll probably go to Arlington (Million Stakes [G1] on August 19) or the Eddie Read (Handicap [G1] on July 30 at Del Mar) before that," winning trainer C. Beau Greely said.
Finder's Fee takes Acorn
With neither the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner nor the Preakness Stakes (G1) winner entered in the Belmont, the Triple Crown was but a waning memory. But on the eve of the final leg of racing's most coveted series, what may have been one of the best races in the stakes-laden weekend was taken by a filly with a heart-stopping style of running.
Acorn S. (G1)
Belmont Park, June 9, $200,000, 1 mile, fast, 1:37.38
1—FINDER'S FEE, f. 3, Storm Cat—Fantastic Find, by Mr. Prospector.
2—C'Est L' Amour, f. 3, Thunder Gulch—L'Amour Toujours, by Blushing Groom (Fr).
3—Roxelana, f. 3, Boundary—Itstimetocelebrate, by Timeless Native.
The $200,000 Acorn Stakes (G1), the first leg in New York's Triple Tiara, drew a solid field of stakes-winning fillies. There was the undefeated Roxelana, an 11¾-length winner in the La Troienne Stakes (G3). There was C'Est L'Amour, narrow winner of the Nassau County Stakes (G2). There was Circle of Life, last year's Spinaway Stakes (G1) winner. And there were Darling My Darling, runner-up in the 1999 Frizette (G1) and Matron (G1) Stakes; undefeated Dream Supreme, and Tugger, second in the Nassau County in only her third lifetime start.
Not exactly overlooked but certainly not the center of attention was the only other Grade 1 winner in the race, Finder's Fee, who was 1-for-4 this year after taking the Matron and Astoria Stakes as a two-year-old.
Unlike in Finder's Fee's previous starts in the Nassau County and Comely Stakes (G3), however, the Acorn was packed with speed. And with John Velazquez heeding the advice of his agent, two-time Acorn-winning rider Angel Cordero Jr., he sprang Finder's Fee at precisely the right moment for her to rally from tenth and last to beat C'Est L'Amour by three-quarters of a length.
"We got the pace today and she was a little more relaxed than she had been," said trainer Claude "Shug" McGaughey of the daughter of Storm Cat out of Fantastic Find, by Mr. Prospector.
"We caught a (quick) pace instead of a little bit slower pace that we would have had to run into. I wanted her back and I wanted her buried in behind horses because sometimes she likes to get into a bit of trouble."
Tucked in along the inside as Imadeed set a hotly contested pace of :22.46 and :45.33, Finder's Fee began advancing on the turn, angling out for her run as favored Roxelana took command, carrying a two-length lead over Finder's Fee into the stretch. In perfect position at the quarter-pole, Finder's Fee dug in and surged past the favorite to hit the wire in 1:37.38.
C'Est L'Amour was up for second, with Roxelana holding for third, a neck back.
"Four more jumps and she probably wins, but you can't take anything away from the winner," said Phil Johnson, trainer of C'Est L'Amour.
"I think a good filly won it, and another was second, and we were just third best," said William "Blackie" Huffman, trainer of the beaten favorite.
Completing the order of finish were Dream Supreme, Circle of Life, Miss Seffens, Imadeed, Darling My Darling, Logan's Press Card, and Tugger.
Finder's Fee, who has not finished worse than fourth in eight starts since last year's Adirondack Stakes (G2), earned $120,000 for owner Ogden Phipps as she extended her record to 5-2-1 in 13 starts. She was fourth choice in the wagering at 8.30-to-1.
"She was so good warming up today," Velazquez said. "She stood in the gate nice and relaxed. She wanted to move up at the three-eighths pole but I grabbed hold of her because it was too soon. The other filly (Roxelana) was stopping badly and I knew I had the race won."
McGaughey said the next start for Finder's Fee would be the second leg of the series, the Mother Goose Stakes (G1), on July 1. Should she win that, Finder's Fee would have a shot to sweep the Triple Tiara by winning the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) on July 22. Only eight fillies have swept all three races, most recently by Sky Beauty in 1993.
Perfect Sting in Just a Game
Rounding the turn in the $175,000 Just a Game Breeders' Cup Handicap (G3), Perfect Sting's perfect record over the Widener turf course appeared in jeopardy. The four-year-old daughter of Red Ransom out of Valid Victress, by Valid Appeal, was behind horses with nowhere to run, and those in front of her showed no signs of backing up as the field of seven swung into the stretch.
Just a Game Breeders' Cup H. (G3)
Belmont Park, June 10, $165,800, 1 mile, turf, good, 1:34.48
1—PERFECT STING, f. 4, Red Ransom—Valid Victress, by Valid Appeal.
2—Ronda (GB), f. 4, Bluebird—Memory's Gold, by Java Gold.
3—Snow Polina, m. 5, Trempolino—Snow House (Ire), by Vacarme.
But even as Ronda (GB) surged into the lead with about 220 yards to go, Jerry Bailey spotted a seam on the outside and angled Perfect Sting toward it. Muscling her way through, the filly trained her sights on the leader and with a final determined run to the wire, stuck her nose in front for the victory.
"I wanted to get her out before the top of the stretch but there was nowhere to go," said Bailey, who was aboard Perfect Sting for her winning 2000 debut in the Beaugay Handicap (G3). "I left her with a lot to do, but she certainly responded."
Completing the order of finish were Snow Polina, Babae (Chi), Apple of Kent, Terreavigne, and Housekeeper (Ire).
Winner of nine of her 13 turf starts and 2-for-2 this year, Perfect Sting went off as the .65-to-1 favorite and earned $111,180 for owner Frank Stronach. Her time for the mile was 1:34.48 over a course rated good.
"We knew when we decided to go in a mile race that traffic was the thing we would have to worry about," said trainer Joe Orseno, who was back at work after being hospitalized two days earlier for abdominal pains. "We were willing to accept the consequences; it was better than a 13/8-mile race. Now we'll go forward with her."
Orseno said he has penciled in the New York Handicap (G2) on July 15, Diana Handicap (G2) on September 4, Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (G1) on October 7, and the Breeders' Cup as he pursues an Eclipse Award for the filly.
"We knew she might not win, not go undefeated," said Orseno of Perfect Sting, who last year put together back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap at Belmont and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland before finishing sixth in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park. "Now we'll look toward a Breeders' Cup win and champion turf filly."
Trippi's Riva Ridge
The victory aboard Perfect Sting marked the third straight winner of the day for Bailey, who was riding winners at a 35% clip heading into Belmont day. The red-hot rider made it four in a row the very next race when he piloted Trippi to a nine-length win in the $150,000 Riva Ridge Stakes (G2). Bailey later won the final race to make it a five-win day.
Riva Ridge S. (G2)
Belmont Park, June 10, $150,000, 7 furlongs, fast, 1:23.68
1—TRIPPI, c. 3, End Sweep—Jealous Appeal, by Valid Appeal.
2—Bevo, c. 3, Prospectors Gamble—Wheatly Way, by Wheatly Hall.
3—Sun Cat, c. 3, Tabasco Cat—Sierra Madre, by Mr. Prospector.
Making his first start since finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby, Trippi broke alertly, contested the pace alongside Captain Red, and then pulled clear through the stretch to hit the wire in 1:23.68 for the seven furlongs.
"There was obviously a lot of speed in there, including him," winning trainer Todd Pletcher said of Trippi. "I just left it in Jerry's hands. He decided to play it on the break and he broke a step slow, as always, but he got going on his own and there was a place to go, and Jerry just let him cruise up there."
It was the fifth win in six starts for the Dogwood Stable-owned son of End Sweep out of Jealous Appeal, by Valid Appeal, who was followed under the wire by favored Bevo, Sun Cat, Storm's Path, Captain Red, and Port Herman. Trippi's only loss came in the Derby, when he tired through the stretch after dueling for the lead to finish 18¾ lengths behind Fusaichi Pegasus.
"There were some people who questioned his running in the Derby and I thought that was a little unfair because he was 4-for-4 and he just won at a mile and an eighth (the Flamingo Stakes [G3])," said Pletcher. "I thought he deserved a chance and ran a good race in the Derby. He might not be a mile-and-a-quarter horse, but up to a mile and an eighth, he's pretty nice."
Bevo, who had stretched his winning streak to four in his three-year-old debut in an allowance race on May 12, was rank early but nosed out Sun Cat for the place.
"He broke so sharp, Richie (Migliore) said he probably should have just left him alone," said Billy Badgett, trainer of Bevo. "He was stuck behind a wall of horses with nowhere to go and once he got clear, the race was over. We'll see how he comes out, then decide about the Dwyer (Stakes [G2] on July 9)."
Trippi, who earned $90,000 to boost his bankroll to $338,400, went off as the 2.10-to-1 second choice.
Intidab's True North
Trainer McLaughlin said he could not have been happier when his Intidab drew the outside in a field of nine for the $150,000 True North Handicap (G2) on June 10, but he never expected Oro de Mexico to set the pace, while racing five wide.
True North H. (G2)
Belmont Park, June 10, $150,000, 6 furlongs, fast, 1:10.22
1—INTIDAB, h. 7, Phone Trick—Alqwani, by Mr. Prospector.
2—Brutally Frank, g. 6, Groovy—Rare Touch, by Rare Performer.
3—Oro de Mexico, g. 6, Well Decorated—Emma's Gold, by Fast Gold.
So when jockey Robbie Davis elected to cut to the inside, McLaughlin could only applaud as Intidab outran favored Brutally Frank through the stretch to post a one-length victory in his second start of the year.
"I though that was a clever move," said McLaughlin, who trains the horse for Shadwell Stable. "This horse is really improving."
Second to Bevo in his 2000 debut on May 12, the seven-year-old son of Phone Trick covered the six furlongs in 1:10.22 at odds of 2.30-to-1 as he won his seventh race in 33 lifetime starts. Following Brutally Frank under the wire were Oro de Mexico, Cowboy Cop, Master O Foxhounds, Sailor's Warning, and Kashatreya.
Lemon Drop's Brooklyn
A heartbeat or two after the gates flew open for the $250,000 Brooklyn Handicap (G2), track announcer Tom Durkin exclaimed in surprise: "And Lemon Drop Kid is right up with the leaders today!" Less than two minutes later, Lemon Drop Kid was rolling to a 7¼-length victory over the late-closing Lager for his first stakes win of the year.
Brooklyn H. (G2)
Belmont Park, June 11, $250,000, 11/8 miles, fast, 1:49.93
1—LEMON DROP KID, c. 4, Kingmambo—Charming Lassie, by Seattle Slew.
2—Lager, g. 6, Pleasant Tap—Lady Ghislaine, by Diesis (GB).
3—Down the Aisle, h. 7, Runaway Groom—That's My Hon, by L'Enjoleur.
The change in tactics for last year's Belmont (G1) and Travers (G1) Stakes winner was no accident. In the weeks leading up to the 11/8-mile Brooklyn, Racing Hall of Fame trainer Flint S. "Scotty" Schulhofer had experimented with blinkers during the colt's morning workouts and was pleased with the difference in the four-year-old son of Kingmambo—Charming Lassie, by Seattle Slew.
"He was not focusing on his races, and he's waiting for other horses," said Schulhofer of Lemon Drop Kid's efforts this year—a disqualification after finishing first in the Widener Handicap (G3), a dead-heat win in an allowance race, and a third to Golden Missile in the Pimlico Special Handicap (G1). "He worked a couple of times (with blinkers), and I liked what I saw."
This new, sharpened version of Lemon Drop Kid, sent off at 2.10-to-1, turned in a huge performance in the Brooklyn. After dueling three wide with Massachusetts Handicap (G2) winner Running Stag and Dogwood Stable's Early Warning through moderate fractions of :23.96, :47.14, and 1:11.91 for the first six furlongs, Lemon Drop Kid took command on the turn. He opened 2½ lengths at the top of the stretch before pulling away through the lane to hit the wire in 1:49.93.
"At the half-mile pole I had a ton of horse, and he wanted to go to the lead," said winning jockey Edgar Prado. "All his other victories were real close; today, he drew off easily and galloped out good. I think he's focusing more."
Lager, outrun early, closed to finish second by a head in a five-across-the-track battle for the place, with Down the Aisle third. Almutawakel (GB) was a head back in fourth, closely followed by Ghost Story and Running Stag, the 1.45-to-1 favorite. Early Warning was another 10¼ lengths back in last.
In winning his third Grade 1 race over the main track at Belmont—in addition to the final leg of the 1999 Triple Crown, Lemon Drop Kid also won the 1998 Futurity Stakes—Lemon Drop Kid earned $150,000 for his owner, Jeanne Vance, and raised his career earnings to $1,839,970.
"I've been around the track for a long time, and frankly this was the first time in my life that tears came to my eyes when he crossed the finish line because he means so much to me," said Schulhofer, who said the colt would start next in the Suburban Handicap (G2) on July 4. "He was the kind of horse today that I always thought he could be."
Jenny Kellner is a New York correspondent for Thoroughbred Times.
