Allowed to linger several lengths behind his four rivals in Sunday's GII Saratoga Special S., Peacock Racing Stables' Gunnevera (Dialed In) took advantage of a hot early pace and stormed down the center of the track and came calling late to cause a 9-1 upset. Recruiting Ready (Algorithms) crossed the line second, but was ultimately demoted to fourth for 'clobbering' Tip Tap Tapizar (Tapizar) as the field raced into the far turn. The latter was placed second while Sonic Mule (Distorted Humor) was put up to third.
“My horse is a really good horse,” said jockey Javier Castellano, winning his fourth of the afternoon. “We came from behind, in the clear and finished really well. I think he had a really good setup today and everything went the right way.”
Gunnevera turned in a debut effort that was promising enough, finishing 3 1/2 lengths behind the still-unbeaten Three Rules (Gone Astray) in a June 10 maiden over a sloppy Gulfstream main track, then showed some late interest to finishi fourth to that rival in the July 2 Birdonthewire S. in Hallandale. The chestnut backed up on just two weeks' rest for his latest, but the quick turnaround was no issue, as he bridged a four-length deficit in the final furlong to graduate by 3/4 of a length July 16.
Immediately out the back, Gunnevera found himself better than a half-dozen lengths behind as longshot Get Lit and Get Wild (Wildcat Heir) pushed through at the rail to take up the running as Sonic Mule, Tip Tap Tapizar and Recruiting Ready were right on the pace stacked up to the outside. The opening quarter-mile was up in a pressured :21.69, and as they made the bend into the far turn, Tip Tap Tapizar was taken up after being broadsided by the race favorite, who was going best of the leading trio while widest on the track. The Sagamore runner cruised to the front under a hold 2 1/2 furlongs from the wire and as he began to widen approaching the final eighth of a mile, Gunnevera was finding his best stride and was emerging as the sole late danger. Irad Ortiz Jr. took a concerned look under his right armpit and got to work right-handed on the chalk, but Gunnevera kept plugging away and was up in the final three jumps.
“I liked the race but I told [Javier] Castellano, 'he's slow but the last three furlongs are strong,'” commented winning trainer Antonio Sano. I liked this horse at a longer distance. We'll see you Sept. 5 here [for the GI, $350,000 Hopeful S.].”
Pedigree Notes:
Gunnevera is one of five winners for his first-crop sire (by Mineshaft) and is his first graded winner as well as his maiden American black-type winner. Dialed In's daughter Ruffenuff (ex Augusta Queen, by Forestry) broke her maiden on her career debut in the Princess Margaret S. at Alberta's Northlands Park. The $16,000 Keeneland September, who descends from the female family of Sovereign Award winner Van Lear Rose (Stroll)–also from the A.P. Indy sire line–is the final live foal produced by her 21-year-old Maryland-bred dam.
Sunday, Saratoga Race Course
SARATOGA SPECIAL S.-GII, $196,000, SAR, 8-14, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.00, ft.
1–#@GUNNEVERA, 118, c, 2, by Dialed In
1st Dam: Unbridled Rage, by Unbridled
2nd Dam: Suite, by Graustark
3rd Dam: Minstrel Princess, by The Minstrel
($16,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Peacock Racing Stables, LLC;
B-Brandywine Farm & Stephen Upchurch (KY); T-Antonio Sano;
J-Javier Castellano. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0,
$156,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
[bullet ad=”brandywine-co-bred-foaled-raised”][bullet ad=”altamira-stable”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Tip Tap Tapizar, 118, c, 2, Tapizar–Counterpoise, by Storm
Cat. ($175,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Whispering Oaks Farm LLC;
B-Summer Hill Farm LLC (LA); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $40,000.
[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]3–Sonic Mule, 118, c, 2, Distorted Humor–Globe Trot, by A.P.
Indy. ($175,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Calumet Farm; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $20,000.
[bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”]Margins: 1, (14), 3 3/4. Odds: 9.20, 11.20, 2.40.
Also Ran: *Recruiting Ready, Get Lit N Get Wild.
*Recruiting Ready finished second, but was DQd to fourth.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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