New York Watch: Noble Tune [02:00]
Trainer Chad Brown initially thought Noble Tune was destined for the dirt before the colt posted a pair of "exceptional" breezes on the Oklahoma turf course, and on Monday the great-grandson of Serena's Song made it clear that he prefers the grass by unleashing a strong turn of foot to take his debut by 3 ½-lengths. Noble Tune raced behind cover in sixth along the inside before ranging up between horses on the final turn, finding a wide opening turning for home when the pacesetter drifted outwards, and blowing away his opponents once set down by Ramon Dominguez. "After seeing his turf works, I wasn't expecting him to run that well, but I was expecting him to run well," said Brown. Off as the 5-2 favorite, Noble Tune paid $7.30 and completed 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course in 1:43.08.
New York Watch: Micromanage [01:37]
On the final Saturday of the 2011 Saratoga Race Course meet, a 2-year-old colt named Alpha joined the New York Watch after posting a debut score in a seven-furlong maiden special weight, and 51 weeks later he was in Saratoga's winner's circle after dead heating for the win in the Grade 1 Travers. This year, Micromanage, a Todd Pletcher trainee, posted a five-length debut win in a seven-furlong race on the last Saturday of the meet, and his owner, Mike Repole, hopes history will repeat. "If we can duplicate Alpha's career with this horse, I think I'd be pretty content," said Repole, who won the 2011 Travers with Stay Thirsty. In his debut, Micromanage raced in fifth under jockey Javier Castellano in the opening quarter mile, ranged up three wide to offer his bid on the turn, overtook favored Gulfport straightening for home, and steadily widened his advantage in the stretch. Apex overtook Gulfport late for second. Micromanage, one of two first-time starters in the field of eight, completed the race in 1:23.01 and paid $13.60 for a $2 win wager as the 5-1 fourth choice.
Tags: New, York, Watch:, Micromanage, 2yo, maiden, saratoga, nyra, horse, racing, pletcher, repole, firster
New York Watch: Palice Malice [01:35]
Palace Malice became the first North American winner sired by multiple Horse of the Year Curlin with a dominant 3-½ length maiden score Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The Dogwood Stable color-bearer will now be pointed for the Grade 2, $300000 Three Chimneys Hopeful on Monday, September 3. Sent out by Saratoga leading trainer Todd Pletcher, Palace Malice was making his second career start. In his debut on July 5 at Belmont Park going five furlongs, the bay colt had a rough trip and raced greenly through the stretch, placing second to the promising Carried Interest by a half length, with 6 ¾ lengths separating him and the third-place finisher. In Saturday's seventh race, an $80000 maiden event at 6 ½ furlongs on the dirt, Palace Malice broke alertly, tracked a swift pace while running three wide down the backstretch, took over on the turn, and cruised home to an easy victory under jockey Javier Castellano, while still running somewhat greenly through the stretch. He paid $2.70 to win for a $2 wager as the overwhelming 1-5 favorite in the field of seven. "We expected him to run well like he did first time out and maybe improve, but you never take anything for granted in this business," said Pletcher, who leads the Saratoga meet with 14 victories through Saturday. "He's still learning, and we were happy to see him win like this. It's exciting to see a colt that is bred the way he is to show the kind of speed that he has, and you would think he would only improve as the ...
Tags: New, York, Watch, Palice, Malice, saratoga, nyra, horse, racing, maiden, pletcher, castellano
New York Watch: Funfair [01:30]
Trainer Christophe Clement, who in recent years has won major turf races for older horses like the Arlington Million, Beverly D., Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, Man o' War, Shadwell Turf Mile, Sword Dancer Invitational, and Woodford Reserve Manhattan, continued his strong run with 2-year-olds during the 2012 Belmont spring/summer meet when Funfair debuted a 3 ½-length winner on the inner turf course. "This is a faster group of 2-year-olds [for me] than usual," said Clement, who unleashed impressive dirt winner Native One on July 4 and was second on the turf with Apple Cider on June 29. "It's nice for them to be doing well during this time of the year." Funfair demonstrated ample speed herself, dueling with Priscilla Marie, the lone starter with previous racing experience, to the furlong marker before shaking clear of the runner-up while being hand-ridden to the wire. Priscilla Marie was 2 ¾ lengths clear of third-place finisher Colorful Image. The final time for six furlongs was 1:08.63. Funfair paid $8.80 for a $2 win wager as the 3-1 second choice.
Tags: new, york, watch, funfair, nyra, horse, racing, belmont, park, clement
New York Watch: Agave Kiss [01:34]
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