Irving's Baby Routs Glens Falls Field

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With all but four of the 10 entrants scratching when Saratoga's $106,700 Glens Falls Handicap got taken off the turf and put on the muddy main track, favorite Irving's Baby proved much the best, scoring her second consecutive stakes win Friday. Irving's Baby covered the 11 furlongs in 2:07.56 after leading gate to wire.

Pressed early by Polly Jo, Irving's Baby maintained a 3/4 length lead through the first turn and up the backstretch. As Polly Jo began to lose her grip, New Assembly loomed the danger on the second turn, and looked for a moment as though she would inhale the leader. But under Jerry Bailey, who got the pick-up ride on the Todd Pletcher trainee, Irving's Baby kicked away anew through the lane, winning by seven lengths in the end. New Assembly was second, and Caveat's Shot finished third.

"I'm getting old, and this is a lot easier than those tight finishes," said Bailey. "We accelerated early on, but the pace was within the scope of my mare. She has a steady gallop and can maintain that for a long time. That's just what she did."

Scratching from the Glens Falls were Aiglonne, Dreams, Minkie, Melody Queen, Amourette, and Krisada.

As a result of the surface switch, the race was automatically downgraded from grade III to listed status. The original grade may be reinstated at a later date after review by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

"I preferred that the race came off the turf," said Pletcher. "I didn't realize she was weighted at 126 on the dirt (112 for the turf). I can't remember a horse in a handicap carrying 126 in a while in New York. It's a lot of weight going a mile and a quarter. But I felt it was too good of a spot to pass up because she is a filly that likes a mile and a quarter."

Irving's Baby is a homebred racing for the Anstu Stables of Stuart Subotnick, who also races 3-year-old Balto's Star, a multiple graded stakes winner. The Kentucky-bred winner has now captured eight of 23 lifetime starts, and her share of the pot moves her career earnings past the $650,000 mark. Irving's Baby paid $3.20 and $2.20. There was no show wagering.

"We haven't ruled out the Personal Ensign (gr. I), even though they kind of went at it the first quarter mile," Pletcher said. "I don't think it was a tough race on her. I think the main thing has been stretching her out in distance. She's always been one of those fillies that tries pretty hard, and we figured out how she wants to run. She wants to be up on the pace. She's got a nice, steady clip to her." (Chart, Equibase)

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