Unbeaten So Many Ways gave trainer Tony Dutrow consecutive wins in the $300,000 Spinaway Stakes (VIDEO) when she came from off the pace to defeat 3-5 favorite Teen Pauline going away by 2 1/2 lengths Sept. 2 at Saratoga Race Course.
So Many Ways won Saratoga's Schuylerville Stakes (gr. III) July 20 and is now three-for-three in her brief career for owner Maggi Moss.
Javier Castellano drove So Many Ways to victory at odds of 7-2 while completing seven furlongs in 1:23.74 over a fast track. Sweet Shirley Mae, the longest shot in the field of five 2-year-old fillies, rallied for second over the weakening Teen Pauline.
So Many Ways is the first winner and first stakes winner for freshman sire Sightseeing, a son of Pulpit. Bred in Pennsylvania by John R. and John C. Penn, So Many Ways is a bay filly out of the unraced Dehere mare Happy Scene. She brought $22,000 as a yearling at auction one year ago.
Dutrow won last year's Spinaway with Grace Hall.
"This filly came to Saratoga an infant and just as the weeks went by you could see her turning, putting on weight, growing, maturing," Dutrow said. "I didn't know where we would finish today, but I was thinking we'd run better than we did in the Schuylerville."
Teen Pauline, whose entry mate Dreaming of Julia scratched from the Spinaway, was heavily bet off an impressive 4 3/4-length debut maiden win going five furlongs at Saratoga July 25. Stonestreet Stable's speedy filly was committed to the front end from her rail post, and she took the lead soon after the start over the stalkers Corail and So Many Ways.
So Many Ways dropped back nine lengths for Castellano as Teen Pauline, ridden by Julien Leparoux, led Corail through quarter mile splits of :22.29 and :45.13. Teen Pauline had control in the stretch as So Many Ways commenced her bid on the outside near the quarter pole. So Many Ways gained a narrow edge over the leader approaching mid-stretch and drew off under strong handling from Castellano.
"I'm not surprised, but I sure am happy," Dutrow said. "She came out of there with running on her mind. (Corail) pushed (Teen Pauline), and our filly picked up the pieces. I think I said in the paper that our filly would finish up. We've won it (the Spinaway) two years in a row now, and I can't believe where I'm standing."
"She's pretty quick out of the gate, and she settled beautiful behind the two horses," Castellano said. "Those two pacemakers, they helped to set up my race. But I think if it wasn't that way, no matter what, she was going to be in the bridle today and she was going to be close to the pace and give me the kick the way she did today."
Sweet Shirley Mae closed willingly through the lane for Kent Desormeaux to take second by two lengths over Teen Pauline. Seasoned Warrior and Corail trailed.
So Many Ways, a half sister to stakes winner Scherzi, was a bargain buy at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2011 Easter Fall Yearling Sale last September. The bay filly began her career June 9 with an eye-catching eight-length maiden win going five furlongs at Parx Racing. She followed that impressive start with a 1 1/2-length tally while rallying from off the pace in the Schuylerville at six furlongs as the lukewarm 5-2 choice.
She had put in four solid works at Saratoga since the Schuylerville.
"I was really feeling very strongly that she would improve off of that today," Dutrow said. "I didn't know if that was going to be good enough because I didn't know how good and talented Asmussen's filly (Teen Pauline) was. I knew she was talented, but I didn't know how good."
The victory, worth $180,000, boosted So Many Ways' earnings to $307,800.
"She's been training phenomenal, and the last time I rode her, she was very impressive," Castellano said. "I think she's going to be really good. She's got a long, beautiful stride. I can't wait to stretch her out a little bit. I think she can go farther, and I have a lot of confidence with her."
Under equal weights of 119 pounds, So May Ways paid $9.80, $4.90, and $2.50 while keying a $137 exacta with 22-1 shot Sweet Shirely Mae. The latter was fourth last time in the Schuylerville by eight lengths. Teen Pauline, trained by Steve Asmussen, was $2.10 to show.
Baby J also scratched.