Victory Ride's First Foal Attempts Adirondack

(from Saratoga report)
After Magical Ride's scintillating debut, trainer Rusty Arnold steps his blossoming 2-year-old filly into Wednesday's $200,000 Adirondack Breeders' Cup (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course.

Magical Ride, the first foal out of Victory Ride, Saratoga's Test (gr. I) champion in 2001, is by Storm Cat. Arnold, who trained the dam for owner G. Watts Humphrey, has every right to expect her to be special.

"I was expecting her to run well first out, but it's one of those things where you never know until they go out there and do it," he said. "I'm hoping she likes Saratoga as much as her mom did. Her mom was a great horse."

Magical Ride was awesome in her first and only start. She broke from the starting gate like a shot, cleared the field from post 8, set the pace along the rail, and scampered away in the final 100 yards under a vigorous hand ride from jockey Fernando Jara, who returns to ride Wednesday.

Magical Ride has breezed three times since her super maiden victory. All three of her works came during the first 12 days of August.

"The filly is doing great, training perfectly," Arnold said. "All systems are `go' for the Adirondack."

The 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack, won by eventual juvenile filly champion Folklore in 2005, drew a nice-sized field of 10 2-year-old fillies.

Richwoman is unbeaten in three starts and has a seasoning edge over many of the fillies in this race. By Successful Appeal  , Richwoman already owns stakes victories in Hollywood Park's Cinderella and Churchill's Debutante (gr. III). Richwoman also has the ability to stalk and pass her rivals, a dangerous weapon in juvenile sprints.

"They wanted to educate in the Debutante," said Richwoman's jockey, Shaun Bridgmohan. "She drew the 1-hole, I eased her back, got her out and she came with a real nice run to beat a good filly of Todd Pletcher's."

That Pletcher filly, Chagall, was also entered in the Adirondack. Richwoman drew post 4 as the 122-pound top weight.

Given all his success in juvenile races at the Spa, champion trainer Todd Pletcher has never won the Adirondack. Pletcher entered two of his "Toddlers" -- Chagall and Octave -- in this year's edition.

Chagall sold for $825,000 at auction earlier this year. By Successful Appeal  , she broke her maiden at first asking in mid-June at Churchill, then just missed holding off Richwoman in the Debutante.

Chagall drew the rail, a poor post in a bulky field. John Velazquez has the mount.

Octave, an Unbridled's Song filly, won at first asking in late May at Churchill Downs then finished second to Desire to Excel in Belmont's Astoria July 2. Desire to Excel finished a solid second to the Pletcher-trained Cotton Blossom in the Schuylerville (gr. III) after breaking poorly.

Octave goes from post 3 with jockey Garrett Gomez.

Early Vintage is a daughter of freshman sire Jump Start  , who won the 2001 Saratoga Special (gr. II). This $500,000 2-year-old in training purchase won her only start impressively July 8 at Churchill Downs, overcoming a poor beginning to win going away. Early Vintage goes out for trainer Dale Romans with jockey Rafael Bejarano.

$200,000 Adirondack Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II, Race 8, 4:47 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Fillies, 6 1/2 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Chagall (FL), 118, John R. Velazquez
2. True Addiction (FL), 118, Joe Bravo
3. Octave (KY), 118, Garrett K. Gomez
4. Richwoman (FL), 122, Shaun Bridgmohan
5. Early Vintage (KY), 118, Rafael Bejarano
6. Tora (KY), 118, Edgar S. Prado
7. Expertise (KY), 118, Jose A. Santos
8. Post Invader (KY), 120, Cornelio H. Velasquez
9. Lemon Drop Girl (FL), 118, Julien R. Leparoux
10. Magical Ride (KY), 118, Fernando Jara