License Fee is trained by Elliott Walden and was bred in Ontario by Pedigree Farms. Prior to the Ballston Spa, she won the $100,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap over yielding turf at Philadelphia Park. Her only other turf win came in a Keeneland allowance race in April. License Fee earned $125,700 for the win, her 13th in 34 career starts.The second choice in the wagering at just over 3-1, License Fee returned $8.40 for the win and led a $50 exacta. (Chart, Equibase)
Winstar Farm's License Fee led at every call over the yielding turf at Saratoga Sunday, winning the $206,500 Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT) by 1 1/2 lengths over Pico Teneriffe. The 5-year-old daughter of Black Tie Affair completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.53 under jockey Pat Day. Hello Soso finished third, followed by Fickle Friends, Horatia, Mysterious Moll, and Babae."The post position (seven in the seven-horse field) didn't hurt us," said Day. "She's got pretty good speed away from the gate and I wasn't hard pressed to use her early on. We just coasted along the fence and when I asked her to run, she responded gamely."License Fee ran the opening quarter in :24.36 while leading by a half-length over Mysterious Moll. She opened up by 1 1/2 lengths after subsequent quarters of :23.81 and :24.49, before coming home the final 3/16 in :30.89. "It was an uneventful trip except for the fact that a goose was walking around the turf course when we got to the backside," said Day. "Thankfully it didn't turn around and kept walking straight across."