License Fee and Pat Day score in the Ballston Spa
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."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)
