2016 Sanford Stakes: Random Walk ready to run
The 2016 Sanford Stakes is the first of three graded stakes races carded for two-year-old colts during the Saratoga meet. The others are the Saratoga Special and Hopeful Stakes (G1). Only four youngsters have swept the series. The last to do so was City Zip in 2000.
First contested in 1913, the prestigious Grade Three event has a list of winners that reads like a who’s who of racing legends. The 1914 winner was the filly Regret, who wnet on to become the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby. Other major winners include the Champions Tom Fool, Hail To Reason, Secretariat, Affirmed, Forty Niner and Afleet Alex. Famous also-rans include the great Man O’War, who suffered his only defeat in the Sanford Stakes in 1919, Triple Crown hero Omaha, and Champion Juvenile Boston Harbor.
This year’s six-furlong event has attracted five last-out maiden winners.
Not surprisingly, Todd Pletcher has taken home the Sanford Stakes trophy six times. He’s just one race away from tying for the most wins. The record of seven is owned by John Gaver, Sr., who conditioned the great Tom Fool and many other champions for the Whitney family’s Greentree Stable.
John Velazquez has guided the winner home seven times, more than any other jockey.
Bronson has five half-siblings, four are winners, and all four are either stakes winners or stakes placed over the lawn. A couple have placed on dirt, but Bronson is the only one to have won over the surface. Bronson’s blacktype siblings are the graded stakes winners Schiaparelli (Ghostzapper) and Moulin De Mougin (Curlin), listed heroine Alexis Tangier (Tiznow), and G1 stakes placed Vionnet (Street Sense). It isn’t surprising that Cambiocorsa’s offspring prefer the turf. The mare was one of the best turf runners on the Santa Anita downhill turf and captured seven straight starts., including two G3 events. The gray mare’s full brother was Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint hero California Flag.
Bronson had a slow pre-race four-furlong move in :49.4 over the Saratoga track.
Win-Early Breeding
Zartera (Tapizar - Catera, by Gone West) captured his 4 ½ furlong debut by an easy two lengths. This guy is bred to be a win-early sprinter/miler. First crop sire Tapizar, a son of Tapit, has four winners from ten starters. Recently, Tapizar’s daughter Tap It All was fourth in the 2016 Landaluce Stakes.
Zartera’s ¾ sister Areolite (Tapit) was third in the Churchill Downs Debutante last year. Their stakes-placed dam is a half-sister to the multiple graded stakes sprinter and sire Cuvee, who captured four graded stakes as a two-year-old. Cuvee was trained by Steve Asmussen. Catera’s other half siblings include G2 sprinter Will He Shine (Silver Deputy), and three stakes placed runners. Zartera’s sire and dam’s female families trace back directly to Carol’s Christmas through half siblings. So Zartera has 4 3 x Rasmussen Factor (inbred to a rene-de- course or “blue hen”) to Carol’s Christmas. The mare’s descendants include Champion three-year-old filly Untapable (Tapit), Louisiana Derby hero Pyro (Pulpit), and the graded stakes-winning sires Early Flyer (Gilded Time) Olympio (Naskra), Paddy O’Prado (El Prado) and, of course, Tapizar.
Zartera had an easy pre-race three-furlong breeze in :38.4.
Random Walk (Super Saver - Lunargal, by Yes It's True) Outclassed maidens at Belmont by 5 ¾ lengths, traveling 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.66. None of his half siblings own blacktype, but all that raced are winners. Random Walk’s second generation is filled with juvenile stakes winners. His dam Lunargal and her full sister Lunarlady won stakes as two-year-olds. Plus, Lunargal half brothers, Freshman sire Astrology (A.P. Indy), and Lunarpal (Successful Appeal) were G3 juvie stakes winners. Trainer Rick Violette, Jr. tightened the colt up with a bullet five-furlong move and a pre-race quick four furlongs in :47.6.
Flashy Numbers
Bipolar?
Bay Numbers (Algorithms - Zawzooth, by Unbridled's Song) was not ready for prime time in his debut last month. He didn’t want to go into the gate, then sulked his way around the track, finishing 13 lengths behind the winner. The Eddie Plesa, Jr. trainee was more amendable in his second start, happily splashing his way to a 6 ¼ length victory in the Monmouth mud. Bay Numbers final time was a quick :58.30. Algorithms is off to a good start at stud. Ten of his babies have started, five are winners and two, Recruiting Ready (Strong Hope) and Junket (Notebook) are stakes placed. Bay Number’s three half siblings to race were indifferent runners. Only one visited the winner’s circle. Their dam was a stakes winning sprinter.
Selections
In four of the last six years, the favorite hasn’t won the Sanford Stakes. In four of the last five editions, the winner settled off of the pace. Last year, the long shot Magna Light (pictured above) wired the field but was DQ’d to second in favor of Pletcher’s Uncle Vinny.
It’s anybody’s guess which colt will sit off of the pace since all except Bronson wired their respective fields. With only five horses in the contest, it could be anyone’s race. No rain is forecast.
Random Walk has the only pre-race bullet breeze. He’s ready to go. I really like Zartera, but he may try to wire the field. His three-furlong breeze was meant to sharpen the colt’s speed, and he draws post one.
Bitumen is the only colt in the field with a six-furlong race under his girth. He draws the outside and could sit off of the speed. If Bay Numbers is happy, he could also make a race of it. The trainer/jock combo of Plesa & Lopez win 38% together. I don’t like Bronson in here. Maybe he could win on raw talent, but I think he’ll wind up being a nice turf horse.
#2 RANDOM WALK (7-5)
#1 ZARTERA (9-2)
#5 BITUMEN (8-5)