Wicked! Adirondack Stakes Victory for Just Wicked

In an electrifying renewal of the Adirondack Stakes, Just Wicked put on a fiendish display of tenacity. As the bell rang and the starting gate opened, TONASAH and jockey Javier Castellano  quickly took charge of the pace, leading the field of seven two-year-olds through a first quarter of  22.21. HEARTBREAKER GIRL and  LOOKOUT SISTER ran as a pair 1 ½  lengths back, with Just Wicked settled into good position on the outside in fourth, a length behind them.   Rounding the turn in the 6 ½ furlong race, Just Wicked made a rapid three-wide move to engage Tonasah on the lead.  The courageous duo hooked up getting the half-mile in 45.52 and quickly separated themselves from the languishing field by five lengths.  

The race was on down the stretch with Tonasah battling on the inside, a half-length  in front of Just Wicked who was bearing out slightly in the stretch.  The two completed six furlongs in 1:09.86.  Once jockey Jose Ortiz  had Just Wicked straightened out, he put the whip away and  Just Wicked responded with a forceful surge, flashing under the wire  1 ¼ lengths in front of a game Tonasah in a final time of  1:16.61.   DELICATE LADY finished third six lengths back and DECKED OUT was fourth.

Jockey Jose Ortiz remarked,  "[Tonasah] is a really, really good filly. I broke well and by the three-eighths pole I had to move a little earlier than I wanted because she was loose on the lead and she was the favorite. It worked out well for us. From the three-eighths pole to the wire I really asked her to go hard and she responded well. [Tonasah] was really battling on the inside and the last couple of jumps my filly got away from her."

Just Wicked returned $8.70, $3.50, $2.60;  Tonasah paid $$3.20, $2.40; and Delicate Lady paid $3.00.  The $2 exacta paid $23.80, the $2 trifecta was $76.00 and the $2 superfecta returned $299.00. 

Bred and raced by Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC,  JUST WICKED   (Tapit - Wicked Deed, by Harlan's Holiday) was second in her debut sprinting over the Belmont lawn for trainer Steve Asmussen.  She switched to the dirt in her next start, collecting a victory at 5 ½ furlongs over the Saratoga main track.  Just Wicked has a 3-2-1-0 ($184,800) race record.

Post race, trainer Steve Asmussen remarked, "She had a great post today, Jose [Ortiz] gave her a great ride, and I think she beat a very good filly. It's extremely satisfying - the Winchells, what they mean to my family and their breeding program. We trained this filly's mother [Wicked Deed] for the Winchells, as well, and she won a couple stakes. This is a very good filly and another graded stakes winner for the incredible sire Tapit."

Leading trainer Todd Pletcher  of Tonasah and third place runner Delicate Lady stated about the tough loss,  "I think Tonasah ran well considering it was her second time out and the stretch out in distance from five furlongs to today at 6 ½ [furlongs]. It was an encouraging effort despite getting caught just before the wire. Delicate Lady got creamed at the start. The No. 2 [Kandoo] took her out and when she finally got her legs under her late and finished out well. I think she should benefit from added distance down the road."  

Just Wicked is by the leading sire TAPIT  out of the stakes winning sprinter WICKED DEED, who was also conditioned by Asmussen.  

Just Wicked has the pedigree to relish two turns and should find 1 1/6 miles or even 1 1/8 miles within her scope.  Asmussen  stated that the seven furlong Spinaway Stakes (G-1) on September 5 would be taken under consideration.