Saratoga: Deterministic takes Fourstardave, 1 of 4 early stakes

Deterministic pressed long-shot pacesetter My Boy Prince into the stretch before rocketing past him and pulling clear to a 1 1/4-length victory Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,000 Fourstardave Stakes at Saratoga.

The one-mile Fourstardave for 10 older horses on the inner-turf course was an automatic qualifier for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

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It was the seventh win from 13 starts and third in a row for Deterministic. It came eight weeks after giving trainer Miguel Clément his first career Grade 1 victory in the Manhattan (G1) to close the Belmont Stakes racing festival. The current streak has come with jockey Kendrick Carmouche aboard.

“He has tactical speed so you can use it,” Clément said. “He was moving very well. I think Kendrick was just waiting to make his move. When he went for it, he went big. The horse delivered.”

Carmouche and Deterministic broke alertly from post 8 and immediately latched onto the right hip of June 8 Jaipur (G1) runner-up My Boy Prince, stretching after three straight sprints to start the year. The opening quarter-mile went in 23.83 seconds over a course rated firm as Grade 1 winner Win for the Money raced in a tight group for third with fellow Grade 1-winner Spirit of St Louis and Lagynos.

Clément said he was pleased with the early positioning of Deterministic behind José Ortiz-piloted pacesetter My Boy Prince.

“I told Kendrick to break well the first 50 yards, and then you decide to either go for it or sit in second,” Clément said. “On paper those were the two most logical speeds. They were able to dictate the pace and control it from the front end. It made the closers virtually impossible to come back." 

Ortiz and My Boy Prince maintained their advantage after going a half-mile in 47.56 seconds and six furlongs in 1:10.77 with Carmouche giving Deterministic his cue leaving the final turn. Deterministic swung wide at the head of the lane and was set down for a drive, reeling in a stubborn My Boy Prince approaching the eighth pole and going on to win with a time of 1:33.87. Sent off at 9-2, Deterministic returned $11.20 on a $2 win bet.

“My horse broke very good like always,” Carmouche said. “I saw José Ortiz ride his horse out of there pretty good, and once I looked around and I saw nobody that was within a length-and-a-half behind me in the first quarter of a mile, I pressed the e-brake. Just let him settle. I thought when I turned on the backside, he had a horse run up on the backside of him about a length-and-a-quarter, and man, you can feel him. He (was) wanting to go, and I, oh, I’m OK. I can feel him.

“I thought they went a pretty slow pace for these types of horses. Once I got to the turn, I let (My Boy Prince) switch leads, and I just figured I should bring the race to him, because my horse runs good around the turns. He loves to hold horses off, because he loves to feel it whenever they’re coming, so with that being said, I thought I’d done the right thing out there to make us a successful (team) today.”

Intellect, coming off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Kelso going one mile July 5 at Saratoga, closed stoutly to get second by three-quarters of a length over Win for the Money, who edged My Boy Prince by a nose for third. It was another head back to Think Big in fifth followed by Cugino, Lagynos, Spirit of St Louis, Johannes and Neat, who was pulled up after the finish and provided a precautionary ride back to the barn area in the equine ambulance.

Grade 1 winner Johannes, the West Coast-based 9-5 favorite making his Saratoga debut, broke inwardly and bumped with My Boy Prince out of the gate. He then was rank and in tight quarters heading into the first turn, and he never got into contention.

Bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms, Deterministic is owned by St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable. He notched his sixth graded-stakes victory and extended a streak that began with a track record-setting triumph in the Fort Marcy (G2) in May at Belmont at the Big A.

A graded-stakes winner on turf and dirt, the $625,000 purchase at the September 2022 Keeneland yearling sale won the Gotham (G3) as a sophomore before finding his best stride on turf in the latter half of his 3-year-old campaign. He has been third or better in 11 of 13 starts and banked $412,500 in victory to push his career bankroll to $1,988,515.

Ahead of a possible Breeders’ Cup start, Clément said Deterministic could run either in the Woodbine Mile (G1) on Sept. 13 or the Turf Mile (G1) on Oct. 4 at Keeneland.

Kilwin overcomes poor start to win Test

After dropping to her knees at the start, Kilwin rallied from well off the pace to overtake fellow closer Ragtime and capture the 100th running of the $500,000 Test (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Owned by BBN Racing, trained by Rusty Arnold and patiently handled by José Ortiz after the stumbling break, the Twirling Candy bay entered from an impressive stalking score in the seven-furlong Leslie’s Lady making her dirt debut on June 8 at Churchill Downs. The versatile filly had made five previous starts on turf, taking the Untapable in September at Kentucky Downs along with a closing second to streaking Shisopicy in the Mamzelle (G3) in May at Churchill Downs.

Arnold, who was also represented by 3-2 race favorite Echo Sound, said he thought his chances were halved at the break.

“I thought (Kilwin) was out of the race when she stumbled at the gate,” Arnold said. “Even José said, ‘I kind of picked her up, and she was running well enough. Maybe I can get her Grade 1 placed and get third, because she stumbled so badly.’ It wasn't like the way you drew it up, but it went well. ... José didn’t give up on her, and he kept riding.”

Kilwin spotted the field seven lengths racing last in the field of eight. Me and Molly McGee won a pace battle to mark the opening quarter-mile in 22.52 seconds over the fast main track with Echo Sound tracking along with Artisma, Look Forward and Cash Call.

Me and Molly McGee took the field into the turn with Echo Sound looming large and Beauty Reigns making an outside rally to join the stalking pack with the half-mile elapsing in 46.12 seconds.

Luis Sáez-piloted Echo Sound, a last-out winner of the local Victory Ride (G3), cut the corner but quickly was joined by Beauty Reigns outside game Artisma. Ground-saving Ragtime was tipped out by Júnior Alvarado and found her best stride in the middle of the track. Kilwin followed Ragtime’s quickening strides, and the two foes quickly overtook the frontrunners. They battled gamely to the wire before Kilwin asserted on the far outside to win by a neck with a final time of 1:23.10.

Ortiz said he was tracking the movement of Alvarado and lightly raced yet undefeated Ragtime.

“She was moving very well, and I thought I had a shot turning for home,” Ortiz said. “Honestly I was following the right horse, and I knew Júnior was traveling really nicely. I cut the corner, and I was following him, then I came out, and she gave me that extra kick that I needed inside the eighth pole.” 

It was 3 3/4 lengths back to Beauty Reigns in third with Look Forward, Cash Call, Echo Sound, Artisma and Me and Molly McGee rounding out the order of finish. Me and Molly McGee was pulled up after the wire and transported from the course via equine ambulance to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital to be treated for a cut to her left-hind leg.

Arnold said Kilwin will return to turf next out in the $2 million Music City (G2), a 6 1/2-furlong sprint Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs.

Bred in Kentucky by Gilder-Schwarz Farms, Kilwin banked $275,000 in victory while improving her record to 7: 4-1-0. She returned $14.40 for a $2 win bet.

Kilwin is a half-sister to Grade 2-winning millionaire One Timer and Grade 1-placed Just Basking out of Blame mare Spanish Star, a half-sister to 2019 Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston. Her second dam is Grade 1-placed La Gran Bailadora.

World Beater upsets Saratoga Derby

Aptly named World Beater defeated a talented group of eight rivals that included three European contenders to provide trainer Riley Mott with his first graded-stakes score with an 11-1 upset in the $750,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1), a 1 3/16-mile turf test for 3-year-olds.

Campaigned by Pin Oak Stud, the son of Oscar Performance improved from a last-out second to returning rival Test Score in the local Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) on July 4 and adds to listed-stakes success at Churchill Downs in the Audubon in May.

The milestone victory for Mott came three years after he began his training operation after spending his formative years working alongside and learning from his father, Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who saddled seventh-place finisher Capitol Hill.

“He just said congrats and well done,” Mott said. “I grew up here. This is my childhood at Saratoga. This is my playground. The amount of times we’ve walked down here to the winner’s circle together, my dad and I, I couldn’t count them all, so this was really special to have him and my extended family here.”

The Saratoga Derby was a win-and-you’re-in qualifier for the US$3.88 million Cox Plate (G1) on Oct. 25 at Moonee Valley in suburban Melbourne, Australia.

“That is a long ways away, but we’d never say never I guess,” Mott said.

The victory was engineered by Júnior Alvarado, who took over when Jaime Torres’s flight from Atlanta was delayed by bad weather. Alvarado, whose banner year includes wins for Bill Mott with Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, said it was bittersweet to pick up the mount.

“You don’t want to do it that way, but I’m glad I picked it up,” Alvarado said. “The Mott connection, I had to do it. But I do feel terrible for Jaime. There wasn’t nothing he could actually do. Things just happen, and I do feel terrible for him. ... I have been looking for (Riley Mott) to get his first Grade 1, because it’s Bill’s son. I have been working with him for years, so like I said, it was meant to be I guess.”

Alvarado guided World Beater from outermost post 9 to settle in mid-pack. With few rivals eager to take command under the wire for the first time, it was the awkward-starting Juwelier who rocketed along the rail to take charge and mark an opening quarter-mile in 23.92 seconds over the firm footing.

Umberto Rispoli-piloted Juwelier opened up on Tiberius Thunder with Test Score and World Beater patiently awaiting their cues up the backstretch as the half-mile elapsed in 47.67 seconds. Tiberius Thunder inched closer approaching the second turn with Capitol Hill and Test Score following close behind as a Juwelier marked three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.03.

Tiberius Thunder was all out under Frankie Dettori at the head of the lane. World Beater was angled off the rail and in between foes to set his sights on Juwelier, who still held a considerable lead with Test Score looming large down the center of the course and Capitol Hill trying to improve position on the inside.

The mile elapsed in 1:34.95, and World Beater found his best stride, getting the jump on Test Score and pouncing on the stubborn pacesetter inside the final eighth to power away to the half-length score with a final time of 1:52.82.

Juwelier dug in and bravely and clung to place honors by a head over Test Score with rallying favorite Hotazhell completing the superfecta. Final Gambit, New Century, Capitol Hill, Tiberius Thunder and Tiztastic completed the order of finish.

Bred in Kentucky by Dr. John Chandler, World Beater was a $105,000 purchase at the September 2023 Keeneland yearling sale and is out of winning Blame mare Dabinett. He banked $412,500 in victory while returning $24.40 on a $2 win bet.

Ewing sprints to win Saratoga Special

Ewing earned his first stakes score when overcoming a slow start in the $200,000 Saratoga Special (G2), a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds at Saratoga.

Trained by Mark Casse for D.J. Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and Kenneth Freirich, the son of Knicks Go doubled up on Spa victories after dazzling with a 12-length romp on debut on July 5 in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden tilt, an effort that earned him an 88 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.

Ridden to victory by Jose Ortiz, who was aboard for the gray’s maiden coup, Ewing broke last in the field of four as the sharp starting mutuel favorite Obliteration rocketed to the front from the outside post under Flavien Prat, but Ortiz took advantage of his inside post to let his charge rush up the rail and arrest command through an opening quarter-mile in 22.26 seconds over the fast footing.

“(Prat) rode his plan. Probably his plan was to have me inside of him in plain sight every step of the way,” Ortiz said. “I felt like I broke a step slow and my horse took the lead by himself so I was happy with that. From the three-eighths pole to the wire I knew it was a match race, so I let my horse go, I didn’t wait for him.”

Prat kept last-out Sanford (G3) winner Obliteration within one length of Ewing up the backstretch, and coaxed the son of Violence in the turn to match strides with the pacesetter and threaten as the half-mile elapsed in 45.41 seconds.

Ewing and Obliteration were wide exiting the turn, but Ewing again put daylight between him and Obliteration and had something in reserve for the final eighth, fending off his game rival to win by one length in a final time of 1:18.03.

Obliteration was 12 lengths ahead of Camigol in third with Thunder Chuck completing the order of finish. Comport, who is targeting the Ellis Park Juvenile, and Dazzle d’Oro, who was injured during training earlier this week and was subsequently humanely euthanized, were scratched.

Terry Finley, founder and president of West Point Thoroughbreds, said it is always special to win a stakes race at Saratoga.

“This is where you want to win,” Finley said. “I would’ve wished that the race was a little bit later, so the crowd was bigger, but we love Saratoga and appreciate all the hard work that the staff does. I mean that sincerely. They toil day after day to put on the show. We obviously run our horses, but it is a big team effort. This is the greatest business in the world and we’ve got to keep working to make it better and better.”

Casse added he is inclined to target the one-mile Iroquois (G3) in September at Churchill Downs with Ewing and send out West Point Thoroughbreds' impressive maiden-winner Curtain Call in the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) on Sept. 1 at the Spa.

Bred in Kentucky by John Gardiner, Ewing is out of the Indian Charlie mare Sassy Ali Joy, who also produced stakes-placed Tuscan Queen. He banked $110,000 in victory while returning $5.40 on a $2 win wager.