Spa wrapup: Randomized wins Phipps to highlight early stakes

A matchup featuring the top dirt filly-and-mare-division contenders did not disappoint on Saturday when Randomized went to the lead and did not relinquish the advantage despite heavy pressure from 3-5 favorite Idiomatic’s outside charge, holding on for a victory by a head in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Saratoga.

The 56th running of the Ogden Phipps for fillies and mares, 4 years old and up going 1 1/8 miles, offered a win-and-you’re-in berth to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar.

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Randomized capped her 3-year-old season with a second-place effort by a half-length to eventual champion older dirt female Idiomatic in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Santa Anita. She ran second in her 2024 bow in the Ruffian (G2) in May at Belmont at the Big A but extracted revenge on Idiomatic after jockey Joel Rosario sent her to the lead from the inside post.

The Nyquist filly led the accomplished six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.34 seconds and the half in 48.99 on the fast track. Out of the final turn, jockey Florent Géroux asked Idiomatic for more while racing five wide, setting up a thrilling stretch drive in which Randomized responded to Rosario’s encouragement and dug in, completing the course with a final time of 1:49.58 to win her third consecutive Saratoga start.

Godolphin’s Pretty Mischievous, the 2023 champion 3-year-old filly and winner of last year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1), got up for third. Raging Sea, Soul of an Angel and Tizzy in the Sky completed the order of finish.

Randomized, off at 6-1, returned $14.00 on a $2 win wager. The Chad Brown trainee continued to show an affinity for the Spa following wins in both starts during last year’s summer meet that started in the one-mile restricted Wilton before a four-length victory in the Alabama (G1). That preceded a win in the Beldame (G2) in October at Aqueduct before the Breeders’ Cup performance, one Randomized will look to replicate with another California trip potentially on the horizon.

“She's quick out of the gate. She maintained the speed, so that was good,” Rosario said. “I was begging for the wire because (Idiomatic) was coming. So I was sweating a little bit, but she got the job done.”

Owned by Klaravich Stables, Randomized improved to 9: 5-2-1, achieving millionaire status with career earnings now at $1,258,350. It also marked Brown’s first Ogden Phipps win.

“She looked like she was the horse she wanted to be, on the lead and at Saratoga, where she had her biggest win (the Alabama),” Brown said. “These two were going at it in the Breeders’ Cup last year, and we came out on the wrong side of that one. Idiomatic is a deserving champion. She’s an outstanding horse. I think we were very fortunate to save more ground than her. She was pitched three deep the whole way and still almost won the race. I’m taking nothing away from her. She ran an equally good race. We were able to just get our nose down. I’ve said the photos go both ways, so I keep that in mind when I lose them.”

Juddmonte’s Idiomatic, who followed her Breeders’ Cup Distaff win with a 3 3/4-length victory in the La Troienne (G1) in May at Churchill Downs to start her 5-year-old season, finished 4 1/2 lengths clear of Pretty Mischievous. The daughter of Hall of Famer Curlin once again put in a valiant effort against top-flight competition for trainer Brad Cox.

“She ran well and was the best horse,” Cox said. “She lost a tremendous amount of ground around the first turn and second turn. The winner didn’t really have any pace pressure. Excited about the rematch. Can’t wait.”

Pretty Mischievous, trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, continued an impressive run of never finishing out of the money, moving to 12: 7-2-3 and registering a second consecutive third-place finish to start 2024 following the La Troienne.

“I think she ran well enough,” Walsh said. “Tyler said she could have benefitted maybe from a little more pace. It looked like they weren’t going very fast, and I don’t think that really helped. She was down inside for a long time. But listen, we can’t make excuses. Hopefully, she comes out of it OK. We’ll adjust a few things, and we’ll come back to fight another day. She’s running in the best of company, and she is the best of company. We got a placing, which is good, and we’ll go on to the next one.”

Cogburn sets records in Jaipur triumph

The Saratoga turf saw its record for 5 1/2 furlongs fall to Cogburn in the $500,000 Jaipur (G1) as the fleet-footed son of Not This Time dominated the race for 3-year-olds and up that was a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint this fall at Del Mar.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Cogburn’s final time of 59.80 seconds, which according to Equibase is a North America record on turf, shattered the previous course record of 1:00.21 set by Carotari in 2019. It came in his second consecutive graded-stakes score after taking the Turf Sprint (G2) on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Clark Brewster, William Heiligbrodt and Corinne Heiligbrodt, the 5-year-old bay returned to the scene of his three-quarter-length score over subsequent Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint-winner Nobals in the Troy (G3) last summer.

Asmussen, who also trained exceptionally fast champions Echo Zulu, Jackie’s Warrior and Mitole, marveled at Cogburn’s ability.

“I’ve had some of the fastest horses in the world, some of the fastest horses of all time, and he’s still the first one I’ve ever had run 5 1/2 furlongs in under a minute,” Asmussen said. “Five-and-a-half furlongs in under a minute. That’s not five-eighths five. That’s five-and-a-half. That’s basically a sixteenth of a mile faster than a fast horse.”

The loaded group of 12 for the Jaipur saw Cogburn break sharply along with Coppola before Sosua Summer made a swift early bid to race in second to the outside of Cogburn through an opening quarter-mile in 21.33 seconds over the firm footing.

Exiting the turn, Sosua Summer attempted to come onto even terms with Cogburn under urging from Luis Sáez, but Cogburn almost immediately turned back the challenge and drew clear with a devastating turn of foot at the top of the stretch.

Coppola gave chase along the inside as the wide-running Arzak attempted to mount a bid down the center of the course and closed willingly under Jaime Torres through the half-mile in 43.07 seconds, but Cogburn was much the best as he put daylight between him and the field to cross the wire in hand, 3 1/2 lengths in front of Arzak, who got his head down in time between third-place Star of Mystery and fourth-place Coppola.

Mischief Magic, Dancing Buck, Filo Di Arianna, Thin White Duke, Alogon, Big Invasion, Sosua Summer and No Nay Mets completed the order of finish. Also-eligibles Grooms All Bizness, Outlaw Kid, American Monarch and Souper Quest were scratched.

Asmussen added Cogburn demonstrated improved gate skills Saturday.

“Today we obviously had extremely high expectations of him. He did have a tendency of getting a little bit left in the gate last year,” Asmussen said. “But today from the first jump, his head was in front, and it was all smooth from there. Smooth.” Ortiz, who notched his third win on the card, said Cogburn’s speed is something to behold.

“So fast. I can't believe it. He was a rocket ship (out of the gate),” Ortiz said. “After that I just sit on him and relax. When it was the time to go turning for home, I felt like he was loaded. I asked him to go, and he responded really well. I asked him, and he gave me what he go, all the way to the wire.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bellary Bloodstock, Cogburn is 4 for 5 since switching to turf last May, a record that includes additional stakes scores at Lone Star Park in the Chamberlain Bridge and Grand Prairie Turf Sprint. He banked $275,000 for his Jaipur score and improved his lifetime record to 14: 8-2-0 while returning $6.30 on a $2 win ticket.

Measured Time, Godolphin take Manhattan

Godolphin’s U.K. homebred Measured Time utilized a prominent trip under William Buick to best his Charlie Appleby-trained stablemate Nations Pride by two lengths in the Manhattan (G1), a 1 3/16-mile turf stakes for older horses.

The 4-year-old Frankel colt out of the Street Cry mare Minidress is a half-brother to multiple Group 1 and Grade 1 winner Rebel’s Romance, an earner of nearly $9 million across 13 wins, including the Champions and Chater Cup (G1) last month at Sha Tin for Appleby and Buick.

Rebel’s Romance is slated to make an appearance at the Spa this summer in the $750,000 Sword Dancer (G1), which offers a win-and-you’re-in berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Del Mar.

Measured Time made his stateside debut after a trio of starts this winter in Dubai, where he captured the Al Rashidiya (G2) in December and the Jebel Hatta (G1)in January. He arrived in New York from a close fourth March 30 in the Dubai Turf (G1) when he finished 1 1/4 lengths behind victorious Facteur Cheval.

“This was our most confident race of the meet this weekend,” Appleby said. “We’ve earmarked this for some time thinking that the American tracks would suit him. Obviously we saw what he did in Dubai. That kind of track, nice level tracks, suit him. He’s a big, striding horse. It’s a decision we made, and then it was let him get on with it today and try and make our own run rather than get him in a tangle. You try and organize a horse like him, and he finds it hard. He’s happy going on.

“We were confident stepping up to the 10 (furlongs) today. We feel he could stretch out to a mile-and-a-half. We’ll take the Breeders' Cup (Turf) into consideration.”

Strong Quality broke alertly from post 4 under Florent Géroux, but Measured Time was also quick to the front, leading the field into the first turn through an opening quarter-mile in 23.14 seconds over the firm footing.

Géroux re-established control briefly up the backstretch as Measured Time pressed the tempo from second position through a half-mile in 48.34 seconds. Multiple Grade 1 winner Program Trading stalked in third to the outside of Ohana Honor and in front of the tracking tandem of Nations Pride and Far Bridge.

Buick could wait no longer as the tightly bunched field advanced into the final turn, and Measured Time easily took control under little urging while Flavien Prat asked Program Trading for his best. Despite drifting out once straightened away, Measured Time never was threatened en route to an impressive victory with a final time of 1:51.94.

Nations Pride closed well to complete the exacta by a neck over the dead-heated pair of Ohana Honor and Far Bridge in third. Program Trading, Al Riffa, I’m Very Busy and Strong Quality completed the finish in that order.

Buick said he felt comfortable throughout.

“It was always the plan to go forward, sit forward. He’s a horse you never feel like you are going quick enough, so I was happy where I was,” Buick said. “He was a bit competitive early on, but I always felt he was in a nice rhythm, and he’s a real powerful galloper, as you saw there. He’s still got a bit to learn, like he ran out on the home bend, and it doesn’t feel like he’s a finished article just yet, but he sure has the raw talent.”

Measured Time banked $550,000 in victory while improving his record to 8: 6-1-0. He returned $8.20 for a $2 win bet.

Book’em Danno pounces in Woody Stephens

Book’em Danno sat off a scintillating pace before swooping to an impressive victory in the $500,000 Woody Stephens (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores.

Owned by Atlantic Six Racing, trained by Derek Ryan and expertly piloted from the inside post by Irad Ortiz Jr., the son of Bucchero entered from a more than three-month layoff following a heartbreaking, head loss to then-undefeated Forever Young in the Saudi Derby (G3) on Feb. 24.

Ryan recalled his multiple graded-stakes-winning filly Irish Jasper finishing fourth in the 2015 Test (G1) at Saratoga after exiting post 1 in a race won by Ortiz-piloted Cavorting.

“The 1 hole wasn’t great. I had a filly in the Test a few years ago. But I don't really have too many good horses like this, and she finished [fourth] because of the one-hole,” said Ryan, who secured his first Grade 1 win. “So I was hoping that Irad could work a good trip out. They were going pretty fast, but it’s Irad. You don’t have to worry when you’ve got Irad.”

Frost Free broke alertly from post 5 under José Ortiz, but Tyler Gaffalione-ridden Barksdale demanded the lead and rocketed to the fore to mark the opening quarter-mile in a swift 21.37 seconds over the fast main track. Book’em Danno had bobbled at the break but advanced along the rail to settle in sixth.

A freewheeling Barksdale led to the turn with Frost Free hanging on through a rapid 43.08-second half-mile, but when Irad Ortiz asked Book’em Danno to engage, he surged past the stalking duo of Imagination and Valentine Candy before vaulting outside the dueling pacesetters to arrest control of the race.

Book’em Danno stayed on strongly down the lane as the pacesetters retreated. Flavien Prat-piloted Prince of Monaco, who was bothered at the break after being bumped by stumbling Reasoned Analysis, emerged from the pack as a late threat. But there was no denying Book’em Danno, who staved off the late bid to score by a half-length with a final time of 1:21.30.

It was a farther 1 1/4 lengths back to the previously undefeated Hopeful (G1) winner Nutella Fella in third. Reasoned Analysis, Valentine Candy, Be You, Imagination, Maximus Meridius, Nash and tempo setters Barksdale and Frost Free rounded out finish in that order. Vlahos was scratched.

Irad Ortiz said Book’em Danno was relaxed behind the hot pace.

“When I started moving, he started finding really well on the turn,” he said. “He started responding really, really good on the turn, so that helped a lot. Turning for home I was still in a hold, then I asked him, and he gave me a good kick at the end.”

Ryan indicated Book’em Danno could return to the Spa for the seven-furlong, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) on Aug. 24.

“Seven furlongs is perfect for him. The Allen Jerkens would be the main goal for the rest of the summer,” Ryan said.

Book’em Danno won four of his first five starts, taking the Smoke Glacken in September at Monmouth Park and the off-the-turf Futurity in October at Belmont at the Big A. He was a close second in Aqueduct’s Nashua in November and subsequently romped by 12 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs before heading to Saudi Arabia.

Bred in New Jersey by Gregory Kilka and Bright View Farm, Book’em Danno banked $275,000 in victorywhile improving his record to 7: 5-2-0. He returned $7.70 for a $2 win bet.

Crupi emerges in thrilling Suburban

A thrilling stretch drive saw six horses across the racetrack at the top of the stretch in the $350,000 Suburban (G2), but it was Irad Ortiz Jr.-piloted Crupi who turned back all challengers to capture the 1 1/4-mile test for older horses.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, the 4-year-old Curlin chestnut posted his first graded-stakes victory with a well-timed ride by Ortiz aboard for the first time in the afternoon. The son of Curlin rebounded well from a distant off-the-board finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in March at Meydan in Dubai.

“I said he ran so bad in Dubai it didn’t take anything out of him. He shipped back really well,” Pletcher said. “We took our time with him. He probably could have been ready a little earlier, but we wanted to be conservative and wait for this. Since he got back from Dubai, we’ve been pointing for this. I’m glad it worked out.”

Crupi emerged from post 6 in the field of seven after the scratch of stablemate Charge It this morning. He brushed with post-time favorite Bendoog to his outside before settling in last early as Kuchar rushed up to take command past the wire for the first time through an opening quarter-mile in 23.70 seconds over the fast footing. Signator slipped down the rail in the first turn to take up third position behind the wide-running Good Skate.

Kuchar bounded through the half-mile in 47.85 seconds and three-quarters in 1:11.93 with positions unchanged. Bendoog made a swift move in the four path under José Lezcano to challenge for the lead entering the final turn. Good Skate quickly retreated and Masqueparade moved in tandem with Time for Trouble. A patient Ortiz nudged Crupi along to keep up with the early bids of his rivals but held his charge in reserve through the top of the stretch as they went widest of all to set up a dramatic six-wide stretch run.

Bendoog stuck his head in front of a stubborn Kuchar as they straightened for home before ducking inside at the eighth pole in hopes of warding off the late bids from Masqueparade and Crupi. Then Crupi unleashed a strong turn of foot and made up ground with every stride down the center of the course to sweep past his hard-trying rivals and claim the victory by a half-length at a final time of 2:02.71.

Bendoog held onto second by a neck over Masqueparade with Time for Trouble completing the superfecta another length back. Kuchar and Signator completed the order of finish.

Good Skate, who was out of contention before the final turn, was pulled up in the stretch and vanned off. According to the New York Racing Association’s veterinary department, Good Skate lost action and was provided a van ride back to the barn as a precaution. The horse did not present any obvious or apparent injury upon initial evaluation.

Pletcher, who won his third consecutive Suburban and fourth overall after winning with Keen Ice in 2017, Dynamic One in 2022 and Charge It in 2023, said Crupi showed courage to win after such a wide stretch run.

The victory marked the fourth Suburban for Ortiz.

Pletcher said future targets for Crupi at the Spa could include the 1 1/8-mile, $1 million Whitney (G1) on Aug. 3 and/or the 1 1/4-mile $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Sept. 1.

“I guess we’ve got the Jockey Club at a mile-and-a-quarter at the end of the meet. We’ll see what we do between now and then,” Pletcher said. “I suppose the Whitney is a possibility.”

Bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm, Crupi won a pair of listed stakes this winter at Aqueduct in the Discovery and Queens County ahead of a third-place effort in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in January at Gulfstream Park. He earned $192,500 for his Suburban victory and improved his lifetime record to 15: 5-2-4 while returning $7.10 on a $2 win ticket.

Ice Chocolat makes every call in Poker

Ice Chocolat set a solid tempo and turned back all comers with a stubborn, gate-to-wire score in the $350,000 Poker (G3), a one-mile, inner-turf test for older horses.

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse for owners Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch, the 6-year-old son of Goldikovic utilized new tactics to make the grade under an aggressive steer by José Ortiz. At 24-1, Ice Chocolat was the second longest shot on the board behind his 29-1 stablemate Lucky Score.

“He brought his A game today. It was great,” Casse said. “You have to give a lot of credit to José. I don’t give instructions. I told him to just play the break and see what happens. He said he broke running and from there, catch me if you can.

“This horse doesn’t run on the lead usually, but one thing about this horse is he does get himself in a little trouble so he’s actually a better horse than he looks. Today obviously making the lead, José won it in the first half-mile. And he had nothing to get in his way. He’s a pretty good horse.”

Ortiz hustled Ice Chocolat to the front from post 4 and set splits of 24.41 and 48.17 seconds over the firm turf, with Talk of the Nation stalking to his outside from second position and Mysterious Night saving ground in third under William Buick.

Irad Ortiz Jr. asked Talk of the Nation for his best approaching the final turn and advanced alongside the pacesetter, looming as the one to beat. But Ice Chocolat was not done yet, digging in gamely and kicking on from the top of the lane as Irad Ortiz implored Talk of the Nation to go on by. Mysterious Night kept on from his inside position down the lane, pinned in by Carl Spackler, and closed with purpose when shown to the outside late but could only manage to land second, one length back of the winner and a head in front of Talk of the Nation. Ice Chocolat covered the distance in 1:33.97.

Casa Creed was a further length back in fourth with Carl Spackler, Kubrick and Lucky Score rounding out the order of finish. Front Run the Fed was scratched.

José Ortiz, who won the New York (G1) on Friday, said he played the break.

“Mark usually doesn’t give instructions, so I see that he broke clean, so I help him into the turn and see what happens,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to be there but how he broke. I would intend to be there. If they clear me, then I take back, but they left me alone, and the horse took care of the rest.”

Ice Chocolat made a pair of starts last summer at the Spa, finishing fourth in the Kelso (G3) and third in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) with rallying efforts. He shortened up successfully traveling six furlongs in Grade 2 company at Woodbine when a close third in the Nearctic on turf and second, by a nose, in the Kennedy Road on Tapeta.

Casse said Ice Chocolat could return to the Spa for another shot at the $500,000 Fourstardave on Aug. 10, a race the Hall of Famer has won previously with World Approval in 2017 and Got Stormy in 2019 and 2021. The one-mile test for 3-year-olds and up offers a win-and-you’re-in berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Del Mar.

"I would think we’ll see him here back at Saratoga in a stakes race,” Casse said. “He likes it here. Nothing is in mind right now. We’ll look. Maybe long term the Fourstardave. We like that race.”

Baby Yoda kicks home a winner in True North

Baby Yoda didn’t need any extra assistance from the force to earn his first career stakes score, with his speed and closing kick providing sufficient assets to pull away a six-length winner in the $350,000 True North (G2) for 4-year-olds and up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.

Baby Yoda, owned by Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber and Jerold Zaro, previously posted two runner-up efforts and finished third against graded-stakes competition. The trainee of Hall of Famer Bill Mott finally broke through, exiting from the outermost post 7 sharply under Eric Cancel and tracking in second position to pacesetter Gun It, who led the seven-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 21.94 seconds and the half in 44.04 over the fast track. In the turn, Baby Yoda split Gun It and New York-bred Rotknee to take command, with three-quarters in 1:08.13.

Baby Yoda didn’t relent in the stretch, staying close to the rail and surging to the wire in a final time of 1:14.62, never being seriously challenged by 16-1 runner-up Ninetyprcentmaddie.

Gun Pilot, the 3-5 favorite, finished one length back of second and edged Rotknee by a head for third. Twenty Four Mamba, Gun It and Accretive completed the order of finish.

The 6-year-old Baby Yoda was elevated back to graded-stakes competition for the first time since 2022 and had competed against allowance company for his last six races. But the Prospective gelding notched his ninth overall win in 25 starts and improved his career earnings to $837,220. It marked his second start in the True North following a fourth-place effort in 2022 at Belmont Park.

“I just tried to sit a patient trip. I had a perfect post for that, and I just sat the perfect trip and it worked out well,” Cancel said. "I didn’t want him to get in his way. I wanted to keep him as smooth as possible, and that is how it went. He was very comfortable where he was, and when I asked him, he just responded.

“I had a lot of horse. I was just waiting. I didn’t want to move early, but at the same time, I knew that if they came up to him, he was going to respond, because he was very comfortable doing it.”

Baby Yoda, off at 9-1, paid $20.40 on a $2 win wager. He previously finished second in the 2022 Kelso Handicap (G2) at Belmont at the Big A and in the 2021 Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita. A fondness for Saratoga, where he has won 4 of 6 starts, helped him earn his second consecutive winner’s circle trip.

“He likes this racetrack,” Mott said. “He’s done his best running up here. I was a little surprised he was as close as he was. I thought there was maybe a little more speed in the race than that, but he broke well, and he put himself right there. He didn’t like the Gulfstream track (during the winter). He likes it here. He’s just like old men. They get better with time.”

Co-owner Adam Wachtel of Wachtel Stable said it is likely Baby Yoda will now target the six-furlong $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) on July 27 at the Spa.