SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Like mother, like daughter.
Seven years after Marley’s Freedom won the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga, her first foal, Hope Road, did the same on Saturday, rallying past Scylla in the final furlong to win the $500,000 Ballerina by two lengths. Scylla, who surprisingly set the pace under Flavien Prat, finished second by four lengths over Majestic Oops.
It was 7 1/4 lengths back to Brightwork in fourth. She was followed in the order of finish by Halina’s Forte and Claret Beret. My Mane Squeeze was eased before the finish line. Mystic Lake, who won Friday night’s Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town, and Zeitlos, who will point to a turf stakes at Kentucky Downs, were scratched.
The win was the fifth from 12 starts for Hope Road and first in a Grade 1. Hope Road is a daughter of Quality Road who is owned and bred by Barbara and Ron Perry’s Cicero Farms, which also owned Marley’s Freedom.
“It’s amazing that I won it with her mother and then she wins it,” said Bob Baffert, who trained both Hope Road and Marley’s Freedom and who won his third Ballerina. “It’s nice. She deserved a Grade 1, she’s getting better with age and the owners, I’m so happy for them, they’ve been in the business for a long time and to get a good one like that and then to get a Grade 1 in Saratoga is huge.”
Hope Road, ridden by Jose Ortiz for the first time, was a little reluctant to load. Once she did, Hope Road broke well and was third, sitting outside of Claret Beret, both chasing Scylla, who, under Flavien Prat, ran an opening quarter in 22.31 seconds and a half-mile in 44.56.
Bill Mott, the trainer of Scylla, said it wasn’t necessarily the plan for his mare to be on the lead.
“She was there, she outbroke everybody, and [Prat] said ‘I’m not going to drag her back,“ Mott said. “If you’re there and she’s doing it easy, what are you going to do? You don’t want to drag her back for no reason.”
Hope Road (100 Beyer Speed Figure) confronted Scylla turning for home, took control at the eighth pole and edged clear for the victory. Hope Road covered the seven furlongs in 1:21.93 and returned $6.10 as the favorite.
Ortiz said when he saw Scylla on the lead “I knew she was on her ‘A’ game. Usually, when a horse breaks like that they’re coming to run. I went by [Scylla] turning for home, but to open up was hard. [Prat] kept coming. I never put him away.”
Hope Road covered the seven furlongs in 1:21.93 - .50 seconds faster than Book’em Danno did winning the Grade 1 Forego 36 minutes later.
The victory earns Hope Road a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, which will be held Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Baffert said Hope Road would return to his stable at Del Mar before moving to Santa Anita for the fall meet. Baffert said he’s not sure if he would run Hope Road again before the Breeders’ Cup or not. Santa Anita hosts the Grade 3, $100,000 Chillingworth on Oct. 4.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.