SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The 2-year-old filly Iron Orchard lived up to her expensive purchase price and short odds when she won a restricted maiden race by 5 1/2 lengths at Saratoga on July 3. On Friday, Iron Orchard will be heavily favored to make it 2 for 2 when she runs in another restricted race, the $150,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs at Saratoga. She is the 4-5-morning-line favorite in a field of six.
On July 3, Iron Orchard won a maiden race open to New York-breds who sold for any price or horses bred out of state who sold or failed to meet their reserve of $60,000 at their most recent auction. Iron Orchard, a New York-bred daughter of Authentic, sold for $500,000 at the OBS April sale of 2-year-olds.
Under Joel Rosario, she broke more quickly than the rest of the field in her debut, made an easy lead, and won at 3-5 while wrapped up at the wire. Iron Orchard was entered in the Adirondack on Aug. 3, but trainer Danny Gargan said he wasn’t really intending to run unless the favorite, Mythical, came out.
“I don’t think I did enough with her to warrant running back that fast in that kind of race,” Gargan said. “I sat down with the owners and they decided to try and win this stake. She’s training really good, she’s really fast. I think we’re in the right spot. It’s not a gimme. Have to break and see what happens. She’s going to be up on the engine.”
Shakti, a daughter of Unified, was hustled to the lead and won a New York-bred maiden race by five lengths here on July 19 for trainer Jena Antonucci. Victory Hall and Belloro, who were second and third, respectively, behind Shakti in that race, came back to run first and second in a New York-bred maiden race here last Saturday.
That Shakti showed speed when breaking from the rail in her debut doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll be in front on Friday.
“She doesn’t have to be up there,” Antonucci said. “She’s very agreeable to position, so she can sit off of it or go to the front.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher has the pair of Angel Gift and Grazie entered in the Seeking the Ante. Angel Gift, a daughter of Connect, won her debut by four lengths here on June 8. She came back in the Adirondack, bobbled at the break, and chased Mythical for a half-mile before backing up to finish last.
Grazie, a daughter of Modernist, showed speed winning her debut going six furlongs in the mud here on July 31, while Oriole Way and Dopamine both come out of low speed-figure wins at Monmouth and Parx, respectively.
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