SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Obliteration and Ewing were dominant winners about an hour apart on the July 5 card at Saratoga, the former winning the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes by 10 1/2 lengths, the latter a maiden race by 12. Saturday, the two impressive juvenile males go head-to-head in the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt race and the first of five stakes to be run on Saturday’s blockbuster Whitney Day program.
The Saratoga Special drew six, but Dazzle d’Oro suffered a catastrophic injury during a workout on Monday, so the race will be run with five. Obliteration, a son of Violence owned by Leland Ackerley and trained by Steve Asmussen, broke on top in the Sanford, shrugged off some token pressure from Blinging It Back, and drew off to win impressively, his second consecutive victory by open lengths.
“Very straightforward, nice, fast horse,” said Asmussen, who has won the Special five times, most recently in 2020 with Jackie’s Warrior. “He stutter-stepped a little bit [in the Sanford], but obviously [we’re] very pleased with the results of both of his first two races. This is an opportunity to add to his résumé, a very good opportunity.”
Obliteration drew nicely in post 6, giving Flavien Prat an idea of what is happening inside of him.
Ewing dominated four rivals in his debut here on July 5, winning easily in front-running fashion. Trainer Mark Casse is more interested in teaching Ewing to come from off the pace in this spot than he is getting engaged in a pace battle with Obliteration.
“We’re not going to chase him,” Casse said. “If he beats us, he beats us. I have longer-term plans for this horse. I’m hoping he’s a Breeders’ Cup horse and I want him to learn to settle, so that’s going to be my instructions. Unless he breaks like a shot and the other horse doesn’t, we’re not going to chase. I don’t know if there’s anyone who can run with that horse early. There’s some speed, but I don’t know if it’s his speed.”
Jose Ortiz, who was named to ride Dazzle d’Oro, will instead ride Ewing. Casse had named Irad Oritz Jr. on Ewing, but after the loss of Dazzle d’Oro, his brother is back aboard.
According to Casse, Steve Rushing, the agent who represents both Ortiz brothers, called Casse and said, “Irad wants Jose to ride the horse. Irad said, ‘That’s his horse and he should get to ride him.’ ”
Trainer Eddie Kenneally has won the Sanford Stakes twice but has not won the Special. Saturday, he sends out Comport, a debut winner at Churchill on June 1 and the runner-up to Romeo in the Bashford Manor. Comport, a son of Collected, breaks from post 2 under Luis Saez.
Thunder Chuck, trained by Jorge Delgado, and Camigol, trained by Antonio Sano, were both front-running, second-out maiden winners at Monmouth Park and Gulfstream Park, respectively.
The Saratoga Special is carded as race 3 on a 13-race card that begins at 12:05 p.m.
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