Robert S. Evans’ homebred Drake’s Passage was arguably the star of the New York Showcase Day card June 9 at Saratoga Race Course. His win in the $200,000 Commentator Stakes was so good that he might be ready for bigger and better things.
The Commentator was one of six stakes races for horses foaled in New York on the Sunday card that wrapped up the first ever Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga.
With jockey Manny Franco onboard, 4-year-old Drake’s Passage went to the front and cut fractions of :24.45, :48.88, and 1:12.57 over the muddy, sealed dirt track. He led by 1 1/2 lengths after six furlongs, and under hand urging from Franco at the top of the lane, Drake’s Passage increased his advantage to four lengths as he hit the wire in a fleet 1:49.32 for 1 1/8 miles.
The win reminded trainer Christophe Clement of Drake’s Passage’s sire—Evans’ 2014 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tonalist , whom Clement also trained.
“It was very impressive, great trip. He was in form, comfortable. He’s a nice horse. I know he got beat in New York in the allowance races, but they were actually spectacular allowances races if you look at the numbers,” Clement said. “When he got to an easy lead, I thought he’d be very dangerous, because I know he stays a mile and an eighth, and he’s probably the closest horse I’ve ever trained by Tonalist, because he looks like Tonalist.
“I’m very grateful to Mr. Evans. It’s all about his breeding program.”
Trainer Christophe Clement after Drake’s Passage won the Commentator Stakes on New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course
Drake’s Passage is out of the the stakes winning Speightstown mare Raucous . He improved his career record to four wins from 10 starts, with earnings of $401,480.
Tonalist stands at Lane’s End in Versailles, Ky., for $10,000.
Video: Commentator S. (BT)
Doc Sullivan Wins Mike Lee
Tristar Farm’s Doc Sullivan dominated the $121,250 Mike Lee Stakes for 3-year-olds. Pressing the early pace from the outside, the Solomini colt took over with a half mile in :45.43 and drew away to win by four lengths. Final time for seven furlongs on the dirt was 1:22.61 for the Michael Miceli trainee.
Doc Sullivan improved his career record to four wins from seven starts. Never worse than third, he has earned $270,250.
Bred in New York by Seamus Coughlan, Doc Sullivan is the fourth blacktype stakes winner for second-crop sire Solomini, who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for $7,500.
Doc Sullivan wins the Mike Lee Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
VeNti Valentine Adds to stakes Total
New York Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Venti Valentine , a 5-year-old mare by Firing Line , won the $200,000 Critical Eye Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths.
Venti Valentine and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sat on the inside in third place, just off a pace duel until midway through the far turn, when Ortiz moved her outside. The Jorge Abreu trainee ran by the tiring pacesetters with ease and finished the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.51.
It was the fifth blacktype stakes win for Venti Valentine, who is also three-time graded stakes placed. She improved her career record to 7-5-5 from 21 starts, with earnings of $883,600.
Venti Valentine is out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Glory Gold . She was bred in New York by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable.
Venti Valentine draws off to win the Critical Eye Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Silver Skillet wires mount Vernon
The $125,000 Mount Vernon Stakes was moved from the turf to the dirt onto Saratoga’s one-mile Wilson Chute. Jockey Joel Rosario and his mount Silver Skillet took advantage of a clean start from the rail and rocketed to the lead as four of their five rivals to the outside bumped at the start.
The 4-year-old Liam’s Map filly would never be headed as she gradually increased her advantage to four lengths at the wire. Final time for the mile was 1:37.55.
Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing, and Steven Rocco, Silver Skillet was bred in New York by Robert Chasanoff. She has won 4 of 13 starts and earned $371,490.
Liam’s Map stands at Lane’s End for $40,000.
Lael Stables’ landed takes Bouwerie
Lael Stables’ Landed won a wicked pace duel and edged clear late to win the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 1 1/4 lengths.
Landed and rider John Velzquez pressed front-running Sunday Girl through a half mile in :44.83, hit the six-furlong mark in 1:10.44 and finished seven furlongs in 1:23.61 to post her first stakes victory for trainer Wesley Ward.
By second-crop sire Omaha Beach , Landed was a $500,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. She is a half sister to Venti Valentine, who won the Critical Eye Stakes earlier on the card.
Omaha Beach stands at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington for $40,000. Landed was his seventh blacktype stakes winner.
spirit of st louis unfazed by surface change
The $121,250 Kingston Stakes was taken off the turf and moved to the Wilson chute, leading the original field of 12 4-year-olds and up to scratch down to five runners. It mattered not to the Chad Brown trainee Spirit of St Louis , who stalked the pace from third place under Manny Franco, made a 4-wide move on the turn, and took over in the lane to win by 5 3/4 lengths.
Final time for one mile on the dirt was 1:37.44. The 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn improved his sparkling career record to seven wins and two seconds from nine starts, with earnings of $521,900.
Spirit of St Louis was bred by Chester and Mary Broman. Medaglia d’Oro stands for $75,000 at Darley in Lexington.
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