Regression, bounce, call it what you will.
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So perhaps it’s no coincidence that Saturday’s Grade I Whitney at Saratoga Race Course, which divvies portions of the $1.25 million purse all the way down to eighth place, only drew six entries. Also, I’m happy that Joel [Rosario] rides him.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners is represented by 4-year-old Comfort, who returned from a freshening to win the July 4 State Dinner Stakes going 1-1/16 miles at Belmont Park for trainer Todd Pletcher.
So, was it a bounce?
“It wasn’t the plan to take the lead”, said winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “But he bounced right into the winner’s circle”. McLaughlin also held out the possibility that he might train up to the $6 million Classic at Santa Anita on November 5. Upstart was another half-length back in third. Effinex, Noble Bird and El Kabeir rounded out the order of finish.
Frosted now stands in joint second in the world rankings alongside his Dubai World Cup conqueror California Chrome and Australian star Winx, and runs Saturday night’s Grade 1 over 1,800 metres and two turns as the overwhelming favourite. “I was cruising the whole way, felt very relaxed and I just saved something for the end”.
A loud roar from the crowd was heard as the last of the six horses entered the gate for this 2016 Whitney, and when those gates sprung open, it was Frosted, from post position four, who immediately made his presence known by going straight for the lead under jockey Joel Rosario. “I got out of there, there was a little bit of speed and he was not too far behind”. With Noble Bird applying pressure, Frosted blasted through a half-mile in 46.23 and 6 furlongs in 1:09.65. Comfort was fifth at that point.
That hot August day, McLaughlin was anxious that Frosted, who under Jose Lezcano was pressing the pace of Triple Crown victor American Pharoah, couldn’t keep it up for 1 1-4 miles. Sometimes he’s a little hard and you have to let him do what he wants to do, but when I turned for home I knew he had something left because I know the way he likes to run. The same can not be said for the manner in which it was accomplished, as he was sent to the lead turning up the backstretch and set a searching pace beneath Joel Rosario and never looked like losing.
“That’s what we were looking for, and he really put on a show that day”.
With champion Songbird having things to herself in the 3-year-old filly ranks, Saturday’s Grade I Test Stakes offers up the chance for one sophomore distaffer to try and carve out a niche for themselves in the female sprint division that has largely been without a clear leader for the better part of two seasons now. A year ago at Saratoga, Frosted came off a runner-up finish to Triple Crown victor American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes to run second in the Jim Dandy Stakes and third in the Travers Stakes before winning the Pennsylvania Derby.
Wherever McLaughlin and the Godolphin brass decide to send him, Frosted will carry with him a record of seven wins from 17 starts with $3.77 million in purse earnings. “He’s versatile from a mile to a mile and a half, and we’re just happy and fortunate to have him in the barn”.
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“Invasor was the best, I’ll always say, but he’s creeping up”, McLaughlin said. “Now, he just has to win the Classic and the World Cup and he’d be there with him or pass him”.
