The Adirondack (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SAR- For Fillies Two Years Old
Six And A Half Furlongs on the Dirt
August 13, 2016

As storm clouds moved across the Saratoga area on Saturday, none of them brought any virtual rain along with them, and we were able to run all races at fast/firm.    That wasn’t the case last year, as both the Adirondack and the Schuylerville were run on muddy tracks.  Last year in the Adirondack, D J C Racing Stables brought a good looking filly named Lea to the race.  She would finish third in the race, and do some good things for her trainer until she was sold about three weeks ago to Mb Stables.  Last week, Lea was on this very track, and won her debut for Mb in the Grade 1 Test.  After the race, D J C Racing Stables was graceful to the new trainer but also seemed a little frustrated to see her move on like this.  Now, he’s got another talented one on his hands with Threat, who’s name alone will make for a lot of easy headlines in the SRF if she goes on to have as good of a career as it seems like she may have now.   D J C Racing Stables wins the race for the first time, and it is also the first such victory for jockey P Lopez.  The winning time of 1:15.59 is indeed stunning, and you can book that as a new stake record.    These are still young horses, but Threat really made an emphatic statement today.  Congratulations!

1st- 3- Threat (10/1)- Our eventual race winner from D J C Racing Stables got off to a steady start, initially running in the middle of the field before ending up part of a four wide group that was about five lengths off the lead.  Part of this group also featured the runner up, Blackberry, who was just to her inside.  She was steady early in the turn, but midway through, P Lopez looked to position her for her run, and asked her to come on strong just before reaching this long stretch at SAR.   Threat would explode at this point, and within a blink of an eye, she was running alongside Bronzed Bombshell and Taken Down to take the second spot away, and Taken Down was also running well at this point.  Blackberry was following this move, but as long Threat stayed with it, that’s all Blackberry would do to her.  It took an all out drive for her to get to the front, but at the same time she made it look easily, and won in an impressive fashion.  The time again was a stake record 1:15.59.  Threat is a well bred filly by Charlemagne and out of El Gran is Falling (El Gran Senor).  She was bred in New York by D J C Racing Stables as a yearling, and they have been together throughout! Congratulations to all connections!

2nd- 5- Blackberry (6/1)- Today’s runner up from Our Athletes got off to an average start, and would assume a position near the back of the field, but kept good company and she raced directly to the inside of Threat.  While Threat made her power move at the top of the stretch, Blackberry did well to play follow the leader and found a hole to the outside of the also strong running Taken Down.  Did well to keep with it in Threat’s shadow, and this was enough for her to get up just in time to nab second.

3rd- 4- Taken Down (12/1)- She wasn’t as quick as Rollergirl or Bronzed Bombshell out of the gate, but the previously undefeated Joseph Racing filly started well herself and was in a good spot moving into the turn; running third.  Pushed forward with authority while rounding the turn and would pull even with Bronzed Bombshell for 2nd at the top of the stretch.

4th- 9- Bronzed Bombshell (14/1)- Broke well out of the gate for Pumpkin Racing, running alongside Rollergirl for a little while until allowing her to cross over in front of her and settling in right behind her.  Continued to race in this position around the turn, but may not have reacted quick enough to the advancement of those coming from behind her.

5th- 10- Rollergirl (3/2)- The post time favorite from Jerry Garcia Racing broke sharply out of the gate, and jumped out to the early lead.   At 1/4 mile, she set the time in :22.38 and had a length advantage on Bronzed Bombshell while moving into the turn, and was able to get the rail.  The half would go in a blistering :45.13 as she would continue to lead by 1-2 lengths around the turn. She didn’t necessarily run poorly in the stretch, but she simply did not have the energy to answer the call of those coming from behind her.

6th- 6- Killer Angels (20/1)- Our longest shot on the board from TwinTowersRacing started at the back of the pack, and was along the rail with Panthers and Fake Chow early on.  Maintained this position around the turn, and looked to find a lane for the stretch, but it really didn’t come in time for her.  Her push also seemed to stabilize mid-stretch.

7th- 7- Prime Design (7/1)- The Mb Stables entry started near the back of the field, and found herself four wide as they moved into the turn.  Ran quite gamely while in this lane around the turn, and really seemed poised to make a good move when in the stretch.  Seemed to be advancing momentarily, but in the final half furlong, she could not keep it going, and settles doe this position.

8th- 2- Panthers (8/1)- The filly from Running Farms got off to a sluggish start, and found herself part of the back threesome as they moved into the turn.  Never really much of a move while in the turn, and would get closer in the stretch, but at no point can we say she made a concerted push to the front.

9th- 8- Fake Chow (16/1)– The race turned into a disappointment for M.b.o. Racing Stable as neither entry was able to make their presence felt.  For Fake Chow, she would start at the back of the pack, and would never make a move forward.  She was at her best late, but so were most of the others who had been ahead of her.

10th- 1- Squish (11/1)- Got off to an average start for M.b.o. Racing Stable while remaining on the rail, 4th and about 4 ½ lengths from the leader as they moved into the turn.  She would simply come up empty in the stretch.

Track: Fast
Time: :22¹  :45   1:09²  1:15²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 5 Paid 111.30
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 5 – 4 Paid 456.70

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES