Call Paul is the speed of the speed in the G2 Saratoga Special
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » With the scratch of the relatively experienced Sir Truebadour (three starts), the field in Sunday’s $200,000 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) was down to five horses, all of them making their second career start.
Fourteen minutes to post, Stage Left (the longest shot on the board at 9-1) was also scratched, reducing the Special field to four.
Although the four starters ran similar races in their maiden wins, Call Paul’s superior Beyers helped him to be sent off as the 4-5 favorite. Making the front nearing the halfmile pole, the son of Friesan Fire extended his advantage on the turn, and then – after shaking off a bumping incident with Tight Ten in the upper stretch – gathered himself and continued on to complete a professional one-length victory.
“He’s a nice colt,” said winning trainer Jason Servis. “I’ve been breezing him behind horses and covering him up, and we were thinking if he got stuck down inside and we were laying second or third, not bad. He’s got a great mind.”
The bumping incident occurred shortly after the field turned for home. When Tight Ten cornered wide, he overcorrected and bounced several paths to port, initiating the contact with Call Paul. Ricardo Santana eventually got Tight Ten pointed in the right direction, but by then Call Paul was about to give him the slip. “He responded very well when I asked him,” said winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. “When [Stage Left] scratched, we had to change our plans a little and be
closer than we envisioned. Initially, we wanted to sit just off the speed, but when we broke we got out there
and got the lead. And when I asked him, he took off.”
Tight Ten finished 1 3/4 lengths clear of Spinoff for the place. Meade was nearly five length further back in fourth. Call Paul was clocked in 1:16.55 for 61/2 furlongs over a “fast”
main track.
The Pennsylvania-bred Call Paul, a $210k 2-yearold in-training purchased in May, races for Michael Dubb, David Simon, Bethlehem Stables and Bruce Irom.
“This horse acts like
he’ll run further,” said Servis, when asked about future plans for the Special winner. “I’ll probably leave him here, and we’re thinking maybe the [Grade 1 at Belmont on Oct. 6] Champagne.”