Swoop wins tragedy-marred Ogden Phipps
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » It had been a long dry spell for Swoop — both on the flat and over jumps — going into Thursday’s $75,000 Mrs. Ogden Phipps Stakes. The seven-year-old mare had come close with a second in the I. A. Coggins Memorial last May at Fair Hill, but the last time she was permitted in the winner’s circle was following an allowance race on the flat on Sept. 20, 2015.
Dismissed at 10-1 in the field of eight, Swoop settled at the back of the pack for the first mile-and-a-half of the Phipps. Turned loose by jockey Bernard Dalton on the fourth and final turn, the Mimi Voss homebred proceeded to circle the field, holding off Wigwam Baby late in the stretch of a tragedy-marred running of the 2 1/16-mile race. The final time was 3:53.36.
The margin of victory was a length, with Sarah Joyce fading to third, four lengths behind runner-up Wigwam Baby. Lady Yeats, For Goodness Sake and Amazing Anthem were the other three finishers. Early leader Amnicalola left the course at the sixth jump trying to avoid the fallen Fall Colors. The latter was fatally injured in a spill during which she was struck by several trailing horses.
The Mrs. Ogden Phipps was the first win over fences for Swoop, who is trained by Elizabeth Voss. The Maryland-bred’s overall record stands at 4-2-1 in 24 starts, 21 of them in flat races. Her career bankroll increased to $129,469.
Tarawa gets her revenge
Tarawa had been training decently before her career debut in a maiden special weight at Belmont on June 17. At 45-1, however, the two-year-old daughter of Field Commission (himself a son of the Deputy Minister stallion Service Stripe) drew little support at the windows. After a troubled start, Tarawa finished last of nine in the sixfurlong heat, beaten by 24¼ lengths.
Lowering their sights, the connections of the Edward Seltzer homebred ran their filly back in Thursday’s $50,000 maiden claimer at Saratoga. Sent off at 151, Tarawa quickly shook off early leader Mad Dog Matter, accelerated on the turn and then ran away from the field in the stretch to win by six widening lengths. Time of the race, with Dylan Davis in the irons, was 1:04.61. David Duggan trains.
Tarawa paid $32.20 as the eighth choice in the wagering. She was not claimed.