Barry Lee looks for Special intro to Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRING, N.Y. » After an impressive debut win on July 14 at Laurel Park, Barry Lee looks like one of the main players in the historic Saratoga Special Stakes on Sunday at the Spa.
To be run for the 112th time, the $200,000 Special is a Grade 2 event at 6 ½ furlongs for 2-year-olds.
Owned by Sagamore Farm and Stanley Hough, Barry Lee is ridden by Jose L. Ortiz.
Breaking from the inside in a field of ten, Barry Lee won by 6 ½ lengths over nine rivals, turning back early pressure in the process.
“He trained really well into his first race and it was good to see he performed to the expectations we saw in the morning,” said trainer Horacio DePaz. “Drawing the one hole is not the best thing first time out, to be able to break and show what you can do. He came out of the race fine and is doing well up here.”
Among his eight opponents in the Special is the lone stakes winner, Diamond Oops from Gulfstream Park.
He comes off a victory in the $100,000 Kiss A Native Stakes on July 1, which followed his debut win at the same track on June 1.
Drawn outside is Copper Bullet, who has some seasoning with three races under his belt.
He won at second asking at Churchill Downs on May 25 and followed with a second in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 30 at the same oval.
Also from Churchill Downs is Hollywood Star, who rallied to win at 6 furlongs on June 28 in a large field despite brushing the gate and being bumped at the start.
He was favored at 3-to-2 in a field of 12 and showed plenty of courage to prevail.
Hollywood Star was purchased for $550,000 at the Keeneland September Sale last year.
Yet another Churchill Downs runner is Mo Didley, who scored a head victory on May 18 as the 2-to-5 choice at 4 ½ furlongs.
Although he is adding two furlongs, his strong pedigree suggests it will not be a problem, and he worked a sharp half-mile in 47 4/5 seconds at Saratoga on Aug. 4.
Mo Didley was purchased at the Saratoga Preferred New York-bred sale last year for $450,000.
Completing the Saratoga Special field are Bal Harbour, Crea’s Bklyn Law, Tempestad, and Vino.
Bal Harbour figures to improve off his fifth in the Sanford Stakes on opening weekend, while Vino was a big winner on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park on July 14, a race transferred from turf to the main track.
“He trained really well into his first race and it was good to see he performed to the expectations we saw in the morning. Drawing the one hole is not the best thing first time out, to be able to break and show what you can do. He came out of the race fine and is doing well up here.” — Horacio DePaz. Barry Lee’s trainer