LITERATA SHOWS WHAT SHE CAN DEW
Post-time favorite runs like it in stakes victory
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » With four of six starters pegged at between 9-5 and 7-2, and none of the six with much experience going nine furlongs, Monday’s $100,000 Saratoga Dew Stakes for statebred older fillies and mares looked to be tough to figure.
Morning-line favorite Literata ended up being the post-time choice, and the 6-year-old mare came through for her backers. After pressing pacesetter Flattermefabulous for the first five panels, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. decided it was time to move. Guiding Literata around the leader, the pair opened up a short lead and maintained it around the turn.
Literata was still on top straightening out, but her main challenge was yet to come from half-sisters Jcs American Dream and Jc’s Shooting Star, who posed threats on the rail and from the outside, respectively. Jcs American Dream looked like she might get by the leader, but Literata held on through a head-and-head duel over the final three-sixteenths, crossing the line a half-length in front.
Jc’s Shooting Star, who faded late, finished 2 ½ lengths behind her half-sister in third. Legally Bay, the longest shot on the board at 35-1, ran a good fourth. Super Allison and Flattermefabulous trailed. The running time over a “fast” main track was 1 minute, 52.16 seconds.
“We are just happy to be here, it worked out good for us,” said winning trainer Rudy Rodriguez. “All the credit has to go to (winning jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.). He kept the filly very close, and most of these horses don’t want to go (nine furlongs), so I think the key was to keep her close to the pace.
“We were close enough that when the other horses made their move, I think the extra furlong kind of got to them,” Rodriguez continued. “The second horse (Jcs American Dream) ran a really good race, but Irad maybe intimidated her a little bit, and everything worked out good for us today.”
With the victory, Irad Ortiz moved into a tie with brother Jose for the Saratoga jockey wins apiece.
“We just knew we were going to be close,” said the winning jock, who is very familiar with Literata, “so I sat there comfortable, and waited as long as I title with 32 could. When (Jcs American Dream) got through on the inside, I knew she’d fight a little bit, so I got close and kept going with her. I knew my filly doesn’t quit, so we were in good shape.”
The victory was the eighth in 33 starts for the daughter of Read the Footnotes, who races for Michael Dubb. Her lifetime earnings now total $475,898. Literata was bred in New York by Meadow View Thoroughbreds LLC.