Evaluator looks for win in crowded stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS. N.Y. » With a professional debut under his belt, Evaluator moves into stakes company on Wednesday at Saratoga Race Course.
He is one of eleven entrants in what looks like a very competitive edition of the With Anticipation Stakes.
The Grade 3 With Anticipation, worth $150,000, is for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Evaluator came from last place, some 12 lengths off the pace after a poor start, to win at this distance by four lengths on Aug. 9 at the Spa.
“It was visually a very impressive performance and we were expecting him to run well,” said trainer Michael Dilger. “Obviously, when he didn’t break that sharply we were a little concerned, but he finished up very well.”
Owned by R and H Stable and ridden by Joel Rosario, who returns for the With Anticipation, Evaluator is a first-crop son of Arkansas Derby winner Overanalyze.
“I gave him one breeze on the turf before he ran in his maiden, and that sort of swayed us,” noted Dilger. “He loves his training and has a great demeanor. He loves to train and is a very gentle horse.”
Three others in this field have won at the distance on the Saratoga grass.
Untamed Domain broke his maiden on July 22, prevailing by a length and a half after traffic problems on the stretch turn.
Trumpi led all the way on Aug. 5 for trainer Bill Mott to score by a half-length over Seabhac, who is in the Johnson as a maiden off that lone start.
Mott has also entered Irish Territory, who could not get untracked in the same race as Trumpi and finished seventh.
He has subsequently worked very sharply, posting a “bullet” half mile in 47 1/5 seconds on Aug. 25 on the main track, the best of 52 such works that morning.
The third winner at the distance is Machtree, who won by a half-length on Aug. 12 while racing forwardly throughout.
Although he may be a longshot, Fort Wise Treaty comes off a nice debut victory at Ellis Park going one mile on July 4, showing plenty of courage to prevail in the final yards.
Completing the P.G. Johnson field are Morrison, Nauti Boy, Catholic Boy, and Earth.
Earth was a sharp debut winner at Gulfstream Park on June 11, but subsequently tired to third in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park on Aug. 6 as the oddson favorite.