Daddy is a Legend rides rail to victory in Lake George
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » After a solid 2-year-old season in which she had finished in the exacta in three of four outings, Daddy is a Legend got off to a relatively slow start in 2018, failing to finish in the top two in three stakes despite running well in all three.
In Saturday’s $150,000 Lake George Stakes (G3), the Scat Daddy filly, the 3-2 favorite, put all the pieces together, rallying up the rail through the stretch under a well-designed ride by Manny Franco to nail late leader Altea by two lengths.
After racing in mid-pack early, Franco was able to cut the corner when Good things take time–who had taken over from pacesetting Punked – swung wide coming off the
far turn, allowing Daddy is a Legend to motor up the rail and get the jump on Altea after the latter appeared to be home free.
“More pace developed that I thought there was going to be, which sometimes happens,” said winning trainer George Weaver. “She was in a good spot, she got some cover and wasn’t too far off the pace. And she was ready to pounce whenever [Manny] wanted her to.”
The time for 1 1/16 miles was 1 minute, 40.42 seconds over firm going. Good things take time held third and was followed by Andina Del Sur, Heavenly Love, Going Out and Punked. MTO entrant Nootka Sound was scratched.
In her three previous starts this year, Daddy is a Legend, who races for Jim and Susan Hill, looked as though she might have moved too early.
“The main thing George told me to do was wait,” said Franco. “He didn’t want me to leave too early, so I was trying to follow somebody that was going to keep going, and that’s what I did. I waited as long as I could, and the inside opened so I just sent my filly, and she was there for me.”
The Lake George win improves Daddy is a Legend’s record to 3-1-1 from eight starts, with earnings of $228,400. Her other graded victory came in the Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3) last fall at Del Mar.
“She’s run well every start this year,” said Weaver. “This is a very, very tough division. This was the easiest race she’s been in all year. She’s hooked [Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner] Rushing Fall. The fillies that ran in the Wonder Again [on June 7] were all very good fillies. It’s just a really, really deep division, and she’s one of the better ones in it.”