David Cannizzo saddles first win of Saratoga meet
By Stan Hudy SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The sun shined on both trainer David Cannizzo and jockey Manny Franco Wednesday afternoon as the stars aligned for both men and put them in the winner’s circle.
Manny Franco already knew the way, delivering three straight mounts into the celebration circle Wednesday and his familiar filly, Avery Maeve, was the first win of the meet for trainer David Cannizzo.
“It was huge because we’ve had a rough go as of late, not due to the quality of animal or the way they’re running, just weather - off the turf, soft turf, with speed balls on the grass, it’s just been rough weatherwise has really hurt me,” David Cannizzo said. “We ran her a way we thought she could win and she ran the way she was supposed to, so it’s just good to get it behind me now.”
The brown mare followed the leaders from the outside and took the lead at the top of the stretch and once clear Avery Maeve was the clear and present winner, getting a hand ride by Franco and winning by six and 3/4 lengths, the first for Cannizzo.
After a hi-five to his jockey, Cannizzo saddled Heartbustingirl for Franco who was forced to follow 13-1 longshot winner Shesasuperfreak across the line XX lengths in front.
Now with a 1-2 finish under his belt, Cannizzo hopes clear skies can lead to more trips into the winner’s circle.
“It can get things rolling,” Cannizzo said. “We came in ready to go with a few live horses in live spots and like I said, the weather really beat us up and hopefully that’s behind us the next 15, 20 days it looks like good weather. Hopefully we can get some of these things back in.”
NOTE: Avery Maeve was claimed prior to the race by owner Michael Dubb by trainer Rudy Rodriquez. By Stan Hudy SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Grade 2 Wood Memorial winner Vino Rosso has been in good spirits since following his penultimate Travers breeze on Saturday, when he worked four furlongs in company with 3-year-old allowance winner Alberobello in 48 seconds over the main track, said trainer Todd Pletcher Sunday morning.
“He came out of it very well. He’s very happy with himself this morning, showing good energy,” he said. “We expected him to work well and he did. I liked the way he finished and galloped out. It seemed like he was moving well and we weren’t looking for too much more than that. With him, stamina is never an issue, it’s just about keeping him mentally in the game. We’re not as concerned about the stamina aspect of him as much as the focus part of it.”
The work was the first for Vino Rosso since finishing a late-running third in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 28. In that effort, the chestnut Curlin colt spotted his nearest rival five or six lengths Vino Rosso (outside), ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Todd Pletcher winning the 2018 Wood Memorial at Aquedcut on April 7. up the backstretch under urging from Hall of Famer John Velazquez and finally responded with a strong kick in the upper stretch to finish three-quarters of a length behind Tenfold and a head behind Flameaway.
“I thought he got enough conditioning out of [the Jim Dandy], but unfortunately, he put himself in a spot where he left himself too much to do, and that was frustrating,” Pletcher said. “But, hopefully, he’ll be a little more focused and I think the mile and a quarter will help as well. I think he’s shown in the Wood and some of his other races that when he delivers his ‘A’ performance, he’s capable.”
Owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, Vino Rosso won the Wood Memorial by three lengths in April following a pair of underwhelming results at Tampa Bay Downs, where he finished third in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis and a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. The Wood Memorial, Vino Rosso’s second start with blinkers, awarded the colt a spot in the Kentucky Derby, where he made up ground late to finish ninth. He came back five weeks later to finish fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont, 3 3/4 lengths behind Triple Crown winner Justify.
Pletcher said Vino Rosso will put in his final work for the Mid-Summer Derby on Friday or Saturday, depending on the weather. Velazquez will have the return call.
Vino Rosso’s workmate, Alberobello, is currently nominated to the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama at 1 ¼ miles on Saturday, but Pletcher said the lightly raced Bernardini filly is possible to wait for the Grade 1 Cotillon September 22 at Parx Racing. Alberobello hasn’t finished worse than second in four career starts, including a frontrunning, 5 3/4-length win in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at the Spa on July 26.
“I thought she handled the stretch out well last time and she’s been a filly that we’ve always had high hopes for. I’m just not positive that coming back off a kind of short rest in the Alabama is something that she’s quite ready for,” said Pletcher. “We’ll see how she trains over the next couple of days and decide.”