Wicked Halo brightest
Filly helps owners extend streak with victory in Prioress
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Joan Winchell and her son, Ron, continued their Saratoga stakes winning streak with 3-year-old horses when their homebred Wicked Halo held on to win Friday’s feature, the $250,000, Grade II Prioress Stakes with 26,689 in attendance.
Earlier in the meeting, the Winchells’ Epicenter carried their maroon and white colors into the winner’s circle following the $1.25 million, Grade I Travers Stakes.
With Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle, Wicked Halo came out of the starting gate for the six-furlong Prioress in sixth place. She improved her position and entered the home stretch on fairly even terms with Union Lake, the eventual show horse, and Hot Peppers, the fourth-place finisher.
At the wire, the daughter of Gun Runner from Just Wicked was a neck to the good of Sterling Silver, the longest shot on the betting board at 37-1.
Wicked Halo’s time for the six furlongs on a fast main track was a snappy 1 minute, 10.16 seconds.
Wicked Halo paid $10.80, $5.60 and $3.70 across the board. Sterling Silver, paid $20.80 and $8.30 while Union Lake returned $3.90. A $1 exacta wager on the top two fillies paid $70.50.
After the race, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen reported Wicked Halo was forced to miss Saratoga’s Grade I Test Stakes on Aug. 6 “when she had a bit of a minor foot thing. But, it was easy to pass (the Test) knowing we had this on the calendar.”
Lucky Coin
Thin White Duke got to the finish line just in time to score the win in Friday’s co-feature, the $150,000 Lucky Coin Stakes. The 4-year-old New Yorkfoaled gelding bested six rivals in the 51⁄2-furlong sprint run on the Mellon Turf Course.
With Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez in the saddle, Thin White Duke came out of the starting gate in fourth place and stayed there through almost all of the race. Seeing almost no room to mount an effective run for the wire, Velazquez swung his charge out almost to the center of the course.
When the slow-motion replay of the final 100 yards of the race was shown on the infield boards, it revealed Thin White Duke made the lead three long strides from the red, white and blue poles that define the finish line.
Dancing Buck and jockey Manny Franco took second place, beaten by Thin White Duke by a nose. Fauci and Junior Alvarado were third, three-quarters of a length astern of Dancing Buck.
The final time on a firm turf course was 1:03.43.
Thin White Duke, who is owned by retired thoroughbred trainer Phil Gleaves (who bred him), Steven Crist of the Daily Racing Form, Ken deregt and Bryan Hilliard, paid $10.40, $5.30 and $3.70. Dancing Buck returned $5.50 and $3.90. Fauci paid $5.20 to show.
Thin White Duke and Dancing Buck coupled for a $28.75 exacta.
Rosario, Pletcher star
Friday’s first daily double was a Joel Rosario sweep. Todd Pletcher trained both ends of the exacta in the third.
Rosario, who headed the jockeys’ earnings list last