The betting public thinks that July 27th 200,000 dollars Miss Honor (G2) at Racecourse Saratoga is a race car. Bella Sofia a four-times bet race winner, being a favorite in 3-5 post times is for a reason.
Coach Wesley Ward disagreed with that one bit. He had said in the days leading up to the six-hair race for 3-year-olds and up, the filling and the mare that his 5-year-old mare Kimari a daughter of Munnings Get ready to face off against the talented Bella Sofia.
Ward was right in his assessment. Kimari, owned by Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor proved his boss right with the win half way through. Frank’s Rockette .
Bella Sofia, now a winner of six of nine career starts, is 3/4 of the length behind Frank’s Rockette 5.
Early depositors Amadevil , an Ohio hybrid, faded and was loosened in the last eighth of the mile. She placed fourth in the quadruple field. She died after being reported bleeding.
“I’m pretty confident going in today,” Ward said in the winner’s circle, “it’s not that I’m not confident going into all of my races. It’s been going great and always great. great to be in the winner’s circle for a graded race in Saratoga. There’s nothing like it.”
Absent since May 7 — Kentucky Derby Day — when she finished fifth in the Derby City Distaff Stakes presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1), Kimari and jockey Joel Rosario had their sights set on Frank’s Rockette. and overcome strength to win eighth time in 15 career start.
This is her sixth win on dirt road.
“She runs well,” said Rosario, who has ridden Kimari for the sixth time in the last seven starts. “She’s a good horse and always tries. She fulfills everything I ask her to do.”
Amadevil and track runner Jose Ortiz set the pace early, running in the first quarter at a rate of: 22.72. Bella Sofia keeps chasing while Kimari is never left behind.
When the run actually started, Frank’s Rockette and Flavien Prat, who had tripped at the top, went inside and took the lead but couldn’t stop Kimari.
Bella Sofia, daughter of Great patriot , won the Saratoga stage last year, winning the Longines Test (G1) by four lengths. She is definitely the disappointment of the prestigious Miss.
Her coach, Rudy Rodriguez, fell short as he walked through the clubhouse to the Saratoga sunshine.
“She’s been training well here,” said Rodriguez. “The track looks a bit dull to me, but it is. We just got beaten up.”
Ward said: “(Bella Sofia) is obviously a really nice person. “Today is not her day. It happened to me with some good people in the past. I’m sure they’ll get her back on track.”
Before the race, Bella Sofia appeared agitated as the field reached the gate, but Rodriguez shrugged.
“She was always like that,” he said. “That’s not a concern.”
Kimari came out as third bet with a score of 3-1 and paid $8.10. She ran six feathers in a time of 1:10.78. For the next start, Ward tends to wait for a race at Keeneland—Probable is the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) on October 8.
The US$1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on November 5 in Keeneland is the ultimate goal of Kimari, who is bred in Kentucky by the China Horse Club.
