If there’s one thing for sure about 2022 Racecourse Saratoga meet, that coach Charlie Appleby will long remember his first trip to the Spa.
Top European trainer for the famous Godolphin stables not only enjoys all the excitement and electricity of a bustling Saratoga weekend — not to mention the sweltering heat — but he also brings home the best of the best. consecutive wins in the second leg between two Turf Triple series of the New York Racing Association for 3-year-olds.
The day after winning the Caesars Saratoga Derby 1 million US dollars (G1T) with Godolphin’s National pride the famous royal blue silks of the stables returned to the winner’s circle on 7 August when bred With The Moonlight went to win 1/4 of the length in the $651,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga.
“This is my first time going to Saratoga and I absolutely love it,” says Appleby. “It’s a great place and I can see why there’s so much history and so much fun here.”
What’s not to love, especially when you win a race pair for $910,000 in a 24-hour period?
Like her steady companion in the Saratoga Derby, With the Moonlight has come a long way after finishing second in the opener Turf Tiara for the distance runner. In her case, she couldn’t stand the trained Chad Browns McKulick and settled in second place on July 9 at the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) 1 1/4 miles away.
This time, at a distance shorter than 1/3/16 mile, the purebred daughter of Frankel was able to chase pace from second through slow fractions of: 50.14 and 1:15.18 on solid turf before taking control in the stretch and preventing a late bid from McKulick , also the daughter of Frankel, to prevail in 1:54.60.
“It was a good performance,” Appleby said after the result, which helped the stallion Frankel finish one or two on both legs of the Turf Triple for the filling. “We respect Chad’s filth but we’re confident in it.”
Fractions, after chasing splits: 48.64 and 1:13.20 in the longer Belmont Oaks, certainly helped With Moonlight’s goal when she and jockey William Buick made a trip go great right after the horse race Contemporary art one of three track and field staff members trained by Brown in the field five.
“They looked very comfortable and she had a good rhythm. She was moving well within herself. It was great, even very small so I knew that when it was her turn to go, she was in position A. -1,” Appleby said.
The win is the first win in the ratings or team stakes section for With The Moonlight, a 6-5 favorite ($4.30), who have captured four of eight career starts. hers.
With The Moonlight after her victory in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes
Get out Dubai mare Sand Vixen, she is the full sister to group 1 winner Dream Castle and the sixth of her dam’s nine ponies. Sand Vixen’s most recent ponies are a Blue point a yearning longing, and a year 2022 Earthlight pony.
Klaravich Stables’ McKulick, second choice 7-5, finished ahead of Marc Detampel and Fergus Galvin’s Eve a daughter of Kitten’s Joy trained by Brendan Walsh.
“There wasn’t really any pace in today’s race,” Brown said. “It’s a completely different setup.”
Appleby said he’s not sure if With The Moonlight will return to Europe next week, but has ruled out running in the final leg of Turf Tiara, September 17 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3T) in 1/8 mile distance. in Aqueduct race track.
Video: Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. (G3T)
