Harmonize gave her sire a sweep of these late-meet 2-year-old turf stakes, posting a decisive victory through a driving rain shower in Thursday's P. G. Johnson S. at Saratoga.
An $80,000 graduate of last year's Keeneland September sale, Harmonize debuted over this course and 8 1/2-furlong distance Aug. 9 and set a solid pace before being tagged on the money by Thrilled, with whom she would square off again here.
Sent along early to take full advantage of the inside box, the bay filly found herself in a three-way scrimmage for the lead, but Junior Alvarado was content to allow Javier Castellano and Ava's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) to take it up on the backstretch as Seaside Schiller (Artie Schiller) bided her time from third. Steered out one lane nearing the entrance to the second turn, Harmonize soon had company to her outside in the form of Thrilled, but she accelerated better than that rival and hit the line a much-the-best winner.
“She went into the first turn on the lead, but there was a horse that was a little rank down the backside and she was willing to let that horse go on,” commented winning trainer Bill Mott. “It worked out good; we tipped to the outside of her and had a target turning for home. She was very green her first time out. She just got lost on the lead last time and she's ready now.”
Harmonize's second dam is a half-sister to Maya (Capote), the dam of MGSW & MGISP Al Khali (Medaglia d'Oro). The winner hails from a deep Emory Hamilton family including 'TDN Rising Stars' Verrazano (More Than Ready), El Padrino (Pulpit) and La Madrina (Tapit). Mesa Fresca has a yearling colt of this year by Hat Trick (Jpn) and produced a colt by Animal Kingdom earlier this season.
P. G. JOHNSON S., $100,000, SAR, 9-3, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:41.41, fm.
1–#HARMONIZE, 116, f, 2, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Mesa Fresca, by Sky Mesa
2nd Dam: Mayan Maiden, by Lyphard
3rd Dam: Chic Shirine, by Mr. Prospector
($80,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Larkin Armstrong; B-Jack Swain (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $76,600.
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2–Thrilled, 120, f, 2, Uncle Mo–Excited, by Giant's Causeway. O-Michael B. Tabor; B-Chelston (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $20,000.
3–Finn's Girl, 120, f, 2, Bernardini–Oonagh Maccool (Ire), by Giant's Causeway. ($600,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Chiefswood Stable; B-Darley & Tenth Street Stables LLC (KY); T-H Graham Motion. $10,000.
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Margins: 4, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 2.20, 4.20, 5.90.
Also Ran: Ava's Kitten, Seaside Schiller, Fooled by Magic.
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