For the second time in two days, a Todd Pletcher trainee earned a graded stakes victory through the intervention of the Saratoga stewards, as Curalina (Curlin) was promoted to the win after coming up a nose short of tiring pacesetter I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings) at the wire in Sunday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks. I'm a Chatterbox was judged to have bumped the eventual winner in the shadow of the wire. On Saturday, it was the Pletcher-trained Uncle Vinny (Uncle Mo) who was put up to first in the GIII Sanford S.
“It takes some of the enjoyment out of it,” Pletcher admitted. “Ideally you'd like to cross the wire first and have no doubts about it. After seeing that she came back one jump after the wire and put her nose in front, I feel a little less apologetic about this one. Yesterday [in the Sanford], we weren't bothered. We were the beneficiary of someone else being bothered. In this particular case, our filly was knocked off stride at a critical point in the race and got beat a couple inches. In my eyes, it probably made the difference. I'm sure there are other people that feel differently, but based on what Johnny [Velazqeuz] said, just watching it there, I would have to agree.”
The victory continued a red-hot weekend for Lane's End stallion Curlin, whose three winners on Saratoga's opening-day card Friday included GIII Schuylerville S. winner Off the Tracks (Curlin).
I'm a Chatterbox, making her first start since finishing third in the GI Kentucky Oaks, was fractious in the paddock and appeared washed out in the post parade. She jumped sharply from her outside post and bound to the lead, setting fractions of :23.54 and :46.99 as 4-5 favorite Curalina overcame a trouble start to track the pacesetter from the rail. I'm a Chatterbox skipped clear leaving the backstretch, completing three-quarters in 1:11.27, and still had a clear advantage with a furlong to run, but Curalina began grinding down the pacesetter. I'm a Chatterbox was grimly holding on to a slim advantage in the final strides, but drifted out into her rival's path just enough to draw the disqualification in a tight finish.
“I was coming to get [Florent Geroux, aboard I'm a Chatterbox],” jockey John Velazquez said. “He took her out and she bumped me, and my horse switched to the left lead. Now I'm unbalanced and then I had to get after her to get her back in, and I just missed the wire. I knew two jumps before the wire, I was going to get him. When she got bumped and went to her left lead, she lost her balance, I lost my balance. I had to get back on her and just missed it. No doubt in my mind, I was going to get her.”
Trainer Larry Jones was proud of the effort of returning I'm a Chatterbox, winner of the GIII Rachel Alexandra S. and GII Fair Grounds Oaks earlier in the year.
“I thought she ran very well, coming off a long layoff like that,” Jones said. “She took a little time off and was good to go. We set very legitimate fractions and, still to hold on, I'm thrilled with the horse. The jock rode a great race, he didn't do anything to cause it. He stuck with the right hand the whole way. She kind of jumped the tracks where the gate comes across, but you need to get the horse back over somehow. That's just the way it goes.”
Curalina was earning her second straight Grade I victory. The Eclipse Thoroughbreds runner overcame an eventful trip to win the June 6 GI Acorn S. in her last trip to the post. Curalina was second behind recent GII Indiana Oaks winner High Dollar Woman (Super Saver) in her debut at Saratoga last July and returned to break her maiden at Gulfstream Mar. 28 before romping home by 8 1/4 lengths in a May 1 optional claimer at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, Saratoga
COACHING CLUB AMERICAN OAKS-GI, $300,000, SAR, 7-26, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:49.74, ft.
1–CURALINA, 121, f, 3, by Curlin">Curlin
1st Dam: Whatdreamsrmadeof (GSP, $137,080), by Graeme Hall
2nd Dam: Eastern Ruckus, by Eastern Echo
3rd Dam: Andrea Ruckus, by Bold Ruckus ($125,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-CASA Farms I LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-John R Velazquez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $666,800. *1/2 to Dream Spinner (Hard Spun), GSP, $145,881. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–I'm a Chatterbox, 121, f, 3, Munnings">Munnings–Chit Chatter, by Lost Soldier. ($30,000 RNA Ylg '13 KEESEP).O/B-Fletcher & Carolyn Gray (KY); T-J Larry Jones.$60,000.
3–Include Betty, 121, f, 3, Include–Betty's Solutions,by Eltish. ($42,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Brereton C &
Timothy C Thornton; B-Lavin Bloodstock & Brereton C Jones (KY); T-Thomas F Proctor. $30,000.
Margins: 2, NO, HD. Odds: 0.95, 2.65, 5.80.
Also Ran: Danette, Chide, Keen Pauline, Conquest Eclipse. Scratched: Wonder Gal.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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