'TDN Rising Star' Proctor's Ledge had been knocking on the door at the graded level for a while now, and pushed her way right on through Friday under a more aggressive ride and while receiving first-time Lasix. Tracking from fifth early behind modest splits of :24.71, :49.66 and 1:13.18, the Moseley homebred started to pick off foes out wide as they approached the stretch. Quickly on top of pacesetter Chubby Star (Malibu Moon) as noses pointed for home, she required little encouragement as she kicked away convincingly from her competition.
“I loved the way she did it–she got a slow pace, good position and she finished good,” said rider Javier Castellano after piloting Proctor's Ledge for the first time. “She was impressive. I never rode her before, but she did amazing. She was in a comfortable rhythm. She was in a good spot and turning for home, she kicked really well.”
Leading rider here in both 2013 and 2014, the winner of the last four Eclipse Awards for outstanding jockey was pleased to kick off the 2017 Spa meet with a stakes victory.
“It feels great to get a [stakes] win at Saratoga [on Opening Day],” the 39-year-old said. “I try to enjoy the moment. I get to ride the best horses in the country. The top jockeys in the country are all here and everybody wants to be at the top. It's a great competition, but I'm looking more at the Grade I races because I think that's the best [going] for the Eclipse Award.”
Seventh on debut at Churchill last November, Proctor's Ledge blew up the tote at 49-1 going nine panels at Gulfstream Jan. 28 and was named a 'Rising Star' after crushing optional claiming foes back in Hallandale Feb. 18. Third from too far back in Keeneland's GIII Appalachian S. Apr. 13, she was fourth in Churchill's GII Edgewood S. May 5 and settled for a fast-finishing second in Churchill's GIII Regret S. June 17.
“It's huge for me,” said trainer Brendan Walsh, who had never before won a race–let alone a graded lone–at Saratoga. “Everything hadn't quite fallen into place the last few times, but she did it today, so I'll credit everybody. We finally got it right.
“We might come back to run later in the meet. We'll leave her here, and see how she comes out of it, and go from there. There's a lot of spots for a 3-year-old filly at the end of the year, but I think she's going to have a hell of a second half of the year, and I think she's going to be a better filly next year.”
Pedigree Notes:
Proctor's Ledge was bred and is owned by Patricia Moseley, the former chairwoman of Suffolk Downs and widow of prominent Massachusetts racing figure James Moseley. James Moseley campaigned Proctor's Ledge's third dam Drumtop to a number of stakes victories and course-record-breaking performances going long on the turf, and her bred her second dam Aliata in partnership with legendary horseman Paul Mellon. Dam Archstone's best performance was a runner-up finish in Belmont's Sabin S. over 10 turfy panels for Patricia Moseley in 2008. Archstone produced a Street Sense filly in 2016 and was bred back to Orb. For more on Moseley, Walsh and Proctor's Ledge from a TDN feature by Ben Massam in February, click here.
Friday, Saratoga
LAKE GEORGE S.-GIII, $150,000, SAR, 7-21, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:41.47, fm.
1–#@PROCTOR'S LEDGE, 117, f, 3, by Ghostzapper&log=">Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Archstone (SP), by Arch
2nd Dam: Aliata, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Drumtop, by Round Table
'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Patricia L. Moseley (KY); T-Brendan P.
Walsh; J-Javier Castellano. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-1,
$181,083. *1/2 to Mission Driven (Awesome Again), SP,
$153,510. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+. [bullet ad=”hunter-valley-raised”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″][bullet ad=”fedamore-brokentrained”]2–Party Boat, 121, f, 3, Into Mischief–Pavati, by Unbridled's
Song. ($52,000 Ylg '15 KEEJAN; $100,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP).
O-Hope H. Jones; B-Fred W. Hertrich lll (KY); T-H. Graham
Motion. $30,000.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-sales-hip-28-saratoga-2017″][bullet ad=”darbydan-shell”][bullet ad=”webb-carroll-purchase-and-grad-shell”]3–Fifty Five, 123, f, 3, Get Stormy–Soave, by Brahms. ($24,000
RNA Ylg '15 FTKOCT). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Empire Equines, LLC
(NY); T-Chad C. Brown. $15,000.[bullet ad=”hidden-brook-raised”]Margins: 1 3/4, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 6.10, 5.10, 3.65.
Also Ran: Chubby Star, Fizzy Friday (GB), Defiant Honor, Dream Dancing, Victory to Victory, Super Marina, Sweeping Paddy. Scratched: Corporate Queen. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
'TDN Rising Star' Proctor's Ledge had been knocking on the door at the graded level for a while now, and pushed her way right on through Friday under a more aggressive ride and while receiving first-time Lasix. Tracking from fifth early behind modest splits of :24.71, :49.66 and 1:13.18, the Moseley homebred started to pick off foes out wide as they approached the stretch. Quickly on top of pacesetter Chubby Star (Malibu Moon) as noses pointed for home, she required little encouragement as she kicked away convincingly from her competition.
“I loved the way she did it–she got a slow pace, good position and she finished good,” said rider Javier Castellano after piloting Proctor's Ledge for the first time. “She was impressive. I never rode her before, but she did amazing. She was in a comfortable rhythm. She was in a good spot and turning for home, she kicked really well.”
Leading rider here in both 2013 and 2014, the winner of the last four Eclipse Awards for outstanding jockey was pleased to kick off the 2017 Spa meet with a stakes victory.
“It feels great to get a [stakes] win at Saratoga [on Opening Day],” the 39-year-old said. “I try to enjoy the moment. I get to ride the best horses in the country. The top jockeys in the country are all here and everybody wants to be at the top. It's a great competition, but I'm looking more at the Grade I races because I think that's the best [going] for the Eclipse Award.”
Seventh on debut at Churchill last November, Proctor's Ledge blew up the tote at 49-1 going nine panels at Gulfstream Jan. 28 and was named a 'Rising Star' after crushing optional claiming foes back in Hallandale Feb. 18. Third from too far back in Keeneland's GIII Appalachian S. Apr. 13, she was fourth in Churchill's GII Edgewood S. May 5 and settled for a fast-finishing second in Churchill's GIII Regret S. June 17.
“It's huge for me,” said trainer Brendan Walsh, who had never before won a race–let alone a graded lone–at Saratoga. “Everything hadn't quite fallen into place the last few times, but she did it today, so I'll credit everybody. We finally got it right.
“We might come back to run later in the meet. We'll leave her here, and see how she comes out of it, and go from there. There's a lot of spots for a 3-year-old filly at the end of the year, but I think she's going to have a hell of a second half of the year, and I think she's going to be a better filly next year.”
Pedigree Notes:
Proctor's Ledge was bred and is owned by Patricia Moseley, the former chairwoman of Suffolk Downs and widow of prominent Massachusetts racing figure James Moseley. James Moseley campaigned Proctor's Ledge's third dam Drumtop to a number of stakes victories and course-record-breaking performances going long on the turf, and her bred her second dam Aliata in partnership with legendary horseman Paul Mellon. Dam Archstone's best performance was a runner-up finish in Belmont's Sabin S. over 10 turfy panels for Patricia Moseley in 2008. Archstone produced a Street Sense filly in 2016 and was bred back to Orb. For more on Moseley, Walsh and Proctor's Ledge from a TDN feature by Ben Massam in February, click here.
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