By Alan Carasso
Shortened to a mile for the first time, a product of the introduction of the Turf Trinity on the New York circuit, Saturday's Secretariat S.–the track's first Grade I at the distance since Domedriver (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) defeated Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) (Danehill) in the 2002 Breeders' Cup Mile–took a strong foothold when 'TDN Rising Star' Valid Point (Scat Daddy) was produced outside in upper stretch by Javier Castellano and led home a one-two finish for his much-missed stallion, besting the running-on Van Beethoven. The Last Zip (City Zip) prompted the pace and clung on for third.
The slight second betting selection to his stablemate Fog of War (War Front), Valid Point was allowed to find his footing at the back of the pack, racing outside of Van Beethoven, as Crafty Daddy (Scat Daddy) and The Last Zip eyeballed each other up front, but went only a moderate gallop. As a result, the field was covered by no more than five lengths passing midway and positions were largely unchanged, with Valid Point about three deep on the course in the wake of GIII American Derby upsetter Faraway Kitten (Kitten's Joy). Content to slipstream that foe around the turn, Castellano angled out Valid Point with a little less than three-sixteenths of a mile to travel, hit the front with 100 yards to go and held firm. Van Beethoven rallied nicely to complete the Scat Daddy exacta.
A one-length debut winner at Gulfstream Feb. 10, defeating the well-regarded Bal Harbor (Orb), Valid Point resumed on the eve of the GI Belmont S. June 7, sitting up on the pace before covering his final quarter-mile in a sensational :21.96 to score by 3 1/2 widening lengths.
Pedigree Notes:
With the victory, Valid Point becomes the 29th Grade I/Group 1 winner, the 73rd GSW and 121st black-type winner for Scat Daddy. A $140,000 purchase out of the 2017 Keeneland September sale, Valid Point is one of five winners for as many to race for his dam, a half-sister to GISW Santa Teresita (Lemon Drop Kid) and to Italian highweight and French G1SP Sweet Hearth (Touch Gold), dam of Japanese MGSP Lathyros (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Goldbud is responsible for a yearling filly by Orb that is set to go under the hammer as hip 1187 at next month's Keeneland September sale as well as a filly foal by Connect. Goldbud was bred back to the latter stallion this term.
Saturday, Arlington Park
SECRETARIAT S.-GI, $500,000, Arlington, 8-10, 3yo, 1mT, 1:35.50, fm.
1–VALID POINT, 121, c, 3, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Goldbud, by Buddha
2nd Dam: Sweet Gold, by Gilded Time
3rd Dam: Anti Social, by Pretense
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($140,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-e Five Racing
Thoroughbreds & Michael J Ryan; B-Westwind Farms (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Javier Castellano. $291,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, $367,400. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
Plus*. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Van Beethoven, 121, c, 3, Scat Daddy–My Sister Sandy, by
Montbrook. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor;
B-Ballycroy Training Centre (ON); T-Aidan P. O'Brien. $97,000.
3–The Last Zip, 121, g, 3, City Zip–Pumpkin Shell, by Lion Heart.
($170,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; $220,000 RNA 2yo '18 EASMAY).
O-Stallionaire Enterprises LLC; B-Normandy Farm LLC (KY);
T-Michael Stidham. $48,500.
Margins: 1, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 2.60, 28.80, 28.30.
Also Ran: Crafty Daddy, Never No More (Ire), Fog of War, Faraway Kitten, Ry's the Guy, Clint Maroon (GB). 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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