By Alan Carasso
A return to the state of New York proved just the right tonic for Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who snapped a nine-race skid in winning Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S., getting his picture taken for the first time since the 2021 GI Belmont Derby some 25 months ago. Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) rallied belatedly for second ahead of longshot Pioneering Spirit (American Pharoah) in third.
It was more or less a straight line out of the gates before Channel Maker (English Channel), making a sixth straight appearance in the race, kicked on beneath Manny Franco to make the running in advance of Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up making his first start for Chad Brown. John Velazquez, tabbed by Team Ballydoyle, settled Bolshoi Ballet inside in the second flight of horses and enjoyed a comfortable passage with cover following Channel Maker wherever he went.
There were few changes to the running order through six furlongs in 1:15.93, but Flavien Prat decisively sent Stone Age into the lead fully five-eighths of a mile from home. Determined not to let the chalk get too far in front, Velazquez slipped Bolshoi Ballet a bit of rein and took the race to Stone Age, counting on Bolshoi Ballet to prove the superior stayer. Stone Age battled on best he could, but Bolshoi Ballet gave him the slip in upper stretch and kicked home a comfortable winner.
“We had a great trip. Great trip,” the winning jockey commented. “The trainer told me to come out of the gate running, get him as close as you can, but give him a little break for the first half of the race. After there, the last half of the race, make sure I keep him busy. That's the way it worked out.”
Fourth in the GI Saratoga Derby and sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in 2021, Bolshoi Ballet was fourth in a single appearance at four in the Listed Churchill S. at Lingfield. Third in the Listed Vintage Crop S. over a mile and six furlongs at Navan Apr. 22, he filled the same spot in Newbury's G3 Al Rayyan S. at 12 panels May 20. A good second in the Listed Wolferton S. at Royal Ascot June 20, the bay was beaten over 21 lengths in sixth as a 125-1 chance when last seen in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. back at Ascot July 29.
Pedigree Notes:
One of 99 Group 1/Grade I winners worldwide for the immortal Galileo, Bolshoi Ballet is not only kin to the good stayer Southern France, but also to What Say You (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose daughter Editor At Large (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) carried the colors of Peter Brant to a third-place effort in the 2020 GII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont Park.
Alta Anna is a half-sister to French Group 3 winner and G1 Prix de Diane third Abbatiale (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}), the dam of four-time Group 3 winner Bewitched (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), and is also responsible for the maiden 3-year-old filly Gulf Pearl (Ire) (No Nay Never) and a weanling colt by Camelot (GB).
Saturday, Saratoga race Course
RESORTS WORLD CASINO SWORD DANCER S.-GI, $750,000, Saratoga, 8-26, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:29.29, yl.
1–BOLSHOI BALLET (IRE), 120, h, 5, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Alta Anna (Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Anna Edes (Fr), by Fabulous Dancer
3rd Dam: Abbey (Fr), by Jim French
'TDN Rising Star'. O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien; J-John R. Velazquez. $412,500. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Ire, GSP-Eng, 17-5-1-3, $1,333,959. *Full to Southern France (Ire), GSW-Aus, GSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $645,262. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Soldier Rising (GB), 120, g, 5, Frankel (GB)–Sahrawi (Ger), by Pivotal (GB). (240,000gns RNA Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, Bailey, Morris, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso; B-Dayton Investments Ltd. (GB); T-Christophe Clement. $150,000.
3–Pioneering Spirit, 120, g, 4, American Pharoah–Foundation Spirit, by Giant's Causeway. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; 100,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-A. Bianco Holding Limited; B-International Equities Holding, Inc. (KY); T-Linda Rice. $90,000.
Margins: 4HF, 5HF, 1. Odds: 5.50, 2.45, 4.00.
Also Ran: Daunt, Stone Age (Ire), Channel Maker. Scratched: Verstappen.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
The foreign invader #3 Bolshoi Ballet takes the G1 Sword Dancer for trainer Aiden O' Brien with @ljlmvel aboard! 🍀
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/GAJmGsBsBq
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 26, 2023
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