Hard-knocking Heart to Heart went wire-to-wire to win the ninth graded victory of his career in the GII Bernard Baruch H. Monday. The bay jumped out to the early lead and took the field through modest splits of :24.27, :48.01 and 1:12.02 over the yielding Saratoga turf course. Heart to Heart opened a clear advantage turning for home, enjoyed a three-length advantage at the top of the lane and strode to the wire unchallenged.
“He was ready today and the guys at Belmont I give full credit to, they have done a great job getting him ready and I look forward to the [Oct. 7 GI] Shadwell Mile [at Keenland] with him,” said winning trainer Brian Lynch.
The reliable bay, worse than fourth just once in the last two years, led from start to finish to take the Mar. 4 GIII Canadian Turf S. at Gulfstream and then was narrowly beaten in a pair of Grade I events, finishing a neck short when second in the Apr. 14 GI Maker's 46 Mile and third, beaten 3/4 lengths in a blanket finish in the June 3 GI Shoemaker Mile H. last time out.
“He is a little horse,” Lynch said of the winner. “He doesn't take a lot of work. He is an unbelievable little guy, a few half miles and [he is back in shape]. Like last year, I didn't run him until the [GIII] Knickerbocker [at Belmont Park] and he got a mile and an eighth off the bench. So, this year we had the Shadwell in mind, wanted to get a race back into him, and so the Bernard Baruch came into play perfect. So I was confident he was ready.”
Lynch is already looking forward to a possible start in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile with Heart to Heart.
“We will go the Shadwell Mile, that is a [Breeders' Cup] 'Win and You're In' and if he runs well, then I think this horse will be very effective at Del Mar with those tight turns,” the trainer said. “I have always said that I think one of his biggest assets is how he runs the turns. So that would be the end of the year goal for him. If we didn't do that then we have all those races at Gulfstream that he clean sweeps every year. So we have something to look forward to anyway.”
Pedigree Notes:
Ask the Question produced a filly by Animal Kingdom in 2016, a colt by Liam's Map this year and was bred back to Quality Road. In foal to Silent Name (Jpn), she sold for $35,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. Heart to Heart is the result of the English Channel season purchased by Red Hawk Ranch in the 2010 Thoroughbred Charities of America Stallion Season Auction.
Monday, Saratoga
BERNARD BARUCH H.-GII, $250,000, SAR, 9-4, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.45, yl.
1–HEART TO HEART, 120, h, 6, by English Channel
1st Dam: Ask the Question, by Silver Deputy
2nd Dam: Fair Advice, by Cozzene
3rd Dam: Fair Astrologer, by Quack
(C$25,000 Ylg '12 CANSEP). O-Terry Hamilton; B-Red Hawk
Ranch (ON); T-Brian A. Lynch; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $150,000.
Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Colt-Can. & MGSW & MGISP,
30-13-4-3, $1,354,870. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”hidden-brook-keesep-hip-2742″][bullet ad=”roden-alistair-yearling-purchase”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred-sold”]2–Forge (GB), 115, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Heat Haze (GB), by Green
Desert. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-William I. Mott. $50,000.
3–Delta Prince, 115, c, 4, Street Cry (Ire)–Delta Princess, by A.P.
Indy. O-Stronach Stables; B-Adena Springs (KY); T-James A. Jerkens. $25,000.[bullet ad=”adena-bred-and-raised”]Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 2.30, 13.20, 3.20.
Also Ran: Ring Weekend, Projected (GB), Takeover Target, Glorious Empire (Ire). Scratched: Highland Sky, American Patriot.
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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