By Alan Carasso
Taking the vast majority of the pari-mutuel activity with the scratching of his would-be chief market rival Bento Express (Jpn) (Drefong), D J Stable, West Point Thorougbreds and Kenneth Frierich's Ewing (c, 2, Knicks Go–Sassy Ali Joy, by Indian Charlie) made light work of his four remaining rivals, streaking through the final furlong under mild urging to score by a dozen lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors in the Saturday opener from Saratoga.
Favored at 35-100 and carrying the D J colors for the debut, the $585,000 OBS April graduate broke in midpack, then rushed up to lead while being hounded along by the once-raced Wesley Ward-trained filly She's On a Roll (Charlatan), who did her level best to stick with the heavy favorite through an opening quarter in :22.42.
The two put the better part of eight lengths on the others approaching the entrance to the stretch, and when She's On a Roll drifted out, Ewing quickly opened up, 'traveling' every bit like a winner and was more or less eased through the final 50 yards.
Herself a $60,000 OBS April grad, Ewing's dam Sassy Ali Joy did not make the races but was responsible for the stakes-placed Tuscan Queen (Street Boss) and was sold for $60,000 in foal to Collected at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. The mare was barren to Liam's Map for 2024 and was most recently RNAd on a bid of $22,000 during the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Digital May Sale when offered pregnant to Midshipman. The colt's third dam was a half-sister to the Grade II-placed Banshee Winds (Known Fact), the dam of 1998 champion 3-year-old filly and five-time Grade I winner Banshee Breeze (Unbridled).
Including a winner in Russia, Taylor Made's Knicks Go (by Paynter) was being represented here by his third individual winner. Bought back on a bid of just $37,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale, Ewing breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 (see below) and was snapped up by these top connections.
1st-Saratoga, $97,000, Msw, 7-5, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.42, ft, 12 lengths.
EWING, c, 2, by Knicks Go
1st Dam: Sassy Ali Joy, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Dana Dew, by Fusaichi Pegasus
3rd Dam: Do Mountain Doo, by Mountain Cat
Sales history: $37,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP; $585,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,000. O-D J Stable LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds & Kenneth Frierich; B-John Gardiner (KY); T-Mark E Casse.
EWING lives up to the hype as @nyknicks fans can rejoice with a winner for @markecasse and @jose93_ortiz for @westpointtbred as the heavily favored debut runner is a slam dunk at #Saratoga. #HorseRacing pic.twitter.com/0L7pcgJogm
— Matthew DeSantis (@failedtomenace) July 5, 2025
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