El Deal made it a perfect three-for-three since joining the Jorge Navarro barn with this runaway, front-running score in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. at Saratoga.
The third choice in the wagering seized control from the start and it was quickly over from there. He zipped through an opening quarter in :22.50 and a half-mile in :45.28, was still going easy as the others were struggling to keep up at the top of the stretch and poured it on down the lane.
The winner was privately purchased by owners Albert and Michelle Crawford earlier this term and transferred to Navarro after finishing fourth in the GIII Mr. Prospector S. Jan. 1 and ninth in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. Jan. 28, his final two attempts for owner Passion Stable and trainer Francisco D'Angelo.
Unbeaten in his first four career starts, including an impressive win in the 2015 Gold Fever S. at Belmont, El Deal immediately got back on form romping in his debut for these connections in a $35,000 handicap going 4 1/2 furlongs at Charles Town Apr. 22 and scored another facile victory in Monmouth's Decathalon S. last time June 11, both good for triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.
“I respect all the horses in the race,” Navarro said. “That's why we were here–to see what kind of horse he is. I think I did the right thing by taking him to all those [previous] tracks and prepping him there. I called the owners and said I thought it was time to see what we have and he proved it.
Navarro continued, “I knew how fast he is and I knew that he carries his speed really good. We'll see what's next for him. He likes a [break] of 45-50 days, so that's what he'll get. We're getting ready for the Breeders' Cup and big races at the end of the year, so I wanted owners to have fun. I called them up and said I thought it was time to see what he's about. I guess he is what he is.”
The Crawfords are relatively new faces in the Thoroughbred world, but have deep roots in harness racing as the owners and operators of Crawford Farms, a Standardbred breeding operation in Durhamville, N.Y. The couple have continued to expand the farm since taking over its management and it now spans 1,000 acres. They breed, race, do lay-ups and house several retired harness horses. The Crawfords have recently ventured into Thoroughbred racing with Navarro and Jason Servis as their primary trainers.
Pedigree Notes:
El Deal's dam Spirit of Wailea, a half-sister to MGSW and G1 Dubai World Cup third-place finisher Choctaw Nation (Louis Quatorze), finished second in both of her career starts in Southern California against maiden claiming company. She brought $16,000 from Allen Hallett at the 2013 KEEJAN Sale. Spirit of Wailea is also represented by the unraced 2-year-old filly Spiritofthedesert (Desert Party), a $5,000 KEESEP yearling graduate, and an Overanalyze colt of this year. El Deal is the second Grade I winner for his sire Munnings, joining I'm a Chatterbox.
Saturday, Saratoga
ALFRED G. VANDERBILT H.-GI, $350,000, SAR, 7-29, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.26, ft.
1–@&EL DEAL, 115, h, 5, by Munnings&log=">Munnings
1st Dam: Spirit of Wailea, by Out of Place
2nd Dam: Melisma, by Well Decorated
3rd Dam: Marathon Girl, by Fleet Nasrullah
($57,000 Wlg '12 KEENOV). O-Michelle & Albert Crawford;
B-Martha Buckner (KY); T-Jorge Navarro; J-Javier Castellano.
$210,000. Lifetime Record: 16-9-2-1, $505,025. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: C.[bullet ad=”clarkland-el-deal-double”][bullet ad=”purchased-developed-by-off-the-hook”][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″]2–Awesome Banner, 115, c, 4, Awesome of Course–Miranda
Stands, by Zamindar. O-Fred J. Brei; B-Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
(FL); T-Kenneth Decker. $70,000.
3–Limousine Liberal, 119, g, 5, Successful Appeal–Gift of Gab,
by In Excess (Ire). O-Katherine G. Ball; B-Mike & Katherine Ball
(KY); T-Ben Colebrook. $35,000.
Margins: 8, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.55, 11.70, 1.60.
Also Ran: Bird Song, Spartiatis, Ready for Rye, Green Gratto. Scratched: A. P. Indian. 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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