Holy Boss, tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after a 10 1/4-length debut victory at Churchill Downs last September, carried a three-race win streak into Saturday's Amsterdam. He took Oaklawn's Apr. 10 Bachelor S. by a front-running length and bested Victory is Sweet (Congrats) and Gimme Da Lute (Midnight Lute) to take the May 16 Chick Lang S. by two lengths at Pimlico May 16. Away alertly, Holy Boss was on the lead in the early strides, but was taken in hand and settled just off pacesetting Victory is Sweet while racing three wide. He began pressing the leader after a quarter in :22.17 and was head-to-head with that foe after a half in :44.83. He charged to the lead with a sixteenth to run and powered clear for an authoritative victory.
“It was a perfect race for him,” said winning rider Ricardo Santana, Jr. “I saw an open spot as I was turning into home. I asked him to go and he did.” Winning trainer Steve Asmussen is already looking ahead for Holy Boss. “We're trying to use this as a prep for the [Aug. 29 GI] King's Bishop. You're just happy to see him handle the surface here; it's not for all of them. I thought, if anything, he showed more maturity today than he has in any of his previous races, and looked very good to the wire. I thought the horse looked the picture; he's been training really well and we expected a big race. You want to see all of those signs from here to the King's Bishop.”
The winner's dam, Holy Grace, RNA'd for $175,000 while in foal to Ghostzapper at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. The mare produced a filly by Ghostzapper in 2014 and a filly by Fort Larned in 2015. She was bred to Point of Entry this spring.
Saturday, Saratoga
AMSTERDAM S.-GII, $200,000, SAR, 8-1, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 1:15.38, ft.
1–@HOLY BOSS, 121, c, 3, by Street Boss
1st Dam: Holy Grace, by Holy Bull
2nd Dam: My Marchesa, by Stately Don
3rd Dam: Sooni, by Buckpasser
($135,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Jerry Durant; B-Adena Springs (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Ricardo Santana, Jr.. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-0, $330,490.
Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Requite, 119, c, 3, Warrior's Reward–New Hope Seven, by Carson City. O-Bermuda Limestone Thoroughbreds; B-Dr. Wilfred Robinson & Limestone Thoroughbreds (KY); T-George Weaver. $40,000.
3–Barbados, 123, c, 3, Speightstown–Northern Station, by Street Cry (Ire). ($160,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '14 KEEAPR; $340,000 2yo '14 KEENOV). O-Suzanne Stables LLC; B-Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Michael A. Tomlinson. $20,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3 3/4, HD. Odds: 2.45, 4.80, 2.25.
Also Ran: Victory Is Sweet, Bluegrass Singer, March. Scratched: The Great War.
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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