With approximately one third of the 40 day race meet at historic Saratoga Race Course completed, things are heating up on and off the track for our horses (Woodford Racing). Two of our horses were part of the racing action last weekend as Catapult won on Friday, August 4th and Engage ran second on Saturday, August 5th.
If you enjoy turf racing, Catapult’s race was as exciting as they get. At the start of the race a 30-1 long shot bolted from the starting gate and widened his lead throughout the race. Catapult was content to save ground early in the race but found himself trailing by 9 lengths at the top of the stretch. Under the patient handling of jockey Javier Castellano, Catapult unleashed a furious rally to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Catapult ran the last quarter mile in under 23 seconds which is impressive. Fellow Woodford Racing partners, friends and family joined me in the winners circle as we celebrated Catapult’s win! Four hours before the race, Javier Castellano was inducted into the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. As he left the winners circle Javier was swarmed by various television reporters and cameramen who were anxious to ask how it felt to ride his “first winner” as a Hall of Fame Jockey. As he answered their questions he was wearing the forest green and gold silks of Woodford Racing!
Javier Castellano Before the Race
Catapult
Start of Catapult’s Race
Catapult Winners Circle
Engage is a 2 year old colt who was making his racing debut in a 6 furlong Maiden Special Weight dirt race. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Engage broke well from the starting gate and was second early on. At the top of the stretch both Engage and the eventual winner of the race pulled away from the other horses and ran in tandem to the finish line. The winner had the benefit of a prior race and a favorable outside post position. The final time for the race was 1 minute and 10 seconds which is very fast for 2 year olds. Engage ran super and we are looking forward to his next start.
Engage’s Jockey Jose Ortiz
Engage
Engage
On Monday the two night 2017 Fasig Tipton Preferred Yearling Sale got underway. If you think the economy is sputtering you would not have known it from the buying frenzy at the sale. More than 200 horses went through the auction ring and bidding was brisk. Records were set across the board during the sale. We (Woodford Racing) bought four yearlings with impressive bloodlines. Our purchases included colts by stallions Malibu Moon, Union Rags, Lemon Drop Kid and Broken Vow. While the yearlings won’t begin their racing careers until 2018, it’s always fun to start thinking about “what could be”!
Malibu Moon Colt
It was an incredible weekend of racing at the Spa and we still have three more weeks to go!