Saturday, August 9, 2014
Seek Again survives rough stretch run to set course record in Fourstardave
By John Scheinman
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Earlier this week, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott called Seek Again's head-bobbing loss to two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day, "one of those that had you leaning."
On Saturday, Mott had to sweat another stretch drive with Seek Again, only this time the horse delivered, finding room when sharply blocked at the eighth pole and pulling away to beat Grand Arch by a neck in the Grade 2, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga Race Course.
Despite losing momentum when Sayaad closed his path, Seek Again not only gathered himself and rallied to the front, he set a course record for a mile on the inner turf, clocking a blistering 1:33.25 seconds over firm ground.
L'Oiseau d'Argent set the previous record of 1:33.42 in an allowance race in 2004.
"I was thinking it could be over at the eighth pole, when I saw he had to alter course two different times," Mott said. "I thought, well, we could be in trouble because it's awful late in the game to have to stop your momentum and go a different direction."
Joel Rosario said Seek Again "had a lucky trip," but the jockey's cool under pressure certainly had much to do with the victory.
"At first, there wasn't a lot of room [along the rail]," he said. "I had to stay there because he likes to run a lot that way; that's his style. He's a good horse; he fires all the time."
Seek Again, a Juddmonte Farms homebred, paid $6.70 for a $2 win bet as the 2-1 second choice in the field of six. Grand Arch was followed home by Jack Milton, Dorsett, Sayaad and Silver Max.
As expected, 3-2 favorite Silver Max went right to the front from the inside post and ran an opening quarter-mile in 23.33 seconds and a half in 46.18. With a half-mile to run, Sayaad put in his bid and turned up the pressure.
In the lane, Sayaad began to wander while Silver Max faded. Grand Arch briefly took over on the outside as Seek Again sought his seam and scored.
With the victory, Seek Again improved his record to 5-3-1 from 11 starts with earnings of $725,259.
Mott said he likely will remain at middle distances the rest of the year. He considered victory in the Fourstardave vindication after the loss at Churchill and a third last time out in the Grade 1 Knob Creek Manhattan at Belmont Park.
"It would have been nice to win the Grade 1 on Derby Day with him," he said. "We were only beaten a head. But winning this race in track record time at Saratoga will make up for a couple losses."
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