| Sunday, September 21, 2014
Bongard and Gimma yield dominant New York-bred winners
By Sean Morris
ELMONT, N.Y. - Sunday's runnings of the Bertram F. Bongard and Joseph A. Gimma for New York-bred 2-year-olds had a familiar feel, as each race featured a runaway winner breaking from the rail. The Bongard and Gimma, which were won by Saratoga Heater and Temper Mint Patty, respectively, were both contested at seven furlongs over a Belmont Park main track listed as "muddy".
Saratoga Heater was making his third career start in the Bongard, and third over a wet track. The Temple City colt was a well-beaten sixth in his debut, but an emphatic, off-the-pace winner of his next start, a statebred maiden race at Saratoga Race Course.
In the Bongard, Saratoga Heater left nothing to chance for his new trainer, Lisa Lewis, and jockey Joel Rosario. The bay colt broke sharply from post 1, shot to the front, and never looked back en route to a four-length victory.
"I thought I would be a little bit off the pace, since he came from way off the pace last time," said Rosario. "He was really sharp today and broke on top. I let him be happy and cruise along. He took me all the way, so it was a good race for him. It didn't seem anyone was trying to go with me, so that was good, too."
Lewis, who trains Saratoga Heater for P R Racing, was especially pleased with her colt's performance, as it comes at a crucial point in her career.
"I've trained privately for [William] Schettine for almost five years now and we've had a really good run," said Lewis. "I still train for him, but he's cutting back a little bit and I just wanted an opportunity to get some more young horses. For me, that's where it's at, trying to get a good, young horse, so here we are."
Saratoga Heater returned $8.80 on a $2 win wager and enhanced his bankroll to $134,287.
In the Gimma, restricted to fillies, Temper Mint Patty bested Saratoga Heater's time of 1:24.63 by almost a full second, completing the distance in 1:23.78.
Trained by Dale Romans for Mark Stanley, the daughter of Congrats stalked the pace along the inside with jockey Irad Oritz, Jr. aboard, and bounded clear in the stretch to win by 13 ½ lengths.
"I thought in her first race she showed a lot of talent, but she matured before this one in just three weeks," said Stanley. "Hopefully before the first Friday in May she'll be even better. Friday [Kentucky Oaks], not Saturday." Temper Mint Patty returned $6.40 on a $2 win bet and increased her bankroll to $133,800. -30-
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