Saturday, November 24, 2012
UNLIMITED BUDGET, OVERANALYZE SWEEP BIG A'S
JUVENILE STAKES FOR REPOLE, PLETCHER
By Jenny Kellner
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – An extraordinary afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack for owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher began when Unlimited Budget wired the field to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle and Overanalyze nosed out Normandy Invasion in the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen on Saturday.
One race later, the owner and trainer made it three stakes wins in a row when Stay Thirsty beat Groupie Doll to take the Grade 1, $350,000 Cigar Mile Handicap.
Purchased for $475,000 by Repole earlier this year, Unlimited Budget was making just her second career start in the 1 1/8-mile Demoiselle, having scored a 9 ½-length maiden victory 15 days ago at the Big A.
Leaving the gate quickly under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the Street Sense filly grabbed the lead and rolled through fractions of 24.36, 48.73 and 1:13.05 while running well off the rail with her three rivals in pursuit. Challenged on the far turn by 4-5 favorite Emollient, Unlimited Budget began edging away once straightened for home and crossed the wire 1 ¼ lengths in front.
Her winning time under Velazquez, who celebrated his 41st birthday Saturday, was 1:52.16.
"You're always concerned running back a little quick, but she seemed to bounce out of the race pretty well, physically and mentally," said Pletcher of Unlimited Budget. "She did everything right, never seemed to turn a hair, and came back with a really good work the other day. We felt it was a calculated risk. For only her second start, it was a big effort."
The even-money second choice, Unlimited Budget returned $4.10 for a $2 win bet and earned $150,000 in what will be her final race of 2012.
"We'll take her down to Florida and won't race her until February, give her all the time she needs, and get her ready for a nice 3-year-old campaign," said Repole.
Emollient was 4 ¾ lengths in front of Giant Cats Eye, with Flash Forward completing the order of finish. Coconut Shrimp, Miss Patricia, and Ruby Lips were scratched.
Overanalyze, one of three Pletcher-trained horses in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen, tracked stablemate Delhomme through an opening quarter-mile in 23.99, a half in 48.07 and three quarters in 1:12.54. As the field of 10 headed into the stretch, Overanalyze moved up to collar the pacesetter, and the pair was then joined by the late-running Normandy Invasion with a furlong to go.
As Delhomme battled on, Overanalyze and
Overanalyze completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.13.
"When [Normandy Invasion] came to me, he actually got ahead of me," said Dominguez, who celebrated his 36th birthday with five winners on the card. "I wasn't happy about that. My horse was taking sand by that point, but I kept after him and he kept on coming. I was very proud of the way he came back at the other horse. The other horse never stopped running. It was actually my horse doing the comeback. I was very pleased about that."
Overanalyze, who was part of the 8-5 favored Repole entry with Micromanage, returned $5.50 for a $2 win bet and earned $150,000. The victory was his second in a graded stakes, having captured the Grade 2 Futurity on September 30 at
"He's an experienced horse, a very, very gutsy horse," said Repole. "He's won a stake at six furlongs and a stakes at 1 1/8 miles; he's a very nice horse."
Normandy Invasion was three-quarters of a length in front of Delhomme, who held on for show. Another 16 ¾ lengths back was Quinzieme Monarque, who was followed by Indy's Illusion, Keep the Canoli, Irsaal, Stormy Len, Vegas No Show, and Micromanage.
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