Society kicks away in stretch to capture G1 Ballerina; Far Bridge scores gate-to-wire in Sword Dancer

Posted On 25 Aug 2024

Society kicks away in stretch to capture G1 Ballerina and earn Breeders’ Cup return engagement

By Brian Bohl

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds’ Kentucky homebred Society tracked Munnys Gold’s early speed and had plenty in reserve in the stretch, drawing away for an impressive 3 1/4-length score in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap, a seven-furlong main track sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, on Travers Day at Saratoga Race Course.

Society, rated comfortably by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, earned Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his third Ballerina win overall [and second consecutive victory] while garnering a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint contested in November at Del Mar.

Society, making just the second start of her 5-year-old campaign following a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Chicago in June at Churchill Downs, broke alertly from post 4 and stayed in second position behind pacesetter Munnys Gold, who led the seven-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 22.65 seconds and the half in 44.82 over the fast track.

In the Chicago, Society finished 1 1/2-lengths back behind Ballerina even-money favorite Vahva after setting the pace and exchanging bumps with the winner in the stretch. But Gaffalione helped ensure a similar trip would not play out, tipping out his charge on the backstretch, maintaining that running room and setting her down in the stretch, kicking clear of second-place finisher Scylla to complete the course in a 1:22 final time.

Vahva finished third, 1 1/2-lengths clear of Positano Sunset, with Shidabhuti, Chi Town Lady and Munnys Gold completing the order of finish. Accede scratched.

Off at 7-2, Society returned $9.40 on a $2 win bet and improved her career earnings to $1,839,535. The daughter of the Asmussen-trained Hall of Famer Gun Runner, who earned a co-field best 106 Beyer Speed Figure for her win in the 2023 Pink Ribbon at Charles Town, registered her second career Grade 1 win in joining her 2022 Cotillion effort. She also earned the right for a return Breeders’ Cup appearance, which includes a seventh-place effort in the 2022 Distaff at Keeneland and last year’s fourth-place effort in the Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita.

“The filly, I think that we’ve relaxed with who she is. Been very direct with what races we are going to run her in, and I think that gives her just a little bit more confidence,” said Asmussen, who first won this race with Lady Tak in 2004 before Echo Zulu also won it last year. “I think age and patience and stuff [has improved her], she’s just a beautiful filly that we are very fortunate to have to race.”

Added Asmussen on her potential next stop at the Breeders’ Cup: “We wanted the Breeders’ Cup to be her third race, with these three races in mind [Chicago, Ballerina, Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint] and felt like that is why she is in training.”

Society has faced top-flight competition most of her career, taking on 2022-2023 Champion Female Sprinter Goodnight Olive, 2022 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest, and 2021-2022 dual Champion female Malathaat. But Gaffalione helped lead her to the winner’s circle for the first time since that Pink Ribbon effort almost one year later to the day.

“This is a free-running filly. I just try to stay out of her way and get along with her,” Gaffalione said. “Steve knows her best and that’s kind of been the plan all along with her, so just try and get along. She’s always had this kind of effort in her. Just got a little unlucky last year, but we’ve always maintained confidence in her, and she proved us right today.”

Juddmonte homebred Scylla, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, has never finished off the board in nine starts, moving to 5-3-1. She won the first three starts of her 4-year-old campaign before running second in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch earlier this month at Del Mar and made another strong account of herself in the Ballerina, with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano back in the irons.

“I really liked the ways she did it,” Castellano said. “She’s a come-from-behind horse and they went in :22 and :44 [seconds] but they never came back to me. She fought hard. I’m very proud, very satisfied with her. You can see the fractions. I thought the race set up for her but, unfortunately, she was second-best today.”

Vahva, the 4-year-old Gun Runner bay, had won four of her last five starts for trainer Cherie DeVaux, including the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff in May and the Chicago. Her sophomore campaign ended with wins in last August’s Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks at its namesake track and October’s Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland.

“She ran good. It was hard to make up ground today,” said Vahva rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. “I was following the winner. I could never get out of there and ended up on the rail. I don’t think there was any excuse today.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with the annual New York Showcase Day card, featuring six stakes worth a combined $1.25 million. First post on the 11-race all New York-bred program is 1:10. p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Far Bridge scores gate-to-wire in G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer

By Keith McCalmont

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – LSU Stables’ Far Bridge, under a masterful ride from Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, made every pole a winning one to capture Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer, to kick off the DraftKings Travers Day stakes action, at Saratoga Race Course.

The 12-furlong inner turf test for older horses provided the Christophe Clement-trained English Channel colt a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Del Mar.

The 4-year-old Far Bridge utilized a front-running approach for the first time in his 12th career start as Rosario returned to the irons aboard the talented bay for the first time since a runner-up effort last June in the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park.

Rosario said he felt comfortable on the lead in front of the well-backed Godolphin duo of Measured Time and Silver Knott.

“It looked like one of the two Godolphin horses would go to the lead. I broke good and just took advantage of that, let him be happy there and he did all the work. It worked out,” Rosario said. “He was going very nice, very relaxed. He set his own pace and when I called on him to go, he was there for me. He ran a big race. It’s a very nice win. It was very nice to win for Christophe and everybody else on the team. We’re very happy.”

Far Bridge broke alertly from post 2-of-5 and showed the way through splits of 24.86 seconds, 50.92 and 1:17.21 over the firm footing in front of the Charlie Appleby-trained pair of Silver Knott in second and the ground-saving Measured Time in third.

Flavien Prat asked Silver Knott to take on the leader into the final turn as William Buick angled Measured Time off the rail to launch his bid to get within a head through 10-furlongs in 2:06.39, but Rosario still had plenty of horse and continued to find more down the lane.

Measured Time, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan here, spun wide into the stretch run but was quickly straightened and took dead aim at Far Bridge as Silver Knott, who entered with three straight Grade 2-wins, stayed on.

But neither could threaten the game and determined Far Bridge, who crossed the wire a one-length winner over Measured Time in a final time of 2:29.51. It was 3 1/4-lengths back to Silver Knott in third with Pioneering Spirit and Grand Sonata rounding out the order of finish. The Clement-trained Solider Rising was scratched.

The victory provided Clement a record-extending fifth Sword Dancer score following past success with Gufo [2021-22] with Rosario aboard, Winchester [2011] and Honor Glide [1999].

Clement said Far Bridge can be a tricky horse to ride but appeared to thrive while dictating terms on the hedge.

“At the end of the day, he has always worked well when he is on the rail; he never does anything wrong,” Clement said. “Every time he comes off the rail, he is a little bit all over the place. On paper, we didn’t think there was much pace. The idea was to break in front or right behind Godolphin. He took the lead, and nobody bothered him. He rode a great race.”

Buick said Measured Time was hampered by the moderate tempo set by Far Bridge.

“The winner got the run of the race up front,” Buick said. “My horse was probably doing a little bit too much. He might just be a mile and a quarter horse, my horse.”

Far Bridge, bred and initially campaigned by Calumet Farm, launched his career with Clement with a pair of wins at Gulfstream Park early last year before being privately purchased and transferred to the care of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. He made five starts for Pletcher, including a victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last July before re-joining the Clement stable for his current campaign.

“I am thrilled, and it is a great story,” Clement said. “That horse, I trained him early on, he left us, and he came back and I am thrilled that he is back in the barn. I love that race. I have been lucky in that race with Gufo. It is great. Let’s enjoy it and go from there.”

Far Bridge won his seasonal debut in March at Gulfstream Park but was winless in three starts since, including a third to Measured Time in the Resorts World Casino Manhattan.

The Kentucky-bred Far Bridge banked $412,500 while improving his record to 12-5-3-2. He returned $18.40 for a $2 win bet. In victory, he maintained a perfect in-the-money record of 3-1-0-2 over the Spa turf, all in Grade 1 events.