Saratoga: Movin’ On Up rallies from last to first in G2 Caress

By Christian Abdo —-

Movin’ On Up rallies from last to first in G2 Caress

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Kenneth Ramsey’s Movin’ On Up successfully cut back in distance when rallying from last-of-5 to make the grade in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Caress, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 5-year-old Accelerate gray entered from a fourth behind next-out Grade 1-winners Classic Q and Portfolio Duration in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile on May 2 at Churchill Downs. She previously finished third in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Giant’s Causeway in April at Keeneland, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by returning stablemate In Our Time, who went off the 7-5 favorite in the Caress.

Movin’ On Up was less fancied at odds of 5-1, having made 16-of-19 prior starts beyond sprint distances. On Saturday, Movin’ On Up proved best in her ninth graded attempt, piloted to the breakthrough victory by Tyler Gaffalione, who improved to 3-for-5 aboard the mare but had not ridden her in a race since August 2024 here.

“Tyler took a hold and the pace fell apart and Movin’ On Up picked up the pieces. In her own right, she’s a solid filly,” Joseph, Jr. said. “The last race she came out of had two [next out] Grade 1-winners – it’s been probably the most productive turf race of the year. She’s coming out of a very strong race.”

Movin’ On Up exited post 2 smoothly, but settled at the back as Sunna and In Our Time dueled through an opening quarter-mile in 20.87 seconds over the firm turf. That pair put 5 1/2 lengths between them and Zeitlos and Obstreperous, with Movin’ On Up another 2 1/2 lengths behind in last down the backside.

“Saffie said just to be patient with her,” Gaffalione said. “She’s been training great, and I just needed to get the trip today. She broke, she put herself where she wanted to be and in a great rhythm.”

The mutuel second choice Sunna and favored In Our Time continued their speed duel in the turn, with their sizable early advantage diminishing with each step around the bend. Sunna swung four-wide into the lane and left an opening along the rail as the half-mile elapsed in 43.24. Zeitlos, piloted by Jose Ortiz, challenged for command with a rally up that gap, while Gaffalione angled Movin’ On Up out to make her move outside of the early leaders.

“I smooched [to] her going into the turn and she picked it up nicely,” said Gaffalione. “As soon as we got to the stretch, I tipped her out and she found another gear and really finished the job well. She’s one of those horses that makes us look good.”

Zeitlos battled on bravely, but Movin’ On Up edged clear a sixteenth out to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:01.04.

In Our Time held third, one length behind Zeitlos, with Obstreperous completing the superfecta and Sunna rounding out the order of finish. Italian Soiree was scratched.

The Kentucky-bred Movin’ On Up was claimed for $35,000 out of a third-out graduation going one-mile and 70-yards on Tapeta in December 2023 at Gulfstream Park. She is out of the winning Cairo Prince mare Stifle Yourself, a half-sister to Grade 1-winning turfer Harvey’s Lil Goil, Grade 3-placed Archie the Giza, and Gosger, runner-up to Journalism in last year’s Grade 1 Preakness.

“To get a Grade 2 with her – she’s already won a stakes – but to get a Grade 2 on her resume is big,” said Joseph, Jr. “She has a good family. She’s related to Gosger, but he’s retired and he was going to make the family better, too.”

Winning owner Ken Ramsey was pleased to be in attendance on Saturday after having a kidney transplant in 2024.

“This is the first time I’ve been to Saratoga since I had my kidney transplant,” Ramsey said. “I hold the world’s record for a kidney transplant. It’s a Guinness World Record – I beat out a guy in Toronto, Canada. I got a kidney transplant at 88-years and 270 days.

“We claimed this filly for $35,000 and now she’s a Grade 2 stakes winner,” Ramsey added.

Joseph, Jr. said a potential target for his contenders is the Grade 1, $1.75 million [$875,000 KTDF] Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint at 6 1/2-furlongs on August 29.

“Movin’ On Up doesn’t like Kentucky Downs. She’s been there twice. In Our Time loves it, she ran twice there last year and she’s going to go to the Grade 1 at Kentucky Downs,” Joseph, Jr. said. “I’m tempted to try the 6 1/2 [furlongs] one more time [with Movin’ On Up], but she’s run poorly both times at Kentucky Downs.”

Ortiz said the Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen-trained Zeitlos was game in her second consecutive runner-up finish in the Caress. The millionaire Curlin mare was also a one-length fifth in 2024.

“I had a beautiful trip, no excuses, just second best. The winner is a deserving winner and ran a very good race today. She [Zeitlos] tries,” Ortiz said. “In a small field, I tried to be a little closer than usual, and it probably took some closing [ability] out of her, but I felt like the position I had with her going into the turn, I had to go forward instead of taking back. I went forward, and maybe it cost me a little bit, but the winner ran very good.”

Movin’ On Up banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 20-6-2-5 and returning $12.62 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with a nine-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live presents daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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