Saratoga: Booked makes the grade in G3 Sanford

By Keith McCalmont —-

Booked makes the grade in G3 Sanford

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Booked led at every point of call under Ricardo Santana, Jr. to make his stakes debut a winning one in Saturday’s Grade 3, $225,000 Sanford, a six-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen for Jackpot Farm, Alvin Fults, Jason Itkin and Michael D. Smith, the Yaupon dark bay entered from a local second-out graduation where he broke inward and brushed with a rival before a pace-pressing score on June 7 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Asmussen credited Santana, Jr. for a smooth beginning today from the inside post.

“Horse has got nice talent,” Asmussen said. “His first jump isn’t great, but it looked like he was traveling very easily in the middle. I think a big colt with a lot of size, that he’ll start finishing his races off a little better.”

Booked broke well from the inside post and made the lead while being pressed by the awkward-starting Pocket Listing through an opening quarter-mile in 21.96 seconds on the fast main track. The pacesetters continued to duel into the turn with Goodbye to Romance tracking from third position and Vissino looking to rally into contention under Jose Ortiz through a half-mile in 45.64.

“He was much the best today,’’ Santana, Jr. said. “The only thing we worried about was the break. He’s a big colt. Today he broke [well] and he was much the best.”

Booked held a 5 1/2-length advantage at the top of the lane as Pocket Listing retreated and Goodbye to Romance fought on along the rail with Vissino angled out wide for the stretch run. But there would be no catching the frontrunning Booked, who scored by six lengths under steady urging in a final time of 1:11.24.

Santana, Jr. said the young colt will improve with more racing.

“He’s a 2-year-old, third time out. You can tell he was looking at the crowd, the TVs. I did not want to be too rough with him. Today, he was much the best,” Santana, Jr. said.

Vissino completed the exacta by 10 1/2-lengths over Goodbye to Romance followed by Rasasi, Regent’s Park and Pocket Listing. Waggley, Jack’s Golden Goal and Ashcroft Lane were scratched.

Asmussen said Booked’s demeanor reminds him of his sire, Yaupon, whom he trained to win 6-of-8 starts, including Spa scores in the 2020 Grade 2 Amsterdam and 2021 Grade 1 Forego.

“Yaupon was an extremely fast horse that was unbelievably lazy, which was kind of an odd combination, you just always worried about how quiet he was all the time,” Asmussen said. “But he was extremely talented, and they have a very similar personality, and they both have a lot of speed.”

A better beginning Saturday benefited Booked, who also broke inward and rallied from last-of-6 in his April 28 debut at Churchill Downs to finish a 5 1/4-length second to the Wesley Ward-trained filly Fanshell Beach, who subsequently shipped to Royal Ascot to finish fifth in the Group 2 Norfolk.

“First time [out] he just took a left away from there, and eliminated himself that day, but obviously he’s learning a little bit at a time,” Asmussen said.

Vissino was a $30,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Vissino rallied to post a three-quarter length win in his May 28 debut at Churchill Downs in a five-furlong maiden restricted to juveniles that sold or RNA’d for $65,000 or less at their most recent auction.

Ortiz said he had a great trip with the Preservationist gelding.

“Out of the gate, I was able to save some ground into the turn. When I tipped him out, he gave me a great run,” Ortiz said.

Asmussen indicated Booked could make his next start in the Grade 2, $250,000 Saratoga Special, going 6 1/2 furlongs on August 1 here.

“I expect to run him back in the Saratoga Special. As I mentioned, he’s got a very quiet demeanor, he doesn’t do much in the morning, and I think he’ll need races,” Asmussen said.

The $325,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, out of the Competitive Edge mare Fingerprint, is a half-brother to dual stakes-placed Zadorsky.

Bred in Indiana by Peace Of Heaven Thoroughbreds, Booked banked $123,750 in victory while improving his record to 3-2-1-0. He returned $4.74 for a $2 win bet as the 6-5 mutuel favorite.

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