Claimed for just $25,000 in March, the gelding has won three in a row for owner James Riccio and Dutrow said he has entered the gelding in Saturday’s $1 million Travers (G1) and plans to wheel him back off the short break and take on much tougher than he will meet facing seven New York breds on Wednesday.
Dutrow is no stranger to bringing runners back off short rest.
Willy Beamin won a state bred Alw-2 optional claimer on June 20 in his second start for the barn, and was brought back on June 24 to win the Mike Lee.
Over the past two years Dutrow has brought back runners 46 times off a 1-7 day break and won with 16, a 35% win clip.
One of the most memorable quick turnarounds for Dutrow came back in 2005 with a horse named Golden Man, who had finished third in the Peter Pan (G3) in May.
Dutrow entered him in both the Long Branch Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on July 16, and the Leonard Richards Stakes (G3) the following day at Delaware Park.
He ran third in the Long Branch at 6-1, losing the place spot by a nose.
The gelding was then vanned to Delaware Park and he ran the very next day in the Richards, finishing second to Sun King at 7-1.
On Jan. 13 of this year Dutrow ran King and Crusader, winning a restricted Alw-1 optional claimer. He then brought him back on Jan. 16 to win the Jimmy Winkfield.
Dutrow will certainly be “beamin” if he can win the Albany and the Travers three days later with a $25,000 claimer.
Michael Dempsey provides his selections for Saratoga each racing day. Mike’s Best Plays Report is available each weekend, with his strongest plays and selections including the top stakes races.
The Saratoga Special Price Reduced!
Get Michael’s full card each racing day at Saratoga from now through Monday, September 5, Labor Day. No racing on Tuesdays. Get his full card Reports for the remainder of the meeting at a big savings!
Purchase Michael’s Saratoga Special now, which has just been reduced to $69.95 and receive his full card report for the remainder of the meeting, a big savings over the daily price of $12 per report.
Let’s head out to Saratoga for Wednesday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 9 The Albany (Post time 5:30 ET)
3 Zivo 3-1
2 Willy Beamin 9-5
7 Fox Rules 4-1
8 Peal of Wisdom 12-1
Zivo tracked the early pace, split rivals nearing the 3/16’s, tool over just inside the final furlong and held on gamely to get the win against state bred Alw-1 foes in his first start against winners. The colt is showing steady improvement and has the advantage of having a win at today’s nine furlong distance, although it was over a muddy main track. He makes his third start of his current form cycle and looks primed for another top effort here for the Chad Brown barn that has been on a nice roll at the meeting, hitting at a 30% clip.
Willy Beamin was claimed for just $25,000 back in March by the Rick Dutrow barn and the gelding has won for fun in his first three starts for the barn, passing his first two state bred allowance conditions and then last out winning the Mike Lee by four lengths. That state bred stake did not come up real tough, four of the runners he beat having come back to run and the best finish among the quartet was a was a fifth place finish by Brigand against Alw-1 foes at Del Mar. He returns here off a two month break and Tricky Rick said he is going to enter this guy in the Travers (G1) on Saturday and run him back there off a two day break. We have seen the barn do this in the past with great success, and if he is talking Travers he must be really happy with the way this guy is coming up to this race. The main problem is going to be the short price. His 9-5 morning line may look more like 4-5 by the time they load them in the gate.
Fox Rules took the field gate to wire to win the state bred New York Derby at Finger Lakes by 6 ½ lengths. The third place finisher in the race was Smokin Candy, who came back to beat non-winners of three optional claimers in his next outing at Finger Lakes on Aug. 6. This guy had done his best work on turf but came up with a career top last out. He did have things pretty easy up front and that will not be the case today.
Wagering
WIN: Zivo to win at 5-2 or better.
EXACTA: 2,3 / 2,3,7,8
TRIFECTA: 2,3 / 2,3,7,8 / 2,3,4,7,8
