Designer Legs Gets Adirondack Win

Designer Legs (inside) won the Adirondack stakes after Who's In Town was disqualified to fourth (Photos courtesy NYRA?Coglinese Photos)
By Ron Mitchell, @BH_RMitchell, Blood-Horse
Designer Legs, a Louisiana-bred filly who cost $10,000 at auction and began her career in the upper Midwest, shipped into Saratoga Race Course and emerged with a grade 2 victory to her credit in the $200,000 Adirondack Stakes Aug. 11.
The 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack, with a six-horse field following the scratch of Untapable, was expected to be a test to see whether Fiftyshadesofgold could improve off her stakes romp in Churchill Downs' Debutante Stakes for trainer Bret Calhoun in her second career start. The public liked the Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. homebred's chances to the point of betting her down to 1-5 favoritism as the field went to post.
Who's in Town and Joel Rosario emerged on top after a quarter mile in a quick :21.79 while stalked by longshot Hop the Six, with the favorite strategically placed third by Corey Lanerie. After a half was completed in a sizzling :44.57, Who's in Town continued to lead into the stretch and was soon joined by Designer Legs, with Shaun Bridgmohan up, as Fiftyshadesofgold was attempting to make a run along the inside.
As Who's in Town, on the inside, and Designer Legs, about three out from the rail, engaged each other, Fiftyshadesofgold made her move before having to check after contact was made with Who's in Town. Who's in Town won the duel with Designer Legs, eking out a game victory in 1:16.42.
After a steward's inquiry, Who's in Town was disqualified and placed fourth, with Who's in Town awarded the victory. Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Thank You Marylou, who had improved her position to third in the stretch, was moved up to second, with Fiftyshadesofgold awarded third.
The winner returned $35.00, $11.20, and $4.30. Thank You Marylou was worth $7.70 and $3.40, with the favorite paying $2.10 for third. The field was completed by Who's in Town, Hop the Six, and Charmed Hour, a Harlan's Holiday   filly trained by Ken McPeek who sustained a catastrophic injury.
According to Dr. Scott Palmer, the American Association of Equine Practitioners on-call veterinarian, Charmed Hour suffered an open fracture of right front cannon bone while in the stretch and was euthanized on the track.
A daughter of Graeme Hall   bred in Louisiana by Tommy Hewett, Designer Legs is trained by Dallas Stewart for Valene Farms. Purchased by Murray Valene for $10,000 from the Clear Creek Stud consignment to the 2012 Breeders' Sales Company of Louisiana September yearling sale, the filly began her career for trainer Gary M. Scherer.
After breaking her maiden at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, Designer Legs successfully moved up in company, taking the $75,000 Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes at Prairie Meadows before being transferred to Stewart.
"She ran a great race. Very nice filly. She's going to get better," Stewart said. "I give a lot of credit to (owner) Murray (Valene). I had her early and he sent her to Minnesota because his father is up there. She ran up there and of course she ran in a stake in Iowa. Murray called me and said, 'Hey, we're going to get that filly back. She's the real deal.' A lot of credit goes to Murray and (former trainer) Gary Scherer. She was ready to run; I try just not to mess her up.
"She fought back and forth with that horse (Who's in Town) and it came up the right way."
"Well, I thought I was sitting a good trip down the backside," said Bridgmohan. "Turning for home me and (Joel Rosario) was kind of fighting it out. (Rosario) kind of bumped (Fiftyshadesofgold) a little bit and she hesitated just enough. His filly (Who's in Town) was game but we got lucky and got put up."
"It's very disappointing," Calhoun said of Fiftyshadesofgold's outcome. "I thought we had the best horse. It looked like we were coming through and going to win. There was a pretty good-sized hole there; we were there. She looks like she's all right right now."
"I was sitting behind the leaders trying to find a spot to go," Lanerie said, adding "Absolutely; No doubt" that he would have won had the incident not occurred. "I saw (Joel Rosario) go to the left-handed stick so I committed to the rail. He came off and I had nothing but room there. I came in there and he just shut me off."
"What can I do? I was real pleased with the way my filly ran," trainer Matz said of his initial winning filly. "She was game. I didn't think she'd be on the lead. If there was a hole there, it was only open for a little bit. As long as she comes out of the race OK, we just have to go on from there."
For an Equibase chart, click here.
DESIGNER LEGS (MIDDLE) AND WHO'S IN TOWN BATTLE IT OUT TO THE WIRE