Off the Tracks Soars in Schuylerville Stakes
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J. Stables' Off the Tracks went from maiden winner to stakes victress in just her second start July 24, taking the $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes (gr. III) in powerful fashion at Saratoga Race Course.
The 2-year-old Curlin filly sat just off the pace set by Astoria Stakes winner Moment is Right, who went a quarter in :22.15 and a half in :45.52.
In the turn for home, jockey Luis Saez gave Off the Tracks her cue to go and the Roderick Rodriguez trainee responded willingly, drawing off through five-eighths in :57.98. She won the six-furlong test by 3 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:11.27 on the fast main track, giving Rodriguez his first Saratoga stakes score in his first try sending out a starter at the Spa.
"First of all, I thank God for the win," Rodriguez said. "I thought there was going to be a lot of speed. I think she's going to be better going longer, so I was expecting just to finish strong, but the race presented itself different. She was right there second and that surprised me, that she was right there so soon. I was hoping for a good finish."
Banree closed from fourth to secure the runner-up position, while Decked Out completed the trifecta. Positively Royal, trained by Todd Pletcher and favored at odds of 6-5, faded to last in the eight-horse field under jockey Javier Castellano.
"She got a little bumped on the backside and I think it took a little out of my horse, and she didn't finish today," Castellano said.
"She broke OK, but she kind of got bumped repeatedly down the backside by the outside horse," Pletcher added. "She just didn't fire today."
Off the Tracks returned $19.60, $8.60, and $5.50 at odds of 8-1, while Banree paid $7.60 and $4.90, with Decked Out bringing $3.50. Moment Is Right, Areolite, One Minute, Little Miss Miss, and Positively Royal completed the order of finish.
"I feel amazing," Saez said. "I knew the filly was good and she was coming from Florida. She had a good (debut) and was training good. When I got her in the clear, I knew she was going to win."
Rodriguez used a 4 1/4-length June 13 maiden special weight debut victory at Gulfstream Park as a springboard to Off the Tracks' Schuylerville victory.
"I thought she was going to be a higher price, believe it or not," the trainer said. "It wasn't a tough field (in her maiden win), but the way she did it... was incredible. That gave me confidence to bring her up here. She has a big heart."
Bred in Kentucky by Lee McMillin out of the Boston Harbor mare Harve de Grace, and purchased for $50,000 by bloodstock agent Chad Summers from the Amende Place consignment at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale, Off the Tracks has now won both of her two starts for earnings of $111,600.
"I think we're going to wait (for the grade I Spinaway Stakes Sept. 6)," Rodriguez said of plans for the winner's next start. "These 2-year-old fillies, they're so young. The more time you give them, I think it's going to be better in the end.
"I usually give my horses, especially young horses, about a month and a half. I picked this race because of the timing, giving her six weeks between her races."