Evershed Rides the Rail to Victory in Waya
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Evershed wins the Waya Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
When a Saratoga Race Course allowance race did not fill for his 4-year-old filly Evershed last week, trainer Arnaud Delacour was understandably disappointed.
But that's all a thing of the past.
While Delacour could not use the allowance race as a prep for the Sept. 26 Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park, now he can send the daughter of Churchill into the race as a graded stakes winner.
Plan B worked out perfectly for Delacour as jockey Flavien Prat kept Evershed close to the pacesetting favorite Storm Miami along the rail and then scooted past her from the inside in the final furlong to notch a three-quarter-length victory in the $225,000 Waya Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares Aug. 28 at the Spa.
"(This) was a great backup and she was doing very well," Delacour said.
Evershed, owned by Mark Grier, recorded her initial stakes win in the Waya after three previous tries in black-type company, topped by a second last year in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G2T).
"I guess we'll have to come back here next year," Delacour said with a laugh when the filly's prowess at the Spa was mentioned.
Third in an allowance optional claimer at Colonial Downs last time out, Evershed's ability to handle the 1 3/8-mile distance had a counterpoint in grade 2-placed Storm Miami being the lone speed in a field of eight.
After 6 furlongs, Storm Miami led by 1 1/2 lengths in a slow 1:16.36 on firm turf while Prat was biding his time on the rail in third.
"I thought we were in the right spot," Delacour said. "We were behind a very live horse. I thought that was the right horse to track."
In the stretch, Unmerited Favor moved up outside the leader, but it was Evershed who had the most kick and took charge in the final furlong to prevail in 2:15.12 as the 7-2 second choice ($9.40).
"I was able to use her and get myself in good position," Prat said. "I felt like I was traveling very well when we turned for home. It was a matter of finding a gap and when she had it, she went through very well."
EGL-One Racing's Storm Miami, a Blue Point mare trained by Amelia Green, was second by a neck over Repole Stable's Whitethorn , a daughter of Not This Time trained by Todd Pletcher who rallied from sixth.
Evershed, a winner of three of eight starts, was bred by Lynch Bages and Camas Park Stud out of the Darshaan mare Balankiya and was sold for $369,665 at the 2023 Arqana August Yearling Sale.
Video: Waya S. (G3T)
Spirit of St Louis takes West Point
It was a win that felt like two million bucks.
The 7-year-old grade 1-winning gelding Spirit of St Louis reached a milestone Friday, as he rallied from fifth and captured the $200,000 West Point Stakes for New York-breds by a half-length at the Spa.
The victory under Manny Franco in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes was the 12th in 24 career starts and lifted his earnings to a glittering $2,035,000.
"He doesn't love Saratoga, but he's doing so well, he's finding his youth," trainer Chad Brown said. "He's training like he's a couple of years younger."
A son of Medaglia d'Oro, bred by Chester and Mary Broman out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid, Spirit of St Louis ($10.74) is owned by Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn.
Sounds Like a Plan was second and George Briggs third.
The final time was 1:40.03.