Voodoo Song Makes It Four in a Row in the Saranac

Voodoo Song loves Saratoga. The 3-year-old colt by English Channel  won his fourth consecutive race on the turf at the Spa, taking the Saranac Stakes (G3T).

The 1 1/8-mile Saranac was the first black-type win for Voodoo Song, who is a Barry Schwartz homebred, trained by Linda Rice, and ridden by Jose Lezcano. 

New York-bred Voodoo Song ran true to style, taking the lead early as he had done in previous three starts. The start was far from clean, however, with Voodoo Song breaking to the inside and colliding with Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's 3-2 favorite Bricks and Mortar and squeezing him back. Voodoo Song launched forward and by the first turn was several lengths ahead of the rest of the field. He tracked well in front down the backstretch where Bricks and Mortar made a big move and soon second behind the pacesetter.

Coming out of the second turn, Voodoo Song repelled the challenge from Bricks and Mortar and pulled away by a length with a furlong to go. As the field moved down the stretch, second-choice Yoshida found running room and rocketed toward the leader with huge, ground-eating strides. Voodoo Song held on to win by a neck in a 1:46.18. The final time of the race was shown as a course record immediately following the race and later corrected.

Yoshida, owned by WinStar Farm, Head of Plains Partners, China Horse Club, and SF Racing, was second by about a neck followed by Bricks and Mortar another half a length back.

Voodoo Song paid $14.40, $7.20, and $4.30. Yoshida paid $4.20 and $3, while Bricks and Mortar paid $2.60. The $1 exacta was $28.75, and the $1 trifecta paid $74.50.