Sandy'z Slew Sprints to Victory in Troy Handicap
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Elsa Lorieul
Sandy'z Slew wins the Troy Handicap at Saratoga Race Course
Victory was short and sweet for James Riccio's Sandy'z Slew, who led at every point of call to win the $200,000 Troy Handicap (G3T) Aug. 5 at Saratoga Race Course.
Hustled to the lead from the break in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint, Sandy'z Slew established a comfortable 1 1/2-length lead. Tracking the pace, Tombelaine pressed the leader running a close head behind as the field hit the quarter pole.
Asked for speed at the top of the stretch by jockey Jose Ortiz, Sandy'z Slew dug in under a left-handed whip to open up his lead to 2 1/2 lengths—his largest of the race—at the top of the stretch. Showing some signs of tiring, the gelding lost ground as Blind Ambition issued a late challenge in the final furlong.
Holding gamely under continued urging from Ortiz, Sandy'z Slew hit the wire first in a final time of 1:05.07 over a turf course rated soft.
Sandy'z Slew was pulled up by Ortiz just past the finish as the jockey dismounted. While the gelding did not appear to be in distress, he was vanned off the track back to the barn.
"He didn't break down," Ortiz said following the race. "I could feel it when I started jogging, so I pulled him up. He took a bad step near the quarter pole, it was probably there. But he kept going in the stretch and showed a lot of heart. I didn't notice (at first), I thought it was just a bad step. He was good enough to keep running. But when I started jogging him, it (looked like) he hurt a little bit. I think he'll be OK."
Blind Ambition finished second, three-quarters of a length back, followed by Disco Partner, Square Shooter, Holding Gold, Tombelaine, Ready for Rye, and Eastwood.
Sandy'z Slew opened his season with a fifth-place finish in the Jan. 1 Janus Stakes but followed that loss with two optional-claiming allowance wins before taking on the Troy. Sunday's victory was his third straight in four starts this year, the longest winning streak for the son of Limehouse in 43 starts and his first step up to graded company.
Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, Sandy'z Slew was bred in New York by Robert Hahn and was consigned by Eddie Woods to the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where he was purchased by Team Clear Stars Stable for $70,000. Sandy'z Slew was claimed exactly one year ago by Riccio for $40,000 from Team Clear Stars Stable and trainer Rick Schosberg.
Sandy'z Slew improved his record to 10-8-5, with $684,487 in earnings.