Chattel Kicks Away in Skidmore Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Chattel wins the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Leaving the gate at odds of 22-1, David Baxter's longshot Chattel bested a field of nine with a ferocious kick to win the $100,000 Skidmore Stakes for juveniles going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf Aug. 17 at Saratoga Race Course.
Breaking from post 4 with Kendrick Carmouche aboard, Chattel settled in fourth position early as Gins and Tins and Sir Truebadour battled up to lead the field of nine through fractions of :21.84 for the opening quarter-mile and :45.26 for the half.
At the quarter pole, Chattel was tipped out from the rail and set down in a full drive. He met and passed Gins and Tins at the eighth-pole, extending away to win by 3 1/4 lengths.
He completed the distance in final time of 1:03.51 on the Mellon turf course listed as firm.
"We wanted to sit closer to the pace," Carmouche said. "We broke good. I kind of got squeezed, but (Rajiv) Maragh (aboard Yes and Yes) kind of wanted his position inside, so I just slowly eased him back. Around the half-mile pole I saw everything developing in front of me. Man, he was on the bit. I said I can win the race from here. I got through at the top of the lane, and when I got through he really accelerated throughout the stretch."
Returning $47 for a $2 win wager, the son of Giant Oak picked up his first stakes win in his fifth career start. Chattel broke his maiden last time out on July 13 at Laurel Park for trainer Brandon McFarlane.
"He had a ton of horse," said McFarlane. "I thought he was actually going to be closer, he got a little bit further back than I thought, because he's real quick out of the gate. I knew he could pass, because I schooled him last week behind two horses, taking dirt, and then he tipped out and just went by easy, so I knew he could pass."
Finishing in second was 3-1 shot Swamp Rat followed by Good Good.
Shang Shang Shang, Lexitonian, and Backtohisroots were scratched from the race. Chelsea Cloisters and Stillwater Cove finished 1-2 in the Aug. 15 Bolton Landing Stakes, which they were cross-entered into.