Marley's Freedom Much the Best in Ballerina
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Marley's Freedom rolls to victory in the Ballerina at Saratoga Race Course
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith thought the rail was playing better Aug. 25 at Saratoga Race Course, which made an easy four-wide victory in the $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina Stakes (G1) by Marley's Freedom even more impressive.
Cicero Farms' 4-year-old Blame filly made a strong move on the outside around the far turn of the seven-furlong event, then drew off under Smith's hand ride to a 3 1/4-length score. The Bob Baffert trainee—a $35,000 yearling—landed her first grade 1 as the cherry on top of a four-race win streak, three of those in graded stakes.
"I thought the rail is better today. Could be the way things are playing, but I was where I was and couldn't do nothing drastic to get her over there," said Smith, who broke from post 7 on Marley's Freedom. "She was moving really well and had that punch at the end."
Finley'sluckycharm set out for the early lead in the Ballerina and put up fractions of :23.11 and :45.44 before fading. Around the turn for home, a four-horse cavalry charge through three-quarters in 1:08.92 saw Lewis Bay briefly take over after prompting the pace, while Ivy Bell cut the corner to issue a challenge and Union Strike made a mild bid as well.
But Marley's Freedom blew by them with her outside run and drew off from the eighth pole to the wire, where she stopped the clock in 1:21.39. The 9-5 choice in a field of eight, she returned $5.80 on a $2 ticket.
PT and K Stable's Still There, winner of the July 28 Twixt Stakes at Laurel Park, closed from fifth after stumbling at the start to collect place honors, a tremendous effort in her graded stakes debut for trainer Dane Kobiskie.
"She ran great," jockey David Cohen said. "I was in tight quarters the whole way, and for her to kick on like that obviously showed a lot of heart. She ran down some good horses, and the winner was obviously a freak out there. To run second to that isn't too bad."
Lewis Bay completed the trifecta.
Marley's Freedom made her first start for Baffert May 27 in the Desert Stormer Stakes (G3), off an April 20 allowance/optional claiming win, her final start for trainer Bob Hess Jr. She won the Santa Anita Park sprint going six furlongs by 7 1/4 lengths.
"When I got her, she was in great shape," Baffert said. "She just came off a very big impressive win, and I really can't take a lot of credit for that. She came to me in great shape and was running really well, and I just kept her in that form."
The bay filly won the July 7 Great Lady M Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos Race Course going 6 1/2 furlongs before taking her first trip to New York for the Ballerina.
"Winning her last two races was pretty impressive," Baffert said. "The quality is there, and you have to come to Saratoga if you are looking for a championship. That is why I brought her, to see how she fits, (and) this is a pretty good field."
Marley's Freedom stepped up to graded competition for the first time at the end of her 3-year-old season, when she was fourth in the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. She ran sixth in the Jan. 27 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park and was second in the March 24 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) back at Santa Anita before she kicked off her win quartet.
The Ballerina is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event for the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs.
"She handled it well, and we saw what's she's made of," Baffert said. "Not sure what she'll do next. We'll just get her back and see if she needs another race."
Bred in Kentucky by Jack Swain III out of the Formal Gold mare Relaxing Green, Marley's Freedom was purchased by Cicero Farms from Brookdale Sales' consignment to the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She has won $628,435 from 12 starts, with six wins and two runner-up efforts.