Perfect Alibi Gets Perfect Trip in Adirondack
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos
Perfect Alibi takes the Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Tracy Farmer's Perfect Alibi took advantage of a seam between horses in the stretch of the $200,000 Adirondack Stakes (G2) for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 4 to score her first stakes win in just her third start.
Trained by Mark Casse, the Sky Mesa filly won on debut by 9 1/2 lengths in a Churchill Downs maiden special weight race May 16 and returned June 6 to finish second in the Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park.
"This filly is funny because in the morning when she breezes, you wouldn't know she's anything," Casse said. "She'll go a half in :50, and it's like she's giving you everything. I was a little surprised she broke her maiden the way she did so easy.
"I told Mr. Farmer, 'I can't tell you not to run her, I can't tell you to run her.' Good thing about Mr. Farmer is he's not afraid to lose. Sometimes, you have to run them. This is why you run them, because if you watched her train the past couple of weeks, you would think she wouldn't be any good."
In Sunday's 6 1/2-furlong test, Perfect Alibi and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. found themselves midpack as 3-5 favorite Frank's Rockette vied for the lead. Integral broke through the front and took the field through the opening quarter in :22.06 and the half in :45.84 while being pressed by Just Fly.
Entering the turn, 2-1 second choice Magic Dance, who fell to her knees at the start, made her way up to the leaders from the outside. As the fillies shuffled for position in the turn, a wall of horses ran five wide across the track at the top of the stretch. But as Magic Dance made her bid from the outside, Perfect Alibi was able to get through in the middle of the track with Frank's Rockette on the rail.
Perfect Alibi finished a half-length ahead of Frank's Rockette in a final time of 1:18.39.
"I had a good trip. I broke running because she's that kind of filly," Ortiz said. "She has a nice stride. I got a good position on the turn, and I just had my hands down and relaxed.
"Turning for home, (Magic Dance) was on the outside, so I didn't want to make a premature move and try to get through because it looked like (jockey Ricardo) Santana had a lot of horse, so I just waited. They didn't keep a straight (path), so I got through in between the horses and she responded really well."
At odds of 6-1, the winner returned $15.40, $4, and $2.40. Frank's Rockette paid $2.60 and $2.10, and Magic Dance returned $2.30.
Bred in Kentucky by Pin Oak Stud out of the Maria's Mon mare No Use Denying, Perfect Alibi is a half sister to four other winners, including 2017 Sky Classic Stakes (G2T) runner-up Noble Thought. The filly was a $220,000 purchase by Farmer from The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, where she was consigned by Denali Stud.
"I would think she would probably come back in the (Sept. 1) Spinaway (G1)," Casse said. "I think going farther will be better for her."