Therapist took his record to a perfect three-for-three with his second open stakes tally Saturday. Donning cap and gown at first asking against fellow Empire-breds here July 2, the homebred followed suit with a victory in the six-furlong Laurel Futurity S. Sept. 16. Sent off at 4-1 in this first try beyond six furlongs, Therapist saved ground in fourth off opening fractions of :23.16 and :46.90. Patiently ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the chestnut punched through on the rail late to score.
“I was in great position,” winning pilot Irad Ortiz, Jr. said. “I got the two hole, we broke good, saved some ground by staying on the inside, [and] I wished I could have worked a way to get to the outside [in the stretch]. But the rail opened and I got through, and he responded really well.”
Trainer Christophe Clement, who trained the winner's dam on behalf of Waterville Lake Stable, added, “It was a great race to stretch him out because it's a one-turn mile. He got up very strong, so I guess he can get the distance. He's been great. He's a nice horse. He's unbeaten. He's also a New York bred, but he can obviously compete in open company. I'll have to talk to the owners to see if we go on or give him a break, I'm not sure.”
The winner has a weanling full-sister and his dam was bred back to Temple City.
AWAD S., $100,000, BEL, 10-28, 2yo, 1mT, 1:35.41, fm.
1–THERAPIST, 122, c, 2, by Freud
1st Dam: Lady Renaissance, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Artistic, by Pirate's Bounty
3rd Dam: Paintbrush, by Bold Hour
($8,000 RNA Ylg '16 SARAUG). O-Oak Bluff Stables; B-Oak Bluff
Stable, LLC & C. Clement (NY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Irad
Ortiz, Jr.. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $157,200.[bullet ad=”bradshaw-randy-shell”][bullet ad=”equix-optimatch”]2–V. I. P. Code, 122, c, 2, City Zip–Oro Blanco, by Hold for Gold.
O-Jeffrey L. Nielsen; B-Everest Stables Inc. (MD); T-Phil
Schoenthal. $20,000.[bullet ad=”maryland-shell”]3–Looking Ready, 122, c, 2, More Than Ready–Seeknfind, by
Giant's Causeway. O-Roddy J. Valente & Darlene Bilinski; B-Dr.
Jerry Bilinski & Roddy Valente (NY); T-Bruce N. Levine. $10,000.[bullet ad=”crupi-trained”]Margins: 1, NO, NK. Odds: 4.00, 71.75, 13.20.
Also Ran: Way Early, Sand Dancer, Empirically, War Chest, Lone Sentry, Bourbon Currency, Devine Entry.
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