Lope de Vega Firster Put Up at the Spa

4th-Saratoga, $90,000, Msw, 8-4, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:41.17, fm.
SKETCHES OF SPAIN (IRE) (f, 2, Lope de Vega {Ire}–Janicellaine {Ire} {GSP, $130,051}, by Beat Hollow {GB}), trained by Chad Brown, was one of two well-meant firsters for the trainer, the other being the 9-5 favorite Situation Room (Summer Front). Both the Brown runners settled behind the early pace as Sawanage (English Channel) and Osaka Girl (First Samurai) slugged it out early through initial fractions of :23.16 and :47.99. While the favorite appeared to idle a bit approaching the quarter pole, 5-1 chance Sketches of Spain was full of run, and thrust herself into contention several paths out rounding the home turn. Meanwhile, 41-1 longshot Crystalle (Palace Malice), who caboosed the field early, gathered steam, swinging into the stretch widest of all. As the field straightened out in the lane, the pacesetters started to fall back, while the second flight of runners–including the Todd Pletcher-trained Sparkling Sky (More Than Ready) and Sketches of Spain–were taking their shot at the lead. However, moving fastest of all on the far outside was Crystalle, who boomeranged past Sketches of Spain and Sparkling Sky in deep stretch, but in doing so, veered slightly inward, causing a chain reaction with those foes who were stationed behind her left hip. Despite crossing the wire ahead by a widening 2 1/4-length margin, Crystalle was demoted to third behind Sketches of Spain, who assumed the victory, and Sparkling Sky, promoted to second. Favored Situation Room rounded out the Super. The winner's dam, Janicellaine, a half-sister to European and English Highweight juvenile filly Chriselliam (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), has a yearling colt by New Bay (GB) in addition to a 2019 full sister to the winner.
Sales history: 400,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Peter M. Brant; B-Ballylinch Stud (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown.