By Mike Kane
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A pinch of seasoning produced a maiden-breaking recipe for Simulate (Kitten's Joy) Saturday in the opener at Saratoga Race Course.
Making his second career start for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Simulate was in front from gate to wire on the inner turf course to win the $100,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds by a head over State's Rights (Constitution). The son of Camou (War Front), a half-sister to GI winner Lea, completed the 1 1/16 miles contest in 1:45.46. He paid $19.60 as the 8-1 fourth choice in the field of 10.
Mott prepped the Claiborne Farm-Adele B. Dilschneider homebred on June 23 at Aqueduct and said that the no-factor sixth in a six-furlong sprint had him ready for round two.
“We just wanted to get a race in him for experience,” Mott said, “because we knew we were coming to Saratoga and a lot of the horses that win in Saratoga have had a race under their belt.”
Mission accomplished. Simulate got what he needed.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Mott said. “It worked out today.”
State's Rights, who finished well after stumbling at the start, and fourth-place West Beach (Omaha Beach) were the only horses in the race with a previous start. West Beach missed third by a neck.
Simulate was Mott's sixth victory of the meet and his first in an open maiden special weight for 2-year-olds.
Under Jose Lezcano, Simulate broke well from his inside post and grabbed the lead. They covered the first quarter mile in :24.38 and put themselves in an enviable position with a dawdling second quarter in :27.13.
“They slowed the pace down,” Mott said. “The rail's out. They cut the corner. Speed's tough if they go slow enough in the first part. That was good.”
Bill Mott and Jose Lezcano | Sarah Andrew
Before going out to the paddock to saddle a horse in the second race, Mott watched two replays of Simulate's win. The pan and head-on shots gave Mott more insight into what he had seen live through his binoculars.
“Just that he's got some acceleration,” Mott said. “He kind of re-broke off a slow pace. He turned for home and he asked him to kick and he gave him a few good strides where he accelerated. He got away from them and that's all it took.”
Simulate also showed some grit when Warlander (Kitten's Joy) and then State's Rights served up some pressure.
“He got hooked up at the quarter pole,” Mott said. “They ran to him.”
Simulate spurted away a bit at the top of the stretch and then dug in approaching the wire.
“I'm not overly surprised,” Mott said. “We've liked him in his training. He's done nothing wrong.”
Two turns it is for #2 Simulate, who graduates at second asking in R1 at Saratoga for trainer Bill Mott with Jose Lezcano in the irons!
The 2YO colt by Kitten's Joy went off at 8/1. pic.twitter.com/hzYCmQuc0G
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) July 27, 2024
1st-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 7-27, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.46, fm, head.
SIMULATE (c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Camou, by War Front) tried six furlongs on debut at Aqueduct June 23 but ran a steady sixth at 11-1 odds. On the stretch out Saturday, the 8-1 shot, breaking from the rail, sought the lead from the opening strides and rated nicely up front through fractions of :24.38 and :51.51. Set down off the turn, he got a bit of early breathing room but then had to hold off a calvary charge of runners to the wire and just got the better end of a bob to win by a head over States' Rights (Constitution) in a driving finish. Simulate is the first winner out of an unraced half-sister to GISW and Claiborne stallion Lea (First Samuari). Camou has since produced a yearling filly by Catholic Boy but was barren to Blame for this year. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $55,675. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY); T-William I. Mott.
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