By Mike Kane
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A little bit of seasoning came in handy for Rare Art (Munnings) in her maiden special weight victory Friday at Saratoga Race Course.
A one-length losing third in her debut on July 21, Rare Art prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Good Conduct (Without Parole) at the conclusion of their spirited duel through the stretch in the seventh race. Rare Art and Luis Saez reached the wire in the 1 1/16th miles $100,000 turf event for 2-year-old fillies in 1:46.36 and paid $6.60 as the 2-1 favorite.
Trainer Tony Dutrow said that Rare Art benefitted from her first race, was able to recover from a slow start and handle the stiff challenge presented by Good Conduct.
“The one experience they get, if they're a nicer kind, they really come alive the next time,” Dutrow said. “I think that's all that was with her today. She had that one out. We gave her 35 days back to the next race. We were really confident that all the pieces were in place for today, or we'd have waited longer. When they're a nice kind of horse, and they have that one experience, they're a good filly the next time, or a good colt.”
Dutrow purchased Rare Art for the partnership of Woodford Racing and Team D for $170,000 at. the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
“We liked her a lot as a yearling,” said Bill Farish of Woodford Racing, who noted that Dutrow had some serious competition from David Ingordo in the bidding when she was in the auction ring.
“Tony and David both loved her,” Farish said. “Tony got to draw the long straw on her and get her and he's loved her since the beginning. We're really happy. Her first start was really good here in Saratoga. She ran a great race, and we were very encouraged by that. Then to have her come back and really didn't have all the best of it today. She broke terrible and then she had to circle the field and go wide. We're just absolutely delighted. Winning a race like that up here with that list of well-bred horses in the race, it's exciting.”
Dutrow said he spotted the daughter of the Giant's Causeway mare Adjudication but figured she might be outside his price range.
“I saw her back at the barn and didn't think we could buy her,” he said. “She was $170,000 and I didn't think it was possible to get her for $170,000 but, nonetheless, I was extremely excited about her when I saw her the previous days back at the barn.”
Wild and Free (Into Mischief) with Good Conduct a length behind provided the pace early on through fractions of :24.66, :50.55 and 1:15.93 while Saez was moving Rare Art from near the rear of the field of 10. They were three lengths back after six furlongs and on even terms with the leaders at the head of the stretch. Good Conduct, trained by Cherie DeVaux, forced Rare Art to work hard to get her victory.
“Cherie's filly was awesome today,” Dutrow said. “She was game to the wire. Our filly, she went wide around the turn and passed horses and was able to keep it going through the stretch. Very impressive.”
Rare Art was just a bit better and earned her first opportunity to pose for pictures with her happy connections.
“Getting to win at Saratoga, to win for these connections with Team D and the supporters and Bill Farish and Woodford Stable, it's so special,” Dutrow said. “This is a really special filly. I looked at each and every one of the fillies in this race and they were some beautiful fillies. The day is going to come when we'll look back on this race and see how many nice fillies come out of this race today.”
7th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-23, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:46.36, fm, 3/4 length.
RARE ART (f, 2, Munnings–Adjudication, by Giant's Causeway), who made an encouraging debut when a late-rallying third over track and trip July 21, made a five-wide stretch bid under Luis Saez to secure victory. Saez, who had dropped his crop in the stretch of her debut, made no errors today as he settled the 2-1 favorite near the back of the 10-horse field before rousing her on the far turn. She swept past four of her rivals in the stretch and finished 3/4 lengths ahead of the forwardly-placed Good Conduct (Without Parole {GB}) at the finish. Her dam, an unraced daughter of MGSW Criminologist ($554,313), has produced the SP Point of Entry filly La Dame Blanche ($136,010). She was bred to Two Phil's for this term. Sales History: $170,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $67,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Woodford Racing, LLC and Team D; B-Ralph Ebert (KY); T-Anthony W. Dutrow.
RARE ART, the 2YO daughter of @coolmoreamerica stallion Munnings, breaks her maiden in the seventh race with @luissaezpty up for trainer Anthony Dutrow. pic.twitter.com/N4Mfz2A50k
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 23, 2024
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
