Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay's Nakatomi (Firing Line), a longshot third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita, broke through with a career-best effort to capture Saturday's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at the Spa.
Backed at odds of 7-2, Nakatomi broke smartly from his rail draw and, somewhat surprisingly, showed good early speed while chasing favored 10-time winner Skelly (Practical Joke) from second through an opening quarter in :22.20.
Traveling nicely approaching the quarter pole, Nakatomi set his sights on Skelly at the top of the stretch and powered on by to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths. It was another 3/4 of a length back to longshot Twisted Ride (Great Notion) in third.
Nakatomi, winner of Keeneland's Bowman Mill S. back in 2021, made two starts since his aforementioned effort at the Championships, finishing third as the favorite in Tampa's Pelican Stakes Feb. 10 and third in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan last time Mar. 30. Nakatomi made two previous starts at the Spa. He finished third as a 2-year-old in the GII Saratoga Special Stakes and won an optional claimer in the slop during last year's meeting.
Wesley Ward was pleased to keep training Nakatomi after he was purchased for $205,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. Ward selected Nakatomi as a yearling ($25,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale graduate) and he's been in the barn since.
“Everything came together today,” Ward said. “We're lucky he was fresh because the track was playing speed, and he broke so well and he was up a lot closer than he would if he had been running all the time. Everything just worked out–that happens rarely, especially in a Grade I, but it happened today.”
Ward continued, “He's really coming into his own. He's a lightly raced 5-year-old. We only run him a few times a year as I try to give my horses winters off and this guy is a really special horse to be around. Fergus Galvin [Hunter Valley Farm] brought me over to the barn and when he led him out I said, 'that's the one I want.' I picked him out as a yearling and to have him since a yearling until now and win a Grade I and be with him nearly every day just makes it ever so special.”
“He went through the sale last year and I said, 'You've got to buy this horse.' Sheikh Fahad [Al Thani, Qatar Racing] stayed in for his half and he bought out the other partners, so I'm just elated my great friend Alex Cole [racing manager for the Hays] came in for me, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here today. I can't thank Jim Hay and Alex and Fergus Galvin and Sheikh Fahad enough for leaving me with the horse because it really paid off for everybody today, especially me.”
As for a potential start in the GII Phoenix Oct. 4 at Keeneland, a race Nakatomi finished second in as the favorite last year, Ward said, “This guy likes spaces in between races, so we'll go ahead home and get together with Fergus and Alex and make a plan. I'd really like to win the Phoenix, which is opening day at Keeneland and gives him good spacing. From there, we have to wheel right back to the Breeders' Cup, but at least we go from his home track and then we ship out to California.”
Pedigree Notes:
Nakatomi becomes the first graded stakes winner for Firing Line. He is the sire of two other black-type winners. Nakatomi is the fourth top-level winner for broodmare sire Flatter.
Applelicious, a maiden of nine career starts, is also responsible for 2-year-old filly Apples Redline (Timeline) and a colt by Prince of War of this year. Applelicious is a half-sister to K. D.'s Shady Lady (Maria's Mon), the dam of GISW Lady of Fifty (After Market). Applelicious brought $2,000 from Maynard Thompson at the 2019 KEENOV sale.
NAKATOMI makes a huge comeback with a win in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) with @Tyler_Gaff aboard for trainer Wesley Ward and owner @Qatar_Racing. pic.twitter.com/QmvUYGY3p8
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) July 27, 2024
Saturday, Saratoga
ALFRED G. VANDERBILT H.-GI, $350,000, Saratoga, 7-27, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.97, ft.
1–NAKATOMI, 120, g, 5, by Firing Line
1st Dam: Applelicious, by Flatter
2nd Dam: Annie's Apple, by Shawklit Won
3rd Dam: Maid for Steele, by Rare Performer
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($18,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $25,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $205,000 4yo '23 FTKHRA). O-Qatar Racing LLC and Hay, Mrs. Fitriani; B-Arnold Zetcher LLC & Crestwood Farm (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $192,500. Lifetime Record: 18-6-2-6, $1,153,776. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Skelly, 123, g, 5, Practical Joke–Adande, by Bwana Charlie.1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $350,000 RNA 2yo '21 FTFMAR). O-Red Lane Thoroughbreds LLC; B-H. Allen Poindexter (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $70,000.
3–Twisted Ride, 118, g, 5, Great Notion–Diva's Gold, by Tenpins. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Kasey K Racing Stable LLC, Michael R. Day and Final Turn Racing Stable LLC; B-Kasey K Racing Stable (PA); T-Michael M. Moore. $42,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3/4, 4 1/4. Odds: 3.65, 1.15, 34.50.
Also Ran: Baby Yoda, My Buddy B, Subrogate.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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