By Christina Bossinakis
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY–Favored Idiomatic (Curlin) towered over her competition both in stature and on paper in Saturday's GI Ogden Phipps S. Despite her imposing presence, however, it was Klaravich Stables' Randomized (Nyquist) who stole the show when holding on to a head victory over last year's champion older mare in the 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar in November.
Breaking from the rail, Randomized, sent off at generous 6-1 odds for trainer Chad Brown, scooted to the front several strides in while a slightly slow-starting Idiomatic was caught several paths wide rounding the first turn. Randomized, in front by a length over Tizzy in the Sky (Sky Kingdom), was also pursued by last season's GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) and Idiomatic matching strides not far behind the leading pair. Following opening splits of :24.34 and :48.99, the pacesetter was still moving under her own power as Idiomatic loomed to her outside leaving the quarter pole. Randomized seemed like she would get swallowed up by her powerful rival. However, despite Florent Geroux's best intentions to get his mammoth mare up, it was Randomized who proved gamest late, holding off the 3-5 choice to win the bob at the wire. Pretty Mischievous, a 6-1 chance, was 4 1/2 lengths back in third with Raging Sea (Curlin), also trained by Brown, a nose back in fourth.
“She's quick out of the gate. She maintained the speed, so that was good,” said winning rider Joel Rosario. “I was begging for the wire because [Idiomatic] was coming. So I was sweating a little bit, but she got the job done. She kind of waited until the last part. My horse, she responded.”
As for the beaten favorite, trainer Brad Cox said, “She ran well and was the best horse. She lost a tremendous amount of ground around the first turn and second turn. The winner didn't really have any pace pressure. Excited about the rematch. Can't wait.”
Of the third-place finisher, Brendan Walsh added, “I think she ran well enough. Tyler [Gaffalione] said she could have benefitted maybe from a little more pace. It looked like they weren't going very fast and I don't think that really helped. She was down inside for a long time. But, listen, we can't make excuses. Hopefully, she comes out of it OK.”
Having shown an affinity for the Saratoga main track, Randomized won a pair of stakes here last summer–the restricted Wilton S. over a mile followed by a career-high win in the 1 1/4-mile GI Alabama S. Making it three straight with a victory in the nine-furlong GII Beldame S. at the Big A last October, the bay found Idiomatic a half-length too good in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Nov. 4. Given some time off following that effort, she resumed with a second–beaten 4 3/4 lengths– by Soul of an Angel (Atreides) in the one-mile GII Ruffian S. May 4.
In regard to her next race, Brown, winning his first Ogden Phipps, was non committal.
“I haven't thought about anything for her next race yet,” he said. “I just wanted to see her get right back on track. Last time, even though she was off the layoff, I thought it was a disappointing loss because she was the class of the field. As it turns out, she just needed that race.”
Randomized had to play bridesmaid to Idiomatic in last fall's Breeders' Cup, but she was able to turn the tables on champion, with some racing luck, this time.
“These two were going at it in the Breeders' Cup last year and we came out on the wrong side of that one. Idiomatic is a deserving champion. She's an outstanding horse,” said Brown. “I think we were very fortunate to save more ground than her. She was pitched three-deep the whole way and still almost won the race. I'm taking nothing away from her. She ran an equally good race. We were able to just get our nose down. I've said, the photos go both ways, so I keep that in mind when I lose them.”
Pedigree Notes:
Richard and Connie Snyder's Cove Springs acquired French Passport, a half-sister to MGSW/MGISP Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz), GSW Overdriven (Tale of the Cat) and the dam of MGISW Got Stormy (Get Stormy), for $200,000 in foal to American Pharoah at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. The resulting foal, a colt later named Rayas, brought $550,000 from Hideyuki Mori at OBS March in 2021. Additionally, Klaravich owns the 2-year-old half-brother to Randomized, Marginal Cost (Justify), who brought $410,000 at Keeneland September in 2022. French Passport is also responsible for a Frosted filly that RNA'd for $400,000 at Keeneland in 2023 and a yearling filly by Maxfield.
What a finish in the G1 Odgen Phipps!
#1 Randomized holds off Idiomatic after going gate-to-wire under @jrosariojockey for trainer Chad Brown! 💪
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/wtHa8zMwcS
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 8, 2024
Saturday, Saratoga
OGDEN PHIPPS S. PRESENTED BY FORD-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 6-8, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.58, ft.
1–RANDOMIZED, 124, f, 4, by Nyquist
1st Dam: French Passport, by Elusive Quality
2nd Dam: Air France, by French Deputy
3rd Dam: Twin Propeller, by Known Fact
($420,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Cove
Springs, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Joel Rosario. $275,000.
Lifetime Record: 9-5-2-1, $1,258,350.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Idiomatic, 124, m, 5, by Curlin
1st Dam: Lockdown (SW & MGISP, $445,900), by First Defence
2nd Dam: Rising Tornado, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
3–Pretty Mischievous, 124, f, 4, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Pretty City Dancer (GISW, $286,344), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Pretty City, by Carson City
3rd Dam: Pretty Special, by Riverman
O/B-Godolphin LLC (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $60,000.
Margins: HD, 4HF, NO. Odds: 6.00, 0.70, 6.30.
Also Ran: Raging Sea, Soul of an Angel, Tizzy in the Sky.
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