By Alan Carasso
NEW KENT COUNTY, VA — It would have been no surprise had trainer Graham Motion elected to run Amerman Racing's Trikari (Oscar Performance) in Sunday's rescheduled GI Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes as opposed to the GII Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs. After all, the long-barreled bay was exiting a victory in the GI Belmont Derby over a mile and three-sixteenths, but Trikari proved more than capable of handling the step back down in trip with a powerful victory in the eight-furlong Secretariat.
The second betting choice when all was said and done behind the rail-drawn Brilliant Berti (Noble Mission {GB}), Trikari took up a spot in fourth in the two-wide line as General Ledger (Summer Front) was pushed along by the stretching-out Mattingly (Bucchero). Asked to improve his position and ridden along to take closer order by John Velazquez with better than three furlongs to go, Trikari was poised to strike and was produced four wide off the final corner. Lengthening his stride beautifully while getting first run on American Derby hero Brillian Berti, Trikari proved a convincing winner as the chalk gave vain chase. In a Jam (Preservationist) rounded out the triple.
The winner's sire was victorious in the 2017 Secretariat, then a Grade I and run over a mile and a quarter at Arlington.
“Johnny was super impressed with his turn of foot,” said winning trainer Graham Motion. “Down the backside he was so relaxed and when he asked him, he just took off. I think as (Trikari) matures now and starts to run against older horses–now he's going to have to step up his game against older horses–I think (one mile) is really going to be his game.
“I've been trying not to think about the Breeders' Cup, because it's tough for 3-year-olds, a race at Keeneland maybe against older horses, something along those lines is something we will have to consider.”
Victorious in the Rushaway Stakes over the Turfway Tapeta Mar. 23, Trikari–and not Endlessly (Oscar Performance)–carried the Amerman blue-and-white in the May 4 GII American Turf Stakes and caused a 47-1 boilover. Third and beaten just a neck in the GIII Penn Mile Stakes May 27, he was along in the final strides in the Belmont Derby, while Endlessly trailed home in fifth.
Pedigree Notes:
On behalf of Augustin Stables, Graham Motion trained Trikari's dam to four wins and earnings of better than $267,000, including the GIII Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A half-sister to GSWs Lift Up (Ghostzapper) and Varenka (Ghostzapper), SW & MGSP Appealing Cat (Successful Appeal) and a full to SW Cat's Holiday, Dynamic Holiday was acquired by Michael Slezak for $14,000 carrying the foal that would become Trikari at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. She is also the dam of the 2-year-old filly Miavana (Jimmy Creed) and a yearling colt by Beau Liam, and changed hands for $3,500 in foal to Mind Control during the Fasig-Tipton Digital October Sale last fall.
Great ride from @ljlmvel!
Trikari shows first and has too much for Brilliant Berti in the G2 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs… pic.twitter.com/v30Sku15ml
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 11, 2024
Sunday, Colonial Downs
SECRETARIAT S.-GII, $500,000, Colonial Downs, 8-11, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.92, fm.
1–TRIKARI, 123, c, 3, by Oscar Performance
1st Dam: Dynamic Holiday (GSW, $267,126),
by Harlan's Holiday
2nd Dam: Dynamic Cat, by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: Silent Cat, by Rahy
($9,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $27,500 Ylg '22 OBSOCT). O-Amerman
Racing LLC; B-Michael A Slezak & Amy Boll (KY); T-H. Graham
Motion; J-John R. Velazquez. $306,900. Lifetime Record: GISW,
8-5-1-1, $1,303,530. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Brilliant Berti, 121, c, 3, Noble Mission (GB)–Believe in
Bertie, by Langfuhr. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Klein
Racing (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $99,000.
3–In a Jam, 119, c, 3, Preservationist–Yankee Union, by Yankee
Gentleman. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg '22
FTKJUL; $75,000 2yo '23 FTDAUG). O-Gary Barber; B-Brereton
Jones (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $49,500.
Margins: 2 1/4, 4, 2. Odds: 1.50, 0.70, 17.20.
Also Ran: General Ledger, Mattingly, Rock'n a Halo. Scratched: Bear River, First World War, Fulmineo.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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