By Tim Wilkin
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. – The first-time trainer Tom Amoss sent 2-year-old filly Kimchi Cat (Twirling Candy) to the races, he was expecting something good to happen.
“We were very excited,” Amoss said. “She had been doing very, very well in the mornings.”
That was June 14, a Friday, at Churchill Downs. The optimism waned a bit when they got to the paddock.
“There was a very mature, good (Steve) Asmussen in there, and I was like, 'oh, God, we're in trouble,” Amoss said.
He was right. Viggiedal (Vekoma), the 2-year-old filly from Hall of Fame trainer Asmussen's barn, was also making her debut, and she rolled, winning by five lengths over Kimchi Cat.
Amoss knew there would be other days. That came Sunday and Kimchi Cat put a beating of her own on in the Saratoga opener, a $100,000 maiden special weight event.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Kimchi Cat, breaking from the rail, took the lead right out of the gate and was never headed.
She won by 31/2 lengths in the field of eight and covered the 51/2 furlongs in 1:06.04. Sent off at odds of 4-1, Kimchi Cat returned $10.
“She ran a good race that first day, she learned a lot,” Amoss said. “She learned to rate, she learned to wait. Today, she was sharper. She is not married to having the lead, it just turned out that way. No one wanted it. Through the first 100 yards, the way it was unfolding, it looked very good for us.”
It was a popular victory in Columbus, Ohio, the home of Dr. Joel Politi, the owner of Kimchi Cat. He watched the race on television with his wife Julie and a handful of others.
“There were five of us,” Politi said by phone. “As soon as she crossed the finish line, there were plenty of text messages.”
Politi, an orthopedic surgeon, has been involved with Amoss since 2008. Their biggest success together came with Serengeti Empress (Alternation), winner of the 2019 GI Kentucky Oaks and 2020 GI Ballerina Stakes.
Kimchi Cat, out of the Sky Mesa mare Winter Dawn, was a $185,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Amoss put together a team to observe and analyze yearlings at the sale. The group included former assistants Brent Sumja and Chris Richard and former trainer Ron Faucheux.
They honed in on the yearling by Twirling Candy, who had won seven of 11 of his career races and was a four-time graded stakes winner. She was bred in Kentucky by Coffee Pot Stables.
“Tom put together a really good team,” Politi said. “To me, (Kimchi Cat) I thought she was a very fast looking, athletic filly when I saw her. She stuck out to me. She was one of my 'really want to have.' I wasn't looking to buy in the million-dollar range. I thought she was something maybe we could afford. Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't. So far, she has worked out great.”
“She had great balance,” Amoss said. “A very pretty filly. Believe me, she is not full grown yet. There is more to come with her.”
Amoss and Politi were not going to say what is next for Kimchi Cat. The GIII Adirondack Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 4 and the GI Spinaway Stakes on Aug. 31 are the two big races remaining in the meet for juvenile fillies.
“She just broke her maiden,” Amoss said. “Obviously, whatever is next will be bigger and better.”
When Politi goes about naming his horses, he relies on his family. He has five daughters–Rachel, Annie, Leah and Nina–ranging in age from 19 to 27 and they have played the name game. For Kimchi Cat, wife Julie got the call.
Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish of salted and fermented vegetables. Translation: healthy. Julie Politi is also a fan of cats.
“Joel's wife is very responsible when it comes to nutrition,” Amoss said. “No French fries.”
1st-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 7-14, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:06.04, ft, 3 1/2 lengths.
KIMCHI CAT (f, 2, Twirling Candy–Winter Dawn, by Sky Mesa), runner up going a sixteenth shorter at Churchill Downs June 14, was given a 4-1 chance this time. Sent to the front early, she led throughout en route to a 3 1/2-length victory over Elemiah (Rowayton). Winter Dawn, a $185,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale purchase by Coffee Pot Stables, produced a filly by McKinzie this season. Sales history: $185,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $79,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Joel Politi; B-Coffee Pot Stables (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss.
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