Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) did just that in Saturday's GI Forego S., coming from out of the clouds as yet another round of rain poured down over the Saratoga main track to secure his first top-level success. A step slow from the stalls, the Live Oak homebred was not even in the picture early, trailing the field by several lengths as Complexity (Maclean's Music) and True Timber (Mineshaft) duked it out through an opening quarter in :22.28 and a half in :44.63. Rushing up into the frame approaching the bend, the dark bay was 10-wide on the turn for home and unleashed a furious late rally in the lane, storming past Complexity in the final strides for a jaw-dropping upset score.
“I honestly don't know what to say,” said winning conditioner Michael Trombetta. “He dropped so far back and his chicklet and number actually went off the screen and I couldn't even see across the track. Honestly, I assumed something bad might have happened where he took a bad step or something. I thought he was absolutely out of the race and might not have had a chance to even finish. But then turning for home, he came back on the screen. It's just unbelievable. He's truly a good horse and deserves this. I thought we were back at the [Kentucky] Derby, that's how hard it rained. I think he can handle just about any surface.”
He continued, “It's a distance he likes, but he doesn't have the best gate speed. The way this track has been playing, it's very hard to close. Well, what he did, I haven't seen the whole meet.”
Jockey Javier Castellano was also in awe, saying, “What an amazing horse. I'm truly honored to ride the horse and very blessed with the way everything went. He was very far back and made a huge run to win the race. Not too many horses can do that. He did it and in a nice way.”
The Hall of Fame pilot added, “I got a little concerned when I got to the eighth pole. I didn't have any contact with the field. I was way too far back. I had to start riding because I felt like I wasn't going to get there, but the horse put in a lot of effort from the quarter-pole to the wire. He made me look good.”
Winner of the Pasco S. last term prior to a third in the GII Tampa Bay Derby, Win Win Win was second to now MGISW Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in April. Promoted to ninth in the GI Kentucky Derby, he was seventh in the GI Preakness S. and closed out his sophomore season with a victory in turf in Belmont's Manila S. last July. Returning 11 months later in the grassy First Defence S. at Belmont June 7, the FL-bred was 10th that day and improved dramatically when second behind the Complexity in a one-mile optional claimer on the main track downstate July 2.
Pedigree Notes:
Win Win Win is the seventh Grade I winner for Hat Trick and the second to achieve the feat in North American, following 2012 GI Jamaica H. victor King David. He is also the 17th graded scorer for that stallion and one of his 34 stakes winners. Win Win Win is the third and final foal out of Miss Smarty Pants, who is a half-sister to GSW Unbridled Humor (Distorted Humor).
Saturday, Saratoga
FOREGO S. PRESENTED BY AMERICA'S BEST RACING-GI, $300,000, Saratoga, 8-29, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.71, sy.
1–WIN WIN WIN, 118, c, 4, by Hat Trick (Jpn)
1st Dam: Miss Smarty Pants, by Smarty Jones
2nd Dam: Devotion Unbridled, by Unbridled
3rd Dam: Icy Warning, by Caveat
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Live Oak
Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL); T-Michael J. Trombetta;
J-Javier Castellano. $165,000. Lifetime Record: 12-5-3-1,
$601,600. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Complexity, 118, c, 4, Maclean's Music–Goldfield, by Yes It's
True. ($375,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star' O-Klaravich
Stables, Inc.; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
3–True Timber, 119, h, 6, Mineshaft–Queen's Wood, by Tiznow.
($170,000 Wlg '14 KEENOV). O-Calumet Farm; B-Mr. & Mrs.
Marc C. Ferrell (KY); T-Jack Sisterson. $36,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 7.10, 4.60, 37.75.
Also Ran: Funny Guy, Lexitonian, Everfast, Whitmore, Mind Control, Majestic Dunhill, Fortin Hill, Firenze Fire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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