Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Abraaj Wins Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga July 26

Posted on Saturday, July 26th, 2008

Shadwell Stable’s Abraaj, under jockey Alan Garcia, won Saturday afternoon’s 24th running of the $250,000 Alfred G. Vamderbilt (G2) by 2 1/2-lengths over First Defence covering 6 furlongs in 1:10.23 on the fast main track at Saratoga.

The 5-year-old Carson City colt, Abraaj, recorded his 5th win in 13 starts. As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, the Vanderbilt Handicap winner, Abraaj, became one of the Breeders’ Cup horses allowed to race in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at the Oak Tree Meeting at Santa Anita on Saturday, October 25.

Abraaj paid $5.40, $3.10 and $2.40. First Defence, ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, returned $4.10 and $3. Third place Sammarco with jockey Channning Hill paid $5.10 to show.

“I wasn’t worried about the first quarter,” said Abraaj’s trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin. “At the three-eighths pole, because Alan had to scrub on him a little bit to kick him in, I was worried. Once he started running, I thought the leader had to slow down. I felt good at the quarter-pole.”Most of the fans felt better, too, as Abraaj kicked clear and returned $5.40 to win.

Since running eighth in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in 2007, Abraaj has benefitted from time off and a spacing of horse races. He came back to the races in May, posted a win, and then was a game third in the True North (G2) at Belmont Park on June 7.

“Abraaj needed time off from the Vanderbilt last year,” race horse trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “The time off did him good. He put on weight, he looks great and sound. We have two nice sprinters for the same owners; we are glad to have Lucky Island in the same barn waiting for the Forego (Grade 1, $250,000, seven furlongs, Saratoga, August 30). We might run them both in the Forego, we don’t know. It’s great for a trainer and owner to know that they are in (for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint). They don’t have to worry about points or graded earnings. When you’re in, you can adjust your schedule accordingly.”

“I am very proud of my horse. He finished very strong,” said winning jockey Alan Garcia. “I don’t know why he wasn’t running smooth early. When I started riding him, he finally started to get going. Then, he just kept going and ran very, very good.”

First Defence, who won the Jaipur (G3) on the grass back at Belmont Park by a head, gave a solid accounting of himself in his return to dirt.

“I had a perfect trip,” said jockey Javier Castellano. “I had a beautiful trip. I was right where I wanted to be today - right off the speed.”

“They went pretty fast and they came back to me. I think he ran a pretty good race. I think he was second -best today. I got the jump at the quarter pole and the other horse was just much the best. He went around me four- or five- wide on the turn and still he got to the wire in front.”

Sammarco held for third by a nose over Thor’s Echo, the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, Black Seventeen and E Z Warrior completed the lineup of horses who raced in Saratoga’s Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap.

Horse racing news edited from www.nyra.com.

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"Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Abraaj Wins Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga July 26" was posted on Saturday, July 26th, 2008 at 8:49 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Results & Payouts, Saratoga, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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