Ghost Wins at the Graveyard – Takes Woodward by a Head

2015 Queens Plate winner Shaman Ghost picked up his first grade 1 win Saturday, September 3 in the $600,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The colt won by a head.

Stephen Foster winner Bradester shot to the lead for the 1 1/8 mile race and took the field through fractions of :24.38 for the quarter, :48.43 for the half, and 1:11.97. Shaman Ghost tracked him from fifth under jockey Javier Castellano. He stayed five wide through the turn and then settled down to business making his drive, hitting the wire a head in front. Mubtaahij was second. Frosted was all out for jockey Joel Rosario after a poor break and managed to get up for third by a head. Breaking Lucky was fourth.

The final time for the race was 1:48.92.

Four-year-old Shaman Ghost is by Ghostzapper and out of stakes placed mare Getback Time (Gilded Time). He Is her only stakes winner. From 12 starts, he has 6 wins, a second, and a third for earnings of $1,291,811. Trainer Jimmy Jerkins said the October 8 Jockey Club Gold Cup could be his next start.

Tapits Dead Heat in Spinaway

Pretty City Dancer and Sweet Loretta hooked up in the stretch and dueled their way to the wire, hitting it together for a dead heat in the $350,000 Gr.1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on September 3. It was the first time in the race’s 125-year history that there was a dead heat.

Runaway Doll went to the front out of the gate to set the pace with Cherry Lodge, who bobbed at the start, close behind her. The two led the field through fractions of :22.89 and :45.81 before each being asked to move more at the quarter pole. Coming out of the turn, Sweet Loretta, ridden by Javier Castellano, passed Runaway Doll and Cherry Lodge. Pretty City Dancer launched her move at the same time under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. The two hooked up in the stretch and never quit despite some bumping that occurred when Castellano hit Sweet Loretta left handed. The fillies hit the wire 5 ¾ lengths ahead of third place finisher Cherry Lodge. The final time for the seven furlong race was 1:24.18.

Tapit, America’s leading sire for the past three years, sired both winners. They were also the only stakes winners in the race.

Pretty City Dancer is out of the Carson City mare Pretty City. She has run four times to date, with three wins and one third for earnings of $229,700. Mark Casse trains the filly for owner John Oxley.

Sweet Loretta is out of Ithinkisawapudycat, a stakes placed daughter of Bluegrass Cat. From three starts to date, Sweet Loretta boasts three wins and earnings of $250,520. She is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables.

Photo: © Adam Coglianese