Saratoga Maidens, Presented By Keeneland: In Test Of Yaupon Maidens, Emphasis Prevails

[Wandering Eyes]

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – A quick and eventful start provided Emphasis (Yaupon) with a strategic advantage that helped him win the seventh race Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

As a result, Emphasis–the “other” colt by first-year sire Yaupon in field of eight–led pretty much every step of the way and prevailed by a length in the $100,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. Two and half lengths back in third was Stradale (Yaupon), the 4-5 favorite, who was bumped hard by Emphasis as they left the gate in the six-furlong dirt contest. The collision pushed Stradale into Honey's to Blame (Blame) and Handsome Linc (Candy Ride {Arg}).

While Emphasis and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. were out front through a first quarter in :22.87, jockey Jose Ortiz was trying to guide Stradale through traffic. After having to check hard on the backstretch, Ortiz and Stradale, a $1.3 million purchase by Kaleem Shah at the OBS April sale, moved into contention on the turn.

By that point, Emphasis had turned in a half-mile time of :46.08, was a head in front of Handsome Linc and had about a three-length advantage over Stradale. Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable's Emphasis handled the turn well, staying to the inside, while Stradale was forced to go about six paths wide.

In the stretch, Emphasis spurted away from Handsome Linc at the eighth pole and reached the wire in 1:11.83. Klaravich Stable's Growth Equity (Nyquist) closed to grab second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Stradale. Sent off as the third choice in the wagering at 5-1, Emphasis paid $12.60 to win.

 

Emphasis takes them gate-to-wire on debut in R7 at Saratoga under @RSantana_jr for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners @spendthriftfarm and @RepoleStable! pic.twitter.com/2NyH9Dgy97

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) July 19, 2025

Spendthrift and Repole acquired Emphasis for $625,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September. Yaupon, who won all three of his starts at Saratoga, is a son of the late Uncle Mo, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for owner Mike Repole.

“He's a beautiful yearling by a promising young stallion that Spendthrift stands, so it was natural for us to all like him,” Pletcher said. “Fortunately, it looks like it's all panning out well.”

Pletcher said that Emphasis showed he was ready to debut on the second weekend of the meet.

“We were happy with the way he has trained,” Pletcher said. “We felt like his breezes have been good. We felt he broke alertly and he's the type that could be effective first time out.”

That assessment proved to be spot on and Emphasis helped himself by moving to his left leaving the gate, affecting a major rival.

“He's just very professional, straightforward, precocious, like Uncle Mo was himself,” Pletcher said. “It seems like they figure things out pretty quickly and have the desire to do it. He came into us at Palm Beach Downs and we've brought him along methodically. He really started to improve over the last month and has been training well.”
Emphasis was Pletcher's second winner of the meet in the top-level 2-year-old maiden races. He won with Brookdale Racing's Malus (Into Mischief) on Sunday. Pletcher said his youngsters are doing well. Before the meet started, Pletcher said that his 2-year-olds would determine whether he would be a contender for his 15th training title.

“We've been fortunate. It looks like they are coming together,” he said. “Some of our owners have been saying 'does it seem we are behind with our babies?' I think it's because of the effect of the Belmont Festival and the Fourth of July (racing festival). People don't realize this is just the beginning of the meet. It looks like we've got some colts that have been training well and a couple of fillies, as well. So, we're optimistic.”

On a comfortable sunny Saturday at the Spa, Emphasis delivered the big performance he needed.

“This looked like a loaded maiden race you would expect to see at Saratoga,” Pletcher said. We got the jump on them with an alert beginning and that made a big difference.”

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