Saratoga Maidens Presented By Keeneland: Spendthrift Homebred Romps In Saratoga Maiden

[Wandering Eyes]

Ned Toffey, the general manager of Spendthrift Farm, was confident going into Saturday's seventh race at Saratoga. The Spendthrift homebred Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) had been training lights out for Todd Pletcher and the entire team was expecting a big effort. They got something more.

“Some of us were discussing what we saw in her back in Ocala when she was being broken and her early breezes there,” Toffey said. “She was one that gave some sore backs to the exercise riders down there. She's been really forward and always wanting to do more right from the very beginning. They don't all telegraph it that way but she certainly tipped her hand from an early stage. You just never know because there are so many factors. They have to deal with the crowd, deal with the gate with a bunch of other horses in there. You never know they're going to handle things on race day. And it's Saratoga. Everybody has a horse they are excited about. We certainly have felt like she is a very, very nice filly. We were cautiously optimistic that she would run well. I would say she exceeded expectations.”

Ridden by John Velazquez and the second choice in the wagering at 2-1, Tommy Jo stalked the early pace set by race favorite Vajra (Vekoma). Vajra, who stumbled at the start, was done in mid-stretch while Tommy Jo coasted right on by for a 3 3/4-length win. The running time was 1:11.24. Five races earlier, a maiden for two-year-old colts was won in 1:11.87.

Pletcher said afterward that he would likely point Tommy Jo to the GI Spinaway S. on August 30.

Toffey said the filly was named for the granddaughter of Spendthrift owners Eric and Tammy Gustavson. The two-legged Tommy Jo has yet to celebrate her first birthday.

The four-legged Tommy Jo is a Spendthrift product through and through. She is by the farm's star stallion Into Mischief (Harland's Holiday) out of a Spendthrift-owned mare Mother Mother (Pioneerof the Nile). Mother Mother was purchased by Spendthrift at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November sale for $1.8 million. Tommy Jo is her second foal to make it to the races and her first winner.

“For me, that's makes it way more rewarding,” Toffey said. “Obviously we want to win more than a maiden but when you do well with a homebred that's the most special part of all of this. We try very hard to raise a good horse and put a lot into it. As we all know, it's not an easy game, start to finish. When you get one who really has talent it's very gratifying.”

The post Saratoga Maidens Presented By Keeneland: Spendthrift Homebred Romps In Saratoga Maiden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article