Special Performance: Ewing Wins Battle of ‘Rising Stars’ in Saratoga Special

[Wandering Eyes]

'TDN Rising Star' Ewing (c, 2, Knicks Go–Sassy Ali Joy, by Indian Charlie), a daylight debut winner at the Spa July 5, rushed up to the front from his rail draw after a slow start and never looked back in Saturday's GII Saratoga Special S.

The 8-5 second-choice sped through an opening quarter in :22.26 and was challenged by the unbeaten favorite and fellow 'Rising Star' Obliteration (Violence) on the far turn. Ewing had another gear, however, and floated out his rival at the top of the stretch. He opened a two-length advantage at the stretch call and kept on finding to win by a length.

“That was kind of crazy,” winning trainer Mark Casse said. “We didn't warm him up so he would kind of get away slow, so he could settle. Jose (Ortiz) said he settled for three strides. He's fast. I always tell them, when the gate opens, it's up to you to decide. He said he broke and took off and he wasn't going to fight him. I was (happy) because I could see that Steve (Asmussen)'s horse (Obliteration) was struggling and I thought that the other thing is that that horse had never had anybody look him in the eye.”

As for what's next, Casse added, “Our horse got tired and is going to improve a lot from that, too. I want him to go farther, but what I want and what I get are sometimes different. I'm proud of him today. He showed a lot of guts, and we'll enjoy the victory and figure out the next. I think I'll probably come back with ('TDN Rising Star') Curtain Call (Tiz the Law) in the (GI) Hopeful and I may take this horse and run him at Churchill; probably the Iroquois. You know, he had every right to get beat today. I wheeled him back pretty quick and whatever, but he's an extremely talented horse.”

Pedigree Notes:

Ewing, a $585,000 OBS April breezer (:10 1/5), becomes the first black-type winner for freshman sire Knicks Go (Paynter). Ewing's dam Sassy Ali Joy, herself a $60,000 OBS April grad, did not make the races, but was responsible for the stakes-placed Tuscan Queen (Street Boss) and was sold for $60,000 in foal to Collected at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. The mare was barren to Liam's Map for 2024 and was most recently RNA'd on a bid of $22,000 during the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Digital May Sale when offered pregnant to Midshipman. The colt's third dam was a half-sister to the Grade II-placed Banshee Winds (Known Fact), the dam of 1998 champion 3-year-old filly and five-time Grade I winner Banshee Breeze (Unbridled).

 

Nothing but net for EWING in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special! The son of Knicks Go is now 2-for-2 with @jose93_ortiz aboard for trainer @markecasse.

Congrats to @westpointtbred, @lmgriffjohnson, and all the connections! pic.twitter.com/MUVYkXqDMz

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 2, 2025

Saturday, Saratoga
SARATOGA SPECIAL S.-GII, $186,000, Saratoga, 8-2, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:18.03, ft.
1–EWING, 120, c, 2, by Knicks Go
            1st Dam: Sassy Ali Joy, by Indian Charlie
            2nd Dam: Dana Dew, by Fusaichi Pegasus
            3rd Dam: Do Mountain Doo, by Mountain Cat
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($37,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP; $585,000 2yo '25
OBSAPR). O-D. J. Stable LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds and
Kenneth Freirich; B-John Gardiner (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Jose
Ortiz. $110,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $165,000. Werk
Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Obliteration, 122, c, 2, Violence–I'mclassyandsassy,
by Master Command. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($200,000 2yo '25
OBSMAR). O-Leland Ackerley Racing; B-Ocala Stud (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $40,000.
3–Camigol, 120, c, 2, Neolithic–Daddy's Pride, by Scat Daddy.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($9,000 RNA Ylg
'24 OBSOCT). O-Fredy Gonzalez; B-DeLuca and Sons Stables
Inc. (FL); T-Antonio Sano. $24,000.
Margins: 1, 12, 3. Odds: 1.70, 0.40, 18.20.
Also Ran: Thunder Chuck. Scratched: Comport, Dazzle d'Oro.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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