Bay Park Boy Bests Five in Muddy Unveiling

by Sarah Mace

A downpour during Saratoga’s first race on Monday downgraded the racing surface to “muddy (sealed)” by the time of the second race, a maiden special weight for New York-bred juveniles, but the conditions hardly put a damper on the unveiling of Bay Park Boy, an Anstu Farm homebred by Johannesburg, who charged home with 4 ¾ lengths to spare by the wire.

Sent to the post as 3-2 favorite by Todd Pletcher with John Velazquez aboard – an all but invincible duo with firsters at the current Saratoga meet – Bay Park Boy sported eight published works in preparation for his first start, including two gate moves and, in late June, a five-furlong bullet work on the Oklahoma training track in 1:01 3/5. The bay colt worked most recently last Tuesday over a fast Saratoga main track going five furlongs in 1:02 flat.

After the six colts and geldings broke from the gate, three distinguished themselves in the early going. Panthro (Discreet Cat) was quickest from his inside post, Bay Park Boy raced second in the three path from post five, with Saratoga Snacks (Tale of the Cat) vying between horses.

It didn’t take more than a furlong for Bay Park Boy to get a slight edge on his rivals, who continued to press the pace, with Saratoga Snacks switching to the outside of the three. Gearing up through the far turn, the colt started to draw off decisively around the three-sixteenths marker, following a couple right-handed and then left-handed reminders. He then opened up in the final furlong under a vigorous hand ride to get to victory by 4 ¾ lengths.

After sharp early fractions of 22.30 and 45.86, Bay Park Boy completed the five furlongs over the muddy (sealed) surface in 58.25. Saratoga Snacks finished second, 5 ¾ lengths clear of Cybertron, who closed into third. [VIDEO[2]]

Bay Park Boy’s debut victory fulfills the promise of his pedigree. His sire Johannesburg, crowned juvenile champion in both the United States and Europe, was undefeated in seven starts at two, a campaign which he capped by a victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Bay Park Boy’s first dam, Combanchera, a New York-bred daughter of Seattle Slew and full sister to stakes-placed Seattle Glory, was twice stakes placed at two while racing under the Anstu colors.

Bay Park Boy is the third New York-bred winner of three starters produced by Combanchera, and second debut winner. All three scored wins at two.

Combanchera has an unnamed yearling colt by North Light (IRE), no reported foal in 2011 and was bred this spring to Bernstein.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2011/08/08/bay-park-boy-unveiling/

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