NEWS: RACING

Damon Runyon is all about Samraat

Wednesday, December 18th, 2013
Adam Coglianese

Adam Coglianese

by Sarah Mace

Samraat, a 2-year-old dark bay / brown colt by New York sire Noble Causeway, had the Aqueduct stretch all to himself Wednesday when he cruised home to an eye-popping 16 3/4-length victory in the 35th running of the $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes, his third victory in as many career starts.

A homebred for Len Riggio’s My Meadowview Farm, Samraat came into the Damon Runyon having led every step of the way in his first two races for trainer Rick Violette, scoring the victories by a combined nine lengths. The colt debuted at Belmont on October 23 going six furlongs and successfully stretched out to seven and a half panels on November 33 at Aqueduct.

The inside speed on paper, and confidently bet down to 70 cents on the dollar for his route, two-turn and stakes debut, Samraat got out of the gate first of six under regular rider Jose Ortiz and rationed out his speed over the “good” going through splits of 24.55, 49.73 and 1:15.34 while preserving a length or so advantage over Geaux Mets in the two-path and Forever Utopia, a half-length further back at the rail.

Let go by Ortiz at the quarter pole, Samraat quite suddenly opened up eight lengths on his pursuers in upper stretch and continued to widen the margin at will until he crossed the finish line 16 3/4 lengths in front of Forever Utopia. Finishing third another 2 3/4 lengths back was Deceived, who lost several lengths at the start when he jumped up at the break, then rushed up into contention on the backstretch. Completing the order of finish were longshot Howaboutwe, Geaux Mets and Balderdash. After a mile in 1:39.97, the final time for 1 mile 70 yards was 1:44.09.

Commented Ortiz, “He’s a nice horse. Rick and the team did a tremendous job. The horse usually doesn’t break very good, but Rick schooled a few times and today he broke really good. He put me on the lead through a slow pace, and when I said ‘go’ at the quarter pole he kicked away. He rates pretty well. When he feels the other horses he feels a little keen, but I don’t think he needs the lead.”

Rick Violette said, “I thought the two turns would be right up his alley; pedigree-wise it’s supposed to be up his alley, and it was. The pace slows down a little bit, he gets into a nice rhythm, and the only thing that concerned me was his preparation. We’ve had a lot of bad weather and he missed some training, but he was good enough to overcome that today.”

“It’s always tense until they cross the wire,” Violette added. “It was nice when he opened up at the head of the lane, at that point I certainly thought we were in command, but until they put the hammer down and ask them to run there have been plenty of horses that looked like they were home until the head of the lane. He’s a very nice horse and I think he’s getting better.”

Violette had originally penciled in the Grade 2 Jerome on January 4 for Samraat’s fourth start, but the winter storms that disrupted training lately have made him retool plans, which could include a sojourn in Florida and the Grade 3 Withers on February 1. Either way, Violette has open competition in mind for Samraat, “If not his next start, then the start after that.”

Samraat, who has earned $133,200 from his three successful outings, is a son of Noble Causeway (Giant’s Causeway – Mimi’s Golden Girl, by Seeking the Gold), who entered stud in Kentucky in 2008, where he stood before relocating to Sequel Stallions New York in 2013 where he stands for a private fee. A Florida Derby runner-up for My Meadowview Farm, Noble Causeway scored all three victories at nine furlongs. Two other New York-bred juveniles by Noble Causeway also bred by My Meadowview Farm have left their marks on stakes competition this fall. Canal Six (4-1-2-1; $82,000) finished third in the Gimma on Showcase Day and Noble Cornerstone (2-1-1-0; $86,000) ran second in the $250,000 Remington Springboard Mile last Sunday in his second start.

Samraat’s dam is a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Indian Charlie named Little Indian Girl from the family of multiple graded stakes winner Nonsuch Bay, purchased by My Meadowview at the 2008 Keeneland November sale for $150,000. Three of her other foals are stakes placed, led by top earner Original Fate by Grand Slam, who raced in Japan ($793,248) and graded black type placed Screen Legend. Little Indian Girl has an unnamed yearling filly by Harlan’s Holiday. Samraat was foaled at Meadowview Farm in Watermill.

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