NEWS: RACING

Samraat noses Social Inclusion for second behind G1 Wood upsetter Wicked Strong

Saturday, April 5th, 2014
by Sarah Mace

Though handed his first career defeat in the 90th running of the Grade 1, $1 million TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday, My Meadowview Farm’s homebred Samraat (Noble Causeway) once again put talent and grit on display when he managed to nose out Gulfstream Park invader and 3-2 favorite Social Inclusion for second behind Wicked Strong (9-1), who made a late charge from midpack to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Provided all goes well post-race, Samraat, who has amassed 100 points toward a place in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby, will have his next date with the starter on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs.

Sharp out of post eight under regular rider Jose Ortiz, Samraat (3-1 second choice) entered the clubhouse turn in second position in the two-path behind pacesetter Schivarelli, with Social Inclusion just to his outside. As the field raced along the backstretch, Samraat settled in the second flight in-between Kristo and Noble Moon, while Florida phenom Social Inclusion tugged his way up into second position to vie with Schivarelli,

Once Social Inclusion assumed a clear lead in the far turn, Samraat advanced into second and focused on running him down, as Schivarelli hung tough at the fence. Although Samraat made up two lengths to get his nose in front of Social Inclusion in the shadow of the wire, Wicked Strong meanwhile barreled down the middle of the track and overhauled the frontrunners for a 3 1/2-length victory

Pacesetter Schivarelli finished fourth, followed across the line by New York-bred Uncle Sigh (5-1). New York-bred longshot Effinex (59-1), making just his third career start and stakes debut, finished eighth. The final time for the nine furlong race over the fast Aqueduct main track was 1:49.31. [VIDEO]

Samraat’s jockey Jose Ortiz said, “We had a perfect trip. He broke very sharp and I sat behind the favorite (No. 11, Social Inclusion), and when I asked him to go, he went, but he was looking at the horse in front of him and he didn’t see the other horse (winner Wicked Strong) come out, but he came out and passed us. I think he did great. He ran a big race.”

Trainer Rick Violette was thrilled with his colt’s performance. “It’s his best race,” said Violette. “It’s the first time he’s been surrounded and covered up, and he handled it. He came back three times. I thought he was going to be fourth the entire [stretch run] and he kept finding more, finding more. Good horses rally from this and get better. Other than win, he got a huge education.”

Violette continued, “I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do; Jose can put him anywhere he wants – behind horses, on the inside, wherever. I don’t think the extra eighth of a mile is going to bother him. We kind of did it the hard way. We made the first charge against the horse on the lead and did everybody else’s work, and [Wicked Strong] – who’s shown signs of talent – came and ran everybody down. I thought [Samraat] was going to be fourth every step of the way. You just can’t ask more from a horse.”

Samraat, who was already assured a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby by points, added to his tally for a grand total of 100 points (co-fourth place on the Kentucky Derby Starting Gate leaderboard).

Uncle Sigh (Indian Charlie), close runner-up to Samraat in both the Withers and Gotham, was a step slow out of the gate from post 10 and traveled in mid-pack to finish fifth. Trainer Gary Contessa said, “That’s not the position we really wanted to be in. It looks like the place to be was 1, 2, 3 or 4. He broke a little awkwardly and wasn’t quite the same horse. He was in behind horses for the first time and [jockey] Corey [Nakatani] said he was very green. We expected to be right next to Samraat, not seventh and taking dirt. I’m sure a set of blinkers would have helped today.” Uncle Sigh sits at with Cairo Prince at 17/18 on the Kentucky Derby Starting Gate leaderboard with 24 points.

Samraat, whose five prior victories include a romp in the Damon Runyon and determined victories in the Withers and Gotham has now earned $773,200.

Sired by Noble Causeway, who entered stud in Kentucky in 2008 at Crestwood Farm in Kentucky before relocating to Sequel Stallions New York in 2013, and foaled at My Meadowview Farm in Watermill, Samraat is out of Little Indian Girl, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Indian Charlie from the family of multiple graded stakes winner Nonsuch Bay. Purchased by My Meadowview at the 2008 Keeneland November sale for $150,000, Little Indian Girl has produced six winners and three other stakes performers led by top earner Original Fate by Grand Slam, who raced in Japan ($793,248), and graded black type-placed Screen Legend.

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