NEWS: RACING

Graeme Crackers scores determined debut victory on opening day at Saratoga

Friday, July 18th, 2014
Adam Coglianese

Adam Coglianese

by Sarah Mace
 
[Updated 7/19]

Ralph M. Evans’ homebred Graeme Crackers (Macho Uno) took the first New York-bred juvenile filly race of the 2014 Saratoga meet, out-battling fellow first-time starter The Lewis Dinner in the stretch to secure the victory by a determined half-length. The 5 1/2-furlong dash was run as race 6 on the opening day card for a purse of $73,000.

Trained for Evans by Rick Violette and drawn in the outside post of seven, Graeme Crackers had jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons, looking for his third victory of the day. After breaking alertly, the grey/roan filly set up outside pacesetter In Spite of Mama, who led by a diminishing length for the first three-eighths of a mile.

On even terms with In Spite of Mama at the head of the stretch, Graeme Crackers was asked for run in upper stretch only to face a new challenger in the form of The Lewis Dinner. As the two battled to the finish, Graeme Crackers stubbornly held on to a narrow advantage, crossing the wire a half-length winner. The final time for 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:05.42. Full Tap, finished third, followed by In Spite of Mama, Serious Happiness and Loon River. Saluda went to her nose at the start and lost jockey Shaun Bridgmohan. Both horse and rider appeared to escape injury in the incident. [VIDEO]

Violette said later, “She’s done everything right without being a star. She’s probably a grass horse and wants to go longer. Two half-siblings have been very good grass horses, but you have to get your career started. She’s supposed to stretch out, being by Macho Uno. She was very game, and that was probably the best thing. She got hooked, she got headed, and she came back.”

Foaled on April 14, 2012 at Victory Lane Farm in Millbrook, Graeme Crackers is out of Graeme Central, a multiple winner by Graeme Hall bred in New York by Sez Who Thoroughbreds and trained by Violette. All three of her starters are winners, led by the City Zip colt Ampersand who earned $223,904.

 

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