NYRA/Adam Coglianese
by Sarah Mace
Riding the tide of a commanding open allowance win at Belmont on June 24, graded stakes winner Hot Stones delivered an impressive performance at Saratoga on Monday afternoon when she scored a nine-plus length victory in the day’s featured $100,000 Saratoga Dew Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Breaking alertly from the outermost post of nine, Hot Stones (5-2 second choice in the wagering) outsprinted most of her rivals to the inside and got good field position to negotiate the clubhouse turn in the two path in third.
Advancing into second along the back stretch, Hot Stones took on frontrunner Carameaway who clocked an opening quarter-mile in 47.33. Hot Stones stuck a neck in front mid-way along the run and the top pair then continued to vie three lengths in advance of the field.
Entering the far turn Hot Stones shook clear of Carameaway and opened up a two-length advantage while Smitten by Gold began to launch her bid as the field approached the quarter pole.
As it turned out, Hot Stones never had to face serious challenge. The 5-year-old bay mare was asked to turn on the jets and had plenty of run left. Ultimately, it was all Hot Stones in the stretch, as she opened up to win by 9 1/4 lengths. After a mile in 1:36.79, her final time for nine furlongs over the fast main track was 1:49.87.
Star Grazing closed from fourth to get a nose ahead of Flipcup, another closer, for the runner-up spot. Following that pair across the wire were Smitten by Gold, Saythreehailmary’s, Storied Lady, Tahoe Tigress, Jcs American Dream and early pacesetter Carameaway. [VIDEO]
NYRA/Chelsea Durand
Winning jockey John Velazquez said, “She came out of there running, got in the position I wanted to be, and after that it was pretty easy. I just let her do her thing. I gave her a chance and let her do what she was comfortable with, and she went on. Very impressive.”
Bruce Levine, who trains Hot Stones for owners Roddy Valente, Charles Casale and Darlene Bilinski, reported, “She trained great. Her first two races this year [resulting in a pair of fourth-place finishes] she just wasn’t really fit. It just takes her a while to get in gear and then she starts training good, and then she runs good.”
Continued Levine, “She ran super [winning at Belmont Park on June 24 in her third start of the year] and she trained up to this one super. The only thought was maybe the outside post was tough, but she broke good.”
As to the future, Levine said, “She’s better than New York-breds. I don’t know what’s next. We’ve got New York-bred day [August 28] and I might even take a shot at the Beldame [$400,000 September 26 at Belmont]. It’s a Grade 1, I might take a shot.”
Hot Stones has compiled an impressive resume, winning eight of 17 career starts with three seconds and two thirds. She can now add the Saratoga Dew victory to the best race of her career, a winning effort in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at Belmont last June. Her earnings bankroll has now surpassed the half-million dollar mark, and stands at $511,689
Bred by Jerry Bilinski in partnership with Roddy Valente, Hot Stones is the most accomplished of two winners out of Steamed Up, an unraced New York-bred daughter of Freud. Hot Stones’ sire Bustin Stones, an undefeated Grade 1 winning sprinter, stands at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham for $5,000.
