NYRA/Adam Coglianese
By Bill Heller
When Red and Black Stable’s New York-bred Weekend Hideaway finished an extremely distant seventh in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park to end his five-year-old season last Dec. 19th, trainer Phil Serpe decided to give him a good long rest.
Great idea.
Weekend Hideaway, a son of Speightstown out of Apocalyptical by Wisemen’s Ferry who was bred by Flying Zee Stables, made his six-year-old debut in the $100,000 Affirmed Success Stakes at Belmont Park April 29th. Sent off at 5-1 in the field of eight under Luis Saez, he rallied from fourth to win by 2 ¼ lengths at 5-1.
One month and one day later, in the first of six stakes on New York-bred Showcase Day Monday at Belmont, Weekend Hideaway made it two straight under Saez. He survived an early speed duel with Sioux and Jose Ortiz, opened a huge lead and won the fourth running of the one-mile $200,000 Commentator Stakes by 3 ¾ lengths despite drifting out in the stretch in 1:35.95 on a track upgraded from sloppy to muddy.
“It’s always great to have a fresh horse,” Serpe said afterwards. “He’s come back strong. He’s a grown up horse now, a good and sound horse and that’s always good to have in the barn.”
Royal Posse, the 4-5 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., finished second, a neck ahead of 9-2 Eye Luv Lulu, who was left at the start under Cornelio Velasquez. Bellamy Way, who was 7-1 with Jose Lezcano up, finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Eye Luv Lulu in fourth.
The early scratches of Ostrolenka and Drama King left an accomplished field of five for the Commentator. Each of the five had won more than $200,000, and four of them had solid records on wet tracks. Eye Luv Lulu was six-for-seven, Bellamy Way one-for-one, Royal Posse three-for-eight with three seconds and Weekend Hideaway three-for-four. Sioux was zero-for-three with one second.
Both Sioux, breaking from the four post, and Weekend Hideaway, leaving from the five, went for the early lead. Weekend Hideaway led Sioux on his inside by a head in a :23.18 opening quarter. There was a gap of two lengths back to 7-1 Bellamy Way, Eye Luv Lulu two-wide and Royal Posse three-wide battling for third.
“He didn’t wait for me and pulled me right to the lead,” Saez said.
Weekend Hideaway continued to lead Sioux by a head without clearing him in a :45.56 half-mile. There was a gap of four lengths back to the others.
“I had a little pressure, but I knew I had a lot of horse,” Saez said.
Weekend Hideaway then took over, spurting away to lead by two lengths and hitting three-quarters in 1:09.72. He extended his lead to four lengths in mid-stretch while drifting out though well clear.
“When we came into the stretch, he was gone,” Saez said. “When I asked him, he kept going.”
Weekend Hideaway is now nine-for-28 on dirt with four seconds and four thirds. He also is one-for-three on turf with career earnings of more than $750,000.
“I hate to ruin everyone’s Memorial Day, but I was very happy that this rain came along,” Serpe said.
