NYRA/Chelsea Durand
By Sarah Mace
Syndergaard, named after New York Mets’ All-Star pitcher Noah Syndergaard, delivered an all-star performance to kick off Saratoga New York Showcase Day Friday, winning the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong contest for New York-bred 2-year-olds, by double-digit lengths.
Hoping to make good on the promise of his debut, which he won by three lengths on August 8 in front running style while earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure, the Todd Pletcher-trainee teamed up once again with John Velazquez.
Bet down to seventy cents on the dollar in the short field of four, Syndergaard broke from the outside post, was urged to the front and led the field in the three path through swift splits of 21.52 and 44.35.
Never facing a serious challenge on backstretch and turn, by upper stretch it was all over but the shouting as the Majesticperfection colt opened up under a hand ride to win by 10 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:16.75. Bobby On Fleek finished second, followed across the line by Gold for the King and Tribecca [VIDEO]
Velazquez reported, “We knew he was fast so the plan was to let him break and wherever he lands, we’d just go and try to finish. He has a bright future. He’s a nice, big horse, so hopefully we can keep him going.”
Todd Pletcher commented, “We were optimistic coming in. The horse trained very well and ran well in his debut. We felt like Bobby On Fleek was very impressive in his debut, so it was going to be an interesting matchup. He’s just got so much early speed that I think he kind of forced everyone to chase him a little bit. Yeah, he came with the heater today.”
Added Pletcher, “As fast as he’s going he’s doing it in a pretty relaxed fashion. Even though he was rolling along, he was doing it within himself and had his ears pricked and felt comfortable and we weren’t going to take away what comes easy.”
When asked about the Grade 1 Champagne on October 8 as a possible next start, Pletcher said, “I think so. He’s run well enough in both of his starts, it’s worth the conversation. He ran well enough in his maiden that had this race not been here we might have considered a race like the Hopeful. But you feel like you want to take what’s obvious in a situation like this; it’s back in 18 days; it was a quick turnaround, but everything he did between the races indicated to us he was going to come back in good shape and thankfully he did.”
NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Owned in partnership by Eric Fein, Christopher McKenna, Harris Fein, Harris, Guri Singh, and Jerry Walia, Syndergaard has earned $81,900 from his two victories.
Bred by Burleson Farms and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, Syndergaard commanded the top New York-bred selling price at this year’s OBS April sale, when he was purchased by Eric Fein for $450,000 after breezing one furlong in a co-bullet :9 4/5.
Syndergaard is out of Magic Belle, a New York-bred multiple winner and six-figure earner by Gold Case, who was purchased by Lyn Burleson at the 2010 Keeneland January sale for $26,000.
The mare herself brought $425,000 as an OBS 2-year-old in 2004 and has since produced four winners from four foals to start. The colt’s second dam is stakes placed Magical Thinking and there is abundant black type under the fourth dam Roar N’ Honey. Magic Belle was bred this year to Fast Anna.
