NEWS: RACING

Picco Uno decisive winner of Union Avenue

Thursday, August 17th, 2017

NYRA/Chelsea Durand

By Sarah Mace

Kennesaw Mountain Racing’s Picco Uno rebounded in a big way from a sub-par performance in her last start, scoring a decisive 2 1/2-length victory in Saratoga’s Thursday feature, the $100,000 Union Avenue Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Last out in the one-mile Critical Eye which was run over a very sloppy track at Belmont on May 29, Pico Uno finished a well-beaten sixth. Until that glitch, Pico Uno had won her first three starts in 2017 and four straight dating back to last December 7. She may have hated the surface and not wanted to go a mile. Also, the Critical Eye was her second race in 11 days and, since then, she has enjoyed a brief freshening.

The 7-2 third choice in the Union Avenue field, which attracted nine, Picco Uno broke running from post eight under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., then conceded the lead to She’s All Ready, who broke to her outside, charged to the front and led the field through opening splits of 22.05 and 45.25.

Tracking the pacesetter a length back going into the turn, Picco Uno drew even with She’s All Ready at the head of the lane, was called upon for more run with three-sixteenths to go and responded with the decision. The grey mare kicked well clear, posting the 2 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:16.57 over the fast main track.

Quezon, the 3-2 favorite, came flying from midpack to capture second after passing 19-1 Absatootly, who had advanced from the rear of the field to occupy the second position briefly in the stretch. Absatootly had to settle for the show money a length and a half back.

NYRA/Chelsea Durand

Completing the order of finish were Wonderment, Clipthecouponannie, Myfourchix, She’s All Ready, Court Dancer and Frosty Margarita. [VIDEO REPLAY]

Hot City Girl, a graded stakes winner, half-sister to sprint champion La Verdad and earner of $682,050, was scratched from the race, and, as announced the same day by owner Sheila Rosenblum on Twitter, will be retired to Vivien Malloy’s Edition Farm to take up a career as a broodmare alongside her elder sister.

Pre-race, Ortiz, Jr., who rides Picco Uno regularly for trainer Jason Servis, made sure he got his mount’s mind on business. “I always give her an aggressive warm up,” said Ortiz. “She’s the type of filly who doesn’t show much in the morning and she’s so quiet, but when it’s time to run she can run. I tried to make sure she was on her game today, because she had to run.”

“I had a perfect trip,” Ortiz continued. “I broke the way I wanted. I broke running out of there and the horse beside me cleared me. She does better when she’s alone outside of horses and that worked out for me. I sat there, and waited as long as I could, and when I asked her, she was there for me.”

Commenting on the rebound performance, Servis said, “[Pico Uno] definitely benefited from the time off since her last start. In that race, it looked like she took a step back, so we gave her some time and she was able to regroup and run great today. She had a terrific breeze coming into this the other day.

“She ran like we were hoping she would. She drew off pretty good. She’s an average looking filly, but she gets over the ground pretty good. I just told Irad she’s a trier and hoping we got a good trip and it worked out.”

The timing of the victory was also just right: “It’s very exciting,” said Servis. “The owners flew up from Georgia so I’m glad it all worked out.”

A 4-year-old daughter of Macho Uno, Picco Uno was bred by Topsmeade LLC and Adena Springs and foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm. She is one of two winners from two foals to start out of Piccola Isola, a winning New York-bred daughter of Western Expression. The mare was bred to Dublin in 2017.

Kennesaw Mountain Racing purchased Picco Uno at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale for $27,000. In January 2014, she sold at Keeneland as a $35,000 short yearling.

 

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