Therapist draws off at will to win NYSS Cab Calloway

By Sarah Mace

The 8-horse field of the $100,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes series for eligible New York-sired 3-year-olds was decimated on race day by scratches, losing five entries (including one MTO) in the run-down of changes.

That said, the accomplished Therapist, who would have been a prohibitive favorite in any case, delivered a powerful performance, stalking the pace in the 1-mile turf contest before striking the lead in upper stretch and drawing off at will to win by 5 1/2 lengths.

Slated to pay .35 cents on the dollar by post time, the chestnut son of Freud tracked the early pace under regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., 2 1/2 lengths behind Collective Effort (Mission Imapazible), who logged very comfortable early fractions of 25.50 and 50.13. Ten Eyck pursued another three lengths back in third.

Ortiz shook Therapist up in the far turn urging him into contention, hooked Collective Effort late in the bend and captured the lead with three-sixteenths to go.

From this point forward, it was only a matter of settling the margin of victory. Ultimately Therapist crossed the wire 5 1/2 lengths clear of Collective Effort. Ten Eyck, also by Freud, was third another 3 1/2 lengths back. Following six furlongs in 1:14.49, the final time for the mile over the “good” inner turf course was 1:37.94. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“It was a perfect trip,” said Ortz. “There were only three horses, so there was not too much traffic. I was without any trouble in this race. When you’ve got a nice horse like that in a three-horse field, it’s hard to get beat.”

Therapist his been nearly flawless in two seasons. A winner of six of eight starts, he has posted victories in three open company stakes and, last out on June 24, in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid division of New York Stallion Series, which he won by two lengths.

His open wins came in in last year’s Laurel Futurity and Belmont’s Awad Stakes and, on March 31, he won the 1-mile Cutler Bay Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Testing graded competition twice, Therapist finished third in Gulfstream’s Grade 3 Palm Beach. He suffered his lone off-the-board finish in the Grade 2 Penn Mile, when he appeared to tire after attending the pace.

The Cab Calloway victory improved Therapist’s career record to six wins and a third in eight starts. The purse of the Cab Calloway increased his career earnings to $363,725.

Fielding questions under the broiling sun, Therapist’s trainer and co-breeder Christophe Clement quipped, “Usually I sweat a bit more than that.”

Continued Clement, “It was a fun race. I thought we were a touch aggressive at Belmont going seven-eighths [in the Spectacular Bid]. The way we saw [the Cab Calloway] on paper, we just wanted to wait a bit no matter what. He has a very good turn-of-foot. I know it’s only a field of three horses, but he ran well and was impressive. I don’t think he had a hard race, which was great. I’m not exactly sure where we’ll go next, we’ll just enjoy this for a day or so.”

Clement is also lavish in his appreciation of Therapist’s co-breeder and owner Richard Leahy, whose Oak Bluff Stables also bred New York-bred Audible, winner this year of the Florida Derby and Holy Bull and third in the Kentucky Derby.

“Oak Bluff Stables has always supported my stable. To win [for] Oak Bluff Stables is a big deal for me,” said Clement. “It’s wonderful to win for people who have a long-term relationship with us.”

Foaled at Berkshire Stud[4] in Pine Plains, Therapist is one of two winners out of Lady Renaissance, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Sharp Strike who was purchased by Oak Bluff Stables for $15,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November sale. Lady Renaissance has produced a yearling full sister to Therapist. At the 2018 Keeneland January sale she was purchased by Dennis Yokum for $52,000 and foaled a Temple City colt on February 13.

The only time Therapist was offered at public auction he left the grounds as a $8,000 buyback, to which Clement’s succinct comment was, “Thank God!”

Therapist’s sire Freud, perennial leader among the ranks of New York stallions, stands at Sequel New York[5]. His 2018 stud fee was $7,500.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/08/06/therapist-cab-calloway/

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