Photo: Adam Coglianese
For the second day in a row a New York-bred campaigned by Repole Stable, and trusted to the capable hands of Saratoga’s current leading trainer Todd Pletcher and current leading jockey John Velazquez, went to the post in a state-bred stakes as heavy favorite and ended up in the winner’s circle. Two-year-old Never Right Joey fought through to a victory in the High Rock Springs on Thursday. On Friday Driven by Success won the $70,000 Vic Ziegel Memorial Stakes by a decisive 6 ¾ lengths.
Voted New York’s Champion Male Sprinter of 2009, five-year-old Driven by Success had already won two races this year, finished second to Endless Circle in the John Morrissey and run third in the Grade 3 Toboggan, but had yet to chalk up a stakes victory. Proven both at the seven-furlong distance and at Saratoga, where he was two-for-two in 2008, the five-year-old chestnut gelding seemed to be in the perfect spot to win on Friday, and bettors agreed, sending him off at 1-to-4. Driven by Success was also looking for a measure of redemption after falling short as heavy favorite for a second consecutive year in the John Morrissey in his last start on August 5th.
Getting out of the gate alertly and gaining the rail, Driven by Success immediately had company in the form of long shot Estimator who pushed him hard to his outside through a quick first half in 45.27, while Groomedforvictory tracked in third on the rail. As Estimator faded around the quarter pole, Driven by Success took his cue from Velazquez and kicked clear, quickly opening up what proved by be an insurmountable lead. Groomedforvictory, who had been in tight earlier in the race, stayed on track for second, and veteran Naughty New Yorker got into stride late to get up for third. Uncle T Seven, Make Note and Estimator completed the order of finish. The final time for the seven furlongs, 1:21.84 over a fast track, earned Driven by Success a Beyer Speed Figure of 101 – his seventh career three-digit figure – and the win improved his record to 7-4-5 from 22 career starts with earnings of $463,969.
Velazquez contrasted the trip with the prior start, saying “He handled the track a lot better than last time [in the sloppy John Morrissey Stakes],” and Pletcher was pleased with the redemptive victory. “He was able to get into a comfortable rhythm for a pretty fast race. It was nice to see him win a stake at Saratoga after a couple tough losses in the John Morrissey the last two years.” According to Pletcher, Driven by Success should ultimately make an appearance on Showcase Day at Belmont on October 23rd in an attempt to repeat in the Hudson: “We’ll target the Hudson and see if there’s something in between now and then or not. He won the Hudson last year so that’d be a logical place to try again.” Pletcher also acknowledged the significance of the win. The first race on the Travers Eve card was named in honor of popular longtime New York sportswriter Vic Ziegel, who twice received Red Smith Writing Awards for Kentucky Derby coverage. Ziegel passed away at the age of 72 on July 23rd: “This is a special tribute to [Vic Ziegel] and we’re happy we could do it.”
Bred by the Richard Simon’s New Dawn Stud, LLC, New York-conceived Driven by Success is by Precise End, who stood at Lakland North from 2001-2004. He is one of ten winners from ten starters produced by winner Afleet Closer, including black type-winner Diablo’s Closer (Diablo) and black type-placed Fleeting Diablo (Diablo). Two other siblings, Fleet Forum (Open Forum) and Precision Perfect (full brother to Driven by Success), are six-figure earners. Two-year-old Gambling Geraldine by Wildcat Heir (bred by New Dawn Stud, LLC and owned by Repole Stable) won her debut at Belmont on July 11th.
New Dawn Stud purchased Afleet Closer for $35,000 at the OBS 2000 October mixed sale and her progeny have now earned nearly $1.1 million. Sold to Mill Creek Farm in 2008 for $10,000, Afleet Closer has a yearling filly by Prime Timber and a 2010 colt by Giant’s Causeway (both showing Repole Stable, Inc. as the breeder of record). Driven by Success was purchased by Joseph Brocklebank (agent for Repole) for $95,000 at the OBS 2007 April two-year-old sale.
