Adam Coglianese
Drawing Away Stable and David Jacobson’s Saginaw, winner of 10 of 14 starts in 2012 including six stakes races, returned a determined winner in his 2013 debut, making up several lengths in the final furlong to collar speedy stakes debuter Readytodefer in Monday’s $75,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes at the Big A.
Finishing third in his final race last year, the two-turn Alex M. Robb on December 26, Saginaw fell short in his bid for an 11th victory on the year and sole possession of the title for the most victories in North America in 2012. The 7-year-old Peruvian gelding closed out the year instead in a three-way tie for the most wins, enjoyed a brief freshening and, sporting only a modest worktab of two 3-furlong moves, turned back in distance to six furlongs for his return to the races on Monday.
Readytodefer (Defer), winner of four of his last seven starts, was the first to strike the front after a good start for all. Tracked by 3-5 favorite Saginaw, Readytodefer extended his lead to 1 1/2 lengths going into the far turn and 3 lengths in upper stretch through a crisp quarter mile in 23.12 and even faster half in 45.77.
Saginaw dug in with determination, eroded the lead in the final furlong, and got up in the final strides to win by a head in 1:10.51. Be Bullish came home willingly to take the third spot a length behind Readytodefer, while Uncle T Seven and Sportswriter completed the order of finish.
“He still has it, and I think, hopefully, this is the beginning of a long campaign for 2013,” said winning trainer David Jacobson. “[We’ll take it] race by race. He might need another two months off, or we might get him back in next week, but that’s totally up to him.” Jacobson added, “You always wonder if you give them a layoff how they’re going to come back. Today, he showed a lot of heart. Hopefully, he’ll only improve off this. He’s not the fastest horse I’ve ever had, but he has the biggest heart.”
Winning jockey Junior Alvarado commented, “He broke good and I tried to just put him in a good spot where he could be comfortable. Turning for home, I just asked him to go and he started giving me the kick. He’s a game, good horse and he knows what he’s doing. He just got there right at the wire.”
Winning owner Ed Boden of Drawing Away Stable said, “He wasn’t really 100 percent; he won on his class. Hopefully it will be start of another big year for him. Once he started moving in the stretch, I knew he would catch [Readytodefer] because he doesn’t like to lose. I was more concerned with the horse closing on the outside [Be Bullish].”
Saginaw was claimed by Jacobson for $30,000 out of a 13 1/4-length romp at Aqueduct on March 8, when he was equipped with blinkers for the first time by trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., who had him for one start.
Wearing blinkers for all subsequent starts, Saginaw has done little wrong, winning 10, including the Carr Heaven and Affirmed Success at Belmont in April and May, Saratoga’s John Morrissey Stakes, the Promenade All in Belmont in September, and Fourstars Allstar at Aqueduct in November and the open Gravesend in December. In the Hudson on Showcase Day, he ran second to the Mind Over Matter after a poor start. Saginaw’s career record now stands at 17-6-3 from 36 starts with earnings of $791,690.
Bred by Ted Taylor and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Saginaw is one of three winners out of Devilzene, a Kentucky-bred winner by Devil’s Bag purchased by Ted Taylor for $21,000 as a yearling at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale. Saginaw’s full brother Sipsey is stakes placed ($97,194). Devilzene currently has a 3-year-old filly by Desert Warrior named Sinclair who has not started, and a 2013 filly by Desert Warrior.
