Fran LeDonne Photo

Market Alert prevails in Saginaw

by Keith McCalmont

WellSpring Stables’ homebred Market Alert outdueled a game Therisastormbrewin to capture the $100,000 Saginaw, a 1 1/16-mile test for state-breds 4-years-old and up on Closing Day of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park.

Trained by James Ryerson, the 4-year-old D’Funnybone gelding picked up his first career stakes win under patient handling from jockey Jose Ortiz, who was content to track in fourth as Therisastormbrewin, Daddy Knows and Listentoyourheart tussled through splits of 23.10 seconds and 45.50 over the fast main track.

Listentoyourheart briefly held the advantage along the rail before Therisastormbrewin took command into the turn with Daddy Knows backing up and Market Alert sailing by on the outside with a strong rally.

Therisastormbrewin dug in gamely at the top of the lane, but Market Alert would not be denied, vaulting outside his foe to notch a 2 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:43.20.

Ortiz said the early pace battle worked wonders for Market Alert, who has a penchant for creating trouble for himself.

“He’s a horse that’s a little difficult. In the gate, he’s difficult, too,” Ortiz said. “We’re just happy to see what he can do when he runs his best. He was sitting in a good spot. The second half of the race was a little hot because the 2-horse [Daddy Knows] was getting into the pace in the middle. I think that helped me down the lane. The other horse [Therisastormbrewin] had to fight with everybody and he ran a good race, too.”

Market Alert posted a bullet half-mile breeze in 47.66 on July 7 over Belmont’s dirt training track in his final Saginaw prep. Ryerson said the chestnut has settled down somewhat after stretching out in distance dating back to a one-mile open allowance win in March at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“He’s kind of reinvented himself with a little distance. He’s able to adapt to the pace," Ryerson said. "Today, there was a lot of speed and he was able to rate. All things you would hope for, and then you see him train three days out and works 47 and change. Evidently, that was good.

“We’ve had trouble with the tunnel and he didn’t want to come out of his stall after we saddled him," Ryerson added. "He broke through the gate last time, and he tried breaking through the gate the time before that when he was third. They had just clicked it or he might have done it that day. He’s finding new ways to make more gray hair on my head.”

Ortiz credited Ryerson for Market Alert’s improved performance.

“Jimmy has been working with him a lot, so I’m happy for Jimmy and the owners,” Ortiz said. “He’s a nice horse, but sometimes they aren’t mentally there and it makes it a little tougher. This is one of them. In the post parade, he likes to freeze and stuff, but we’ve been working with him and I think he’s getting better and better. Today, he was the best horse.”

Market Alert, whose previous best stakes result was a runner-up effort in the Mike Lee last May at Belmont, has marked some of his best results over Big Sandy, including 3-of-5 career wins. The chestnut entered from an off-the-board effort in an open one-turn optional-claiming mile on May 28 and more than made amends with a strong performance.

Ryerson said Market Alert will now target the one-mile $125,000 Evan Shipman Handicap for state-breds 3-years-old and up on August 12 at Saratoga Race Course.

Bred in the Empire State by his owner, Market Alert, out of the Silver Deputy mare Shakaleena, banked $55,000 in victory while improving his record to 19-5-2-3. He returned $6.80 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing on the NYRA circuit will now shift upstate for the 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course, which will include 77 stakes worth $22.6 million in total purses. The summer meet will open on Thursday, July 14, and conclude on Monday, September 5.

The one-mile $135,000 Wilton for sophomore fillies is slated as Race 7 on Thursday’s 10-race Opening Day card, which is headlined by the six-furlong Grade 3, $175,000 Schuylerville for juvenile fillies in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule. 

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.