Susie Raisher Photo

Therapist rallies from outside post to capture NYSS Spectacular Bid; Kressie wins stakes debut in NYSS Cupecoy's Joy

by Brian Bohl & Heather Pettinger

Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist relished cutting back in distance, stalking early before utilizing a strong finishing kick to post a two-length win in the 13th running of the $100,000 Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds on Sunday at Belmont Park.

Carded as Race 9 and the second of two New York Stallion Series stakes on the day, the Spectacular Bid saw 3-5 favorite Therapist break from the outside post as Belleville Spring surged to the front, going the opening quarter mile in 22 seconds and the half in 44.34.

Therapist, cutting back to seven furlongs after making four consecutive stakes starts going at least one mile, quickly closed on Belleville Spring's five-length lead. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. moved the Freud colt closer to the pacesetter out of the turn, took the lead in mid-stretch and outkicked Collective Effort to complete the course in 1:21.07 on the firm Widener turf.

"He's a New York-bred and he finally gets to enjoy his New York-bred class and see how good he is," Ortiz said. "He's competitive against open horses. He's been running so good, he's been right there with them. He's won [against] open [company], finished third. He's always done really good. Against New York-breds, he had it a little easier today, but he's a nice horse. The way he was feeling today, I thought he was going to run the way he ran. I had a lot of confidence in him."

Trainer Christophe Clement said early this week that he was initially hesitant about drawing post 13 but said Therapist's experience was helpful in dropping down in class.

"Nice win, he's a nice horse," Clement said. "He's raced against some of the top 3-year-olds on turf already this year. He won at Gulfstream and came back and ran a touch flat at Penn National in the [Grade 2] Penn Mile. He was a little more anxious than what we like, he's a pretty busy horse mentally and well named being Therapist by Freud, but he's a lovely horse with a great turn of foot."

Therapist, who won the Cutler Bay on March 31 at Gulfstream Park and finished sixth in the Penn Mile last out on June 2, paid $3.10 on a $2 win bet. His fifth win in seven career starts increased his career bankroll to $308,725.

Spectacular Kid finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Collective Effort in third. Santo Antonio, Siggie, Beach Access, A True Giant, Belleville Spring, Engineers Report and Binkster completed the order of finish. Hokulea, Five Star Bunt and Desert Lights were scratched.

Earlier on the card, Gerald and Susan Kresa's Kreesie rallied from well off the pace to secure a half-length win in the $100,000 NYSS Cupecoy's Joy in Race 7 for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on the Widener.

Kreesie, ridden by Jose Ortiz, had just one horse beat through the early going as Baby Boss took the field of 11 through fractions of 22.20 and 44.74 with even-money favorite Mentality tracking close in second. Kreesie made a wide move through the turn to close in the center of the track, outkicking a late-running Goodbye Brockley under the wire.

Mentality was another half-length back in third, followed by Wegetsdamunnys, Miss Mystique, Baby Boss, Dreams Are Pazible, Aunt Babe, Orchid Party, Pure Silver, and She's Delightful. Main track-only entrants Caoimhe and My Roxy Girl were scratched.

The final time was 1:21.09. Kreesie, a gray New York-bred filly by Cosmonaut, returned $15.60 at odds of 6-1.

"She ran well. I think the pace helped her a lot," said Ortiz. "They ran pretty fast for the first half of a mile. She was relaxed and comfortable. I was able to get a really nice trip. When I got to the three-sixteenths [pole], I followed [Goodbye Brockley]. Everything came up perfect. Luckily, they came back to me."

It was her second win from three starts this year since transferring to trainer David Donk at the conclusion of her 2-year-old campaign. The victory improves her overall record to two wins from six starts for earnings of $120,700.

"You love to find those grass horses with a good turn of foot and she's developing in making a great transition from 2-to-3 [years old]," said Donk. "I thought this was a very good race from her and she's coming out of a spot in which she ran well last time out. Today, we were just hoping there was enough pace in the race."