Evershed scores breakthrough victory in G3 Waya
Mark Grier’s Evershed was expertly handled by jockey Flavien Prat to land her first stakes win with a three-quarter-length stalk-and-pounce score in Friday’s Grade 3, $225,000 Waya, a 1 3/8-mile inner turf route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Arnaud Delacour, the Irish-bred daughter of Churchill made her second start off an eight-month respite, building upon a third-place effort last out in a second-level optional claimer on July 19 at Colonial Downs. She returned to the scene of her runner-up finish in last year’s Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational, where she landed 1 3/4 lengths back of Laurelin in her graded debut.
Delacour said the Waya was actually a ‘Plan B’ of sorts after a local second-level allowance he was targeting with Evershed did not fill, leaving the Waya as the steppingstone to the Grade 2 Flower Bowl on September 26 at Belmont Park, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
"That was the idea initially. I was toying with the idea of running here in a two-other-than last week, going a mile and three-eighths, to run in the Flower Bowl,” Delacour explained. “The race didn't go. So, we were like, 'OK, now that [the Waya] is probably the only option we have left.' But that was a great back-up and she was doing very well, I have to say."
The trainer added that it appears Evershed has an affinity for the Spa.
"I think so because she ran her two best races on this track so far, so we'll have to come back next year I guess,” he said, with a laugh.
The 4-year-old bay would not be denied again on Friday, listening carefully to her rider’s cues as she broke sharply from the inside post, but backed off the early tempo once she claimed her spot behind the freewheeling Storm Miami, who cantered clear under Hall of Famer John Velazquez to mark splits of 25.05 seconds and 50.72 over the firm footing.
“The pace scenario was a big question mark, obviously,” Delacour said. “There was not a lot of speed. Flavien knew that. It probably helped as well that we had a great post, post number 1. He got her out of there, then he was able to get her to settle and have plenty of options."
Evershed was under a snug hold entering the second turn, and was unhurried as Unmerited Favor quickened to her outside and challenged for second position heading onto the backstretch, a position she claimed after three quarters in 1:16.36 while Storm Miami rolled along up front. Silvology and Awesomesauce kicked in from farther back with wide moves midway through the far turn after the mile in 1:40.40 and looked ready to sweep by, but the top trio quickened while Prat held steady exiting the turn, waiting for room to advance to the inside of Storm Miami heading into the lane.
Unmerited Favor gave game chase to the outside of the pacesetter, but Evershed had enough room on the rail to unleash a strong turn-of-foot near the eighth pole and take over from a stubborn Storm Miami, keeping her foe at bay through the final sixteenth to post the victory in a final time of 2:15.12.
Whitethorn, who was boxed in through upper stretch, hit the clear late to make a strong rally for third a neck behind Storm Miami with another half-length back to Unmerited Favor in fourth. Massarat, Silvology, Snipsnippitysnip and Awesomesauce completed the order of finish. Venencia was scratched.
Prat, aboard for the first time in the afternoon, said he was pleased to use his inside post to his advantage in securing the stalking position behind Storm Miami.
“I had a great draw, and she jumped well, so I was able to use her and get myself in a good position,” he said. “I was able to stay behind [Storm Miami] the whole way around and save ground. I felt like I was traveling very well when we turned for home. It was a matter of finding a gap, and when she had the gap, she went through well."
Velazquez, aboard the Amelia Green-trained runner-up Storm Miami, said the 5-year-old Blue Point mare delivered another strong pacesetting effort just as she did last time when second to next-out Grade 1 Christophe Clement Turf-winner Survie in the Grade 2 Glens Falls on August 2 here.
“She did the same thing last time. She was on the lead, and you think she is going slow, but she's pulling,” Velazquez said. “She never really gets relaxed in front. She gives you the best you can, for sure. She tried.”
Velazquez added that Evershed had a touch more in the final stages to edge past his game mare.
“[Evershed] had a little more horse than I did, and that was the difference. I gave [Evershed] the space inside, too,” he said. “That's the other thing. She's a little hard to switch leads, so I got to pull her out and go back in, and by the time I went back in [Evershed] was already there."
Bred by Lynch Bages and Camas Park Stud, Evershed sold for $369,665 at the 2023 Arqana Deauville Yearling Sale. She banked $123,750 in victory while returning $9.40 on a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with a 14-race card headlined by the 157th renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers in Race 13 at approximately 6:35 p.m. Eastern. The DraftKings Travers is one of five Grade 1s scheduled for Saturday’s blockbuster program, including the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial in Race 8 and three top-level Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers with the Personal Ensign [Distaff] in Race 9, the Forego [Dirt Mile] in Race 11 and the Resorts World Casino Ballerina [Filly and Mare Sprint] in Race 12. The card is supported by the Grade 2 Lake Placid in Race 10.
The DraftKings Travers will be showcased live on FOX as part of a two-hour edition of FOX Saratoga Saturday presented by Oceania Cruises from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. First post on Saturday’s card is 11:05 a.m. with gates opening to the public at 9 a.m.
Saratoga Live presents 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 horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
