Janet Napolitano Photo

Pounce caps big day for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in G3 Lake George

by Christian Abdo

Resolute Racing’s Pounce did just that to take over late and win Hall of Famer Mark Casse a fourth stakes race on the day in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

In victory, Casse earned his sixth-of-seven overall wins today in North America. He also won at the Spa in an optional claiming tilt [Race 8, Full Screen], at Woodbine Racetrack in the Plate Trial [My Boy Prince], Grade 3 Trillium [Solo Album] and an optional-claimer [Ready to Jam], at Monmouth Park in the Grade 2 United Nations [Get Smokin], and at Gulfstream Park in a maiden special weight [Aristotle].

“it’s been a good day," understated Casse. "We have a great crew. We got up to Saratoga a lot earlier this year and I think that might be part of it,” said Casse. “I have a lot of great people that put a lot of money behind us and we’re doing really well with our 2-year-olds. We went out and recruited the strongest group of yearlings we’ve ever recruited and it’s paying dividends.”

In Pounce’s own right, the Lookin At Lucky bay earned her second graded win, adding to a last-to-first score at the distance in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride in March at Gulfstream.

Piloted by Dylan Davis, who won his third of four races on Saturday’s card, Pounce broke alertly from post 8 and settled midpack as Sweet Rebecca, also campaigned by Resolute Racing, broke well from post 6 and briefly went to the lead under Tyler Gaffalione. Soon after, Gavea took over from the inside post to lead the field through an opening quarter-mile in 23.88 seconds over the firm turf.

The Brian Hernandez, Jr.-piloted Gavea continued to lead through the first turn, tracked by Manama Gold and Sweet Rebecca. Davis was content to sit 3 1/2-lengths back in sixth position to the outside of Oversubscribed as the half-mile elapsed in 47.93.

“She has natural speed so I thought I would be forwardly placed on the lead or second,” said Davis regarding his early positioning. “But I just really rode her comfortable out of the gate to get her to relax because I thought last trip she was on the engine too much.”

Down the backside, Pounce advanced into fifth position along the outside as the field reeled in the early pacesetter. Around the far turn, through three-quarters in 1:12.52, Davis geared up for Pounce’s move as Gavea held a narrow advantage over Sweet Rebecca to her outside and the stalking De Regreso looked for running room along the rail.

At the stretch call, Pounce was tipped out into clear air down the center of the course as Gavea staved off an early challenge from Sweet Rebecca. After covering seven-eighths in 1:24.21, Davis asked Pounce for her best stride, with the Hall of Famer Joel Rosario-piloted Oversubscribed also looking for daylight to close into.

With a well-timed ride from Davis, the aptly-named Pounce had the jump over oncoming closers Oversubscribed and Vive Veuve, who came from well out of it. Pounce kicked by the early leader to win by three-quarter lengths over Oversubscribed in a final time of 1:35.84.

Vive Veuve got up for third, with Gavea hanging on for fourth. Sweet Rebecca, De Regreso, Manama Gold, Gala Brand, Lemon Muffin, and Magic Cross completed the order of finish.

Also-eligible entrants Golden Degree, Goa, and In Our Time were scratched.

Casse said Davis’ job of getting the talented filly to relax allowed her to flourish. In Pounce’s last graded stakes attempt, she broke outwardly and was eager early en route to an off-the-board finish in the Grade 2 Appalachian in April at Keeneland. She entered from a pacesetting third in the one-mile Penn Oaks on May 31 at Penn National.

“I was considering her to be a real star and then she kind of disappointed me a little bit. We freshened her up and gave her a little more time and the only thing I said to Dylan was I wanted him to get her to settle if she would – and she did,” said Casse, who is now second in the trainer standings with six wins, one shy of Brown.

Davis, aboard for the first time, said the filly gave him a great kick.

“I just waited for a spot to open up to push out and when I pushed out, she responded really nicely,” said Davis. “She was finding more, she was actually really just getting started because she was tough to pull up after the race.”

Jack Sisterson, trainer of Vive Veuve, was pleased to see her overcome a tough trip and rally from 9th-of-10 for show-honors.

“I’m a bit biased and maybe with a clean trip it’s a different result, but I’m over the moon with the way she ran. She shows up every time,” said Sisterson. “She was good enough but for the trip – that’s racing, tomorrow’s a new day and you can’t look back.”

Rosario said the Chad Brown-trained Oversubscribed came up just short in search of her conditioner’s record-extending eighth Lake George triumph. Sweet Rebecca was also trained by Brown.

“She did everything right, just a bit unlucky with the trip,” said Rosario. “She was running at the end, so too bad we got beat, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bell, Rankin, VanMeter and Hancock, Pounce is out of the winning Twirling Candy mare Bouncing, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Blue Harbor. She was initially campaigned by Quintessential Racing Florida and Hat Creek Racing, before being purchased in February for $370,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Digital Selected Sale.

She banked $96,250 in victory while improving her record to 7-4-0-1 and returning $13.80 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga Race Course with a 11-race program that features the Grade 1, $150,000 A. P. Smithwick Memorial Handicap [Race 1] and the Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee [Race 5]. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, 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 NYRABets.com.