Susie Raisher Photo

Power Squeeze prevails in G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales

by Mary Eddy

Lea Farms’ Power Squeeze prevailed in a lively stretch duel with post-time favorite Candied to score by a head in Saturday’s 144th renewal of the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales, a 10-furlong route for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Jorge Delgado, the daughter of Union Rags doubled up on graded triumphs after a similarly close finish in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 8 where she bested Sidamara by a nose when digging in gamely on the inside. The Alabama marked the chestnut’s third graded stakes conquest, adding to the Delaware Oaks and the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks this March.

Delgado, who scored the first Grade 1 victory of his career, praised the ride engineered by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, and said Power Squeeze showed heart in the final stages.

“An absolutely outstanding ride from Javier. He measured the race perfectly. He said to me he felt the pace was going [to be] a little fast, but he wanted to keep her near the pace and close enough to make a run because there’s enough talent in the race,” said Delgado. “Going to the stretch, he told me he couldn’t see much but he could see number seven [Candied] and he thought he was in a good spot. He kept coming and coming and he knows that the filly fights a lot - like in Delaware, but this time on the outside. On the head bob, she knows how to win. She wanted to win. She has so much determination to win.”

Power Squeeze emerged from post 3 and employed her customary come-from-behind tactics, settling in seventh-of-8 early as the Franke Dettori-piloted Chatalas shot to the front and Miss Justify overcame a slow start to track in second through an opening quarter-mile in 23.31 seconds over the fast main track.

Castellano said he had Power Squeeze right where he wanted her.

“She is not the best at breaking out of the gate. She always breaks a little slow, but she is OK. That was my goal - it was a mile and a quarter race,” said Castellano. “Not too many horses face a mile and quarter in their 3-year-old campaign. I believed whoever had the most left near the very end of the race was going to win. I didn't want to hook up with speed or chase the speed. I wanted to take my time and develop the horse through the race to find her kick and finish.”

Dettori put daylight between him and Flavien Prat aboard Miss Justify while post-time favorite Candied bided her time in sixth just ahead of Power Squeeze as the half-mile elapsed in 47.06. Approaching the turn, Manny Franco made a move aboard Candied and coaxed her along in the four path as Power Squeeze followed her run to inch closer to the front.

Chatalas clung to a precarious lead after three-quarters in 1:11.92 with Miss Justify breathing down her neck a half-length back and Candied gobbling up ground with every stride to make it three across the track exiting the turn.

A leg-weary Chatalas veered out sharply at the top of the lane as Dettori attempted to straighten her for the stretch drive, sandwiching Candied between her and her stablemate Miss Justify. Meanwhile, Power Squeeze stayed out of trouble just behind the top trio and threatened on the far outside of a battling Candied.

In a dramatic battle through the final sixteenth, Franco implored his charge for more with Power Squeeze and Just Basking, who was last early, making up ground in the center of the course. Candied gave every ounce of her best, but could not fend off the rushing Power Squeeze, who willingly got her head down first in a final time of 2:04.35.

Just Basking finished third one length behind Candied with another 8 1/2 lengths back to Miss Justify in fourth. Intricate, Chatalas, Neon Icon and America’s Vow completed the order of finish.

Delgado said the clean trip worked out by Castellano made the difference.

“When you have a filly that comes off the pace things can happen – traffic – if you’re inside you can get stuck and they won’t give you room, but Javier figured out how to ride her the cleanest he could,” said Delgado.

The win marked the fourth victory in this event for Castellano, who rode the filly last out in the 1 1/16-mile Delaware Oaks and suggested to Delgado that more distance would suit the talented chestnut.

“I rode her in the Delaware Oaks, and I liked the way she won that. She finished really strong galloping out really well,” Castellano recalled. “She gave me the impression that day she could go the mile and a quarter distance. I suggested to the trainer that day that he should put her in the Alabama because she had something to finish in the end. She is a fighter.”

Power Squeeze finished a game third two starts back in the Grade 1 DK Horse Acorn on June 7 here, which was won by the division’s leading filly Thorpedo Anna. It was the second occasion on which the two fillies met, one start after Power Squeeze finished off-the-board in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks won by Thorpedo Anna in May at Churchill Downs.

Delgado said he would welcome another swing at the formidable filly in the Grade 1 Cotillion in September at Parx Racing if the stars were to align that way. Thorpedo Anna skipped the Alabama in favor of running against males in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers here.

“Absolutely. The owner is a man of challenge – I am, too. We like to gamble and sometimes a problem, but we like to gamble,” Delgado said, with a laugh. “You only have these kinds of chances so many times in your training career. We faced her twice we lost twice…but I feel like if it is the right surface and right distance for us, we might have a shot. We’re going there [the Cotillion]. We might see each other there.”

Bred in Kentucky by Forging Oaks Farm, Power Squeeze banked $330,000 in victory while improving her lifetime record to 10-6-1-1, including two additional stakes wins in the Cash Run in January at Gulfstream and Listed Suncoast in February at Tampa Bay Downs. The $90,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase returned $14.80 on a $2 win ticket.

A pragmatic Franco, who was aboard Candied for the second time after finishing second to Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks last out for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, said the contact at the top of the lane was costly.

“The two horse [Chatalas] came out in the stretch and bumped me. I think that cost me the momentum. We were coming at that time and they touched me,” said Franco. “I feel like they bumped me but there is nothing I can do. I had to keep riding, and just got beat.”

Pletcher, who also trains fourth-place Miss Justify, said he was proud of the performance put forth by the Grade 1-winning Candied.

“It was a good effort,” said Pletcher. “Manny said when the two came out it kind of bumped everyone and knocked him off rhythm a little bit. She regained her momentum late and she had her nose in front before and after the wire just not on the wire. Tough beat. She ran great.”

Live racing resumes Sunday with an 11-race card that features the state-bred $125,000 Evan Shipman Handicap [Race 3] and the Listed $150,000 Bolton Landing [Race 7]. 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 www.NYRABets.com.