Susie Raisher Photo

Surveillance proves best in off-the-turf G2 Troy

by Keith McCalmont

Surveillance rallied to an impressive score under Tyler Gaffalione in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Troy for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Troy, originally slated for August 3 going 5 1/2-furlongs over the Mellon turf, was re-scheduled but moved to the main track and contested at the same distance after all of Saturday’s races were moved off the turf due to heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Debby that impacted Saratoga and the greater Capital Region throughout the day on Friday.

Trained by Wayne Potts for Photos Finish, Surveillance drew in as a main-track only entrant and, despite breaking in the air, proved much the best as the 3-2 mutuel favorite, returning $5 for a $2 win bet.

“He was just kind of tossing his head quite a bit [in the gate] and I just never really got him to settle in there,” Gaffalione said. “He kind of lunged the first step out of there, but after a quarter-mile into the race, he got well within himself, and I was traveling really well throughout."

The Flavien Prat-piloted Outlaw Kid was hustled out of the inside post to show the way through splits of 22.12 seconds and 45.47 over the fast main track while under pressure from Step Forward with main-track only entrant Disarmed in fourth to the outside of Surveillance.

Surveillance was content racing behind the pacesetters through the turn, but Gaffalione deftly angled his charge to the outside late in the turn and began to make up ground at will. Surveillance was in command in upper stretch and drew clear to a 3 1/4-length score over a game and determined Outlaw Kid in a final time of 1:04.41.

It was a neck back to Step Forward in third with Disarmed and Thin White Duke rounding out the order of finish. Witty, Cogburn, Big Invasion, Dancing Buck, Xy Speed, Grooms All Bizness, Sosua Summer, and Mischievous Angel were scratched.

Gaffalione said he was content to let Surveillance draft behind horses.

“The spot was there, so I just let him be there,” Gaffalione said. “Coming into the stretch, the spot opened up to get him three-wide, and he didn't hesitate. He went right for the spot and finished the job well."

The victory marked the fourth career stakes win for the 7-year-old Constitution gelding, adding to consecutive dirt scores at Fair Grounds in 2022 in the Thanksgiving Classic, the Richard R. Scherer Memorial and the off-the-turf 2023 Duncan F. Kenner.

Surveillance was claimed for $62,500 last out from a rallying half-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint on July 26 here but had shown strong dirt form in seven previous main track wins.

“We were fortunate to get him in a three-way shake,” said Potts, who won this event in 2020 with the ill-fated American Sailor, who perished in a 2021 barn fire at Belmont Park. “The first time the Troy was scheduled, I thought it was just a little too quick for him to wheel back. So I waited, they cancelled the Troy, and we went back in – got fortunate to go back in as a main track-only and with the storms coming through, everything worked out for us.”

Prat said the George Weaver-trained Outlaw Kid performed admirably in defeat.

“We had a good run. He ran a good race. He is obviously better on turf, but it was a good effort from him today,” Prat said.

Bred in Kentucky by Kendall E. Hansen and M.D. Racing, Surveillance banked $165,000 in victory, while improving his record to 36-10-5-8.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with an 11-race card, featuring the Listed $150,000 Mahony in Race 8, as well as the rescheduled Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational in Race 10 and the Grade 1 FanDuel Fourstardave Handicap in Race 11. 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.