Tourist gets Grade 1 glory in Fourstardave

by Heather Pettinger

For WinStar Farm, Watchel Stable and Gary Barber, the eighth time was the charm as the multiple Grade 1-placed Tourist found his time in the spotlight in the 32nd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap on the inner turf Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Joel Rosario, Tourist settled in second just to the outside of King Kreesa, who led the field of six through an opening quarter mile in 24.53 seconds and a half in 48.43. Tourist got a head in front in the middle of the turn but King Kreesa battled back as the field turned for home. Tourist put away the pacesetter and held a late-charging A Lot at bay to win by 1 ¼ lengths.

Tourist's long-elusive graded black type came on the heels of a game runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile in June at Santa Anita, where he finished a half-length behind multiple graded stakes winner Midnight Storm. The 5-year-old son of Tiznow, who was also second in the 2014 Grade 1 Secretariat and third in the 2015 Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile, improved his career record to 5-3-3 from 16 starts and earnings of $970,340.

"It was important for a horse like him to [get a Grade 1 win]," said Mott. "He's been a good horse for us, multiple Grade 1-placed. To win the Fourstardave in Saratoga was very important. There have been some nice horses win it in the past and I'm sure we'll have some more in the future. But it was his day today."

A claim of foul by Javier Castellano, the jockey aboard the Chad Brown-trained A Lot, for interference at the start was disallowed. Tourist returned $7.40 for a $2 win wager and completed the two-turn mile in 1:34.29 on firm turf.

"Good trip," said Rosario. "Nice horse, he really put a nice run. It was all him today. I remember his first time here [July, 20, 2014 Sir Cat Stakes victory], he really ran a big race before. That was a big performance from him here today. I never thought anything about the inquiry. I just did the best I can. I don't think it impacted the race."

It was another 1 ½ lengths back to 2015 Fourstardave winner Grand Arch in third, followed by King Kreesa, Force the Pass and Ring Weekend to complete the order of finish.