Coglianese /NYRA Photo Photo

Uni rallies strong to win Fasig-Tipton De La Rose

by Anthony Affrunti

A strong closing kick took Uni from last to first to win the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose by a head over stablemate Precieuse and five others in 1:40.09 over the soft inner turf under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

The English-bred filly by More Than Ready won her third start and first at Saratoga since her runner-up finish to Proctor's Ledge in last year's Grade 2 Lake Placid. The Chad Brown trainee was impressive after hitting her right side leaving her inside post en route to a five-wide trip for home over the soft going.

“She has done well and thankfully we've been able to get her home after her illness [shipping fever] and were able to get her back feeling right again and training well,” Brown said. “We picked this race out about three weeks ago and we said, she is doing well, so let’s get her back started. And, man, she ran great today.”

From the break, the Irish-bred Pas de Soucis was sent to the lead and took the field through a slow opening quarter of a mile in 25.50 seconds while last year's De La Rose winner Thundering Sky stalked to her outside with On Leave to her inside. The field made their way through a half-mile run in 50.83 while Uni remained in the back of the pack.

Pas de Soucis tried to take the field through the stretch to the wire cutting the corner, but the field swept wide turning for home with Uni the widest of the rest. With three-quarters of a mile run in 1:16.07, Precieuse closed hard down the lane, but could not withstand the charge of Uni to her outside, and the latter got the bob at the wire to give Brown a 1-2 finish. It was two lengths back to pacesetter Pas de Soucis, who held on for third. On Leave finished fourth. Rounding out the finish was Lido, Bletchley, and Thundering Sky.

"Both horses ran great. No surprises," said Brown. "They both were training super, and I was confident that they would handle the soft ground, and Uni handled it a little bit better today. They both were training very similar.

“[Precieuse] is off a long layoff and she had a right to get a little tired at the end, and I think she ran great and I think she has a great future in front of her too,” he added.

At odds of 5-2, Uni returned $7.20 for a $2 wager.