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World Record reaches new heights in G2 Amsterdam

by Mary Eddy

WinStar Farm and Siena Farm’s World Record returned to pacesetting ways en route to a dominant victory in Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Rudy Brisset, the son of Gun Runner graduated at second asking with a wire-to-wire trip, but tried different tactics last out when stalking the pace in the seven-furlong Listed Maxfield at Churchill Downs, yielding a third-place finish in his stakes debut. However, the bay colt would not be denied Friday when assuming command from the gate under Flavien Prat, improving to 2-for-2 when making the early lead.

Brisset commented on the new dimension World Record – who donned blinkers for the first time Friday – showed when taking control early in his second-out maiden win going seven furlongs in May at Churchill under Florent Geroux.

"If you watch the replay when Flo rode him, he kind of got him out of there and put him on the engine and the horse was a different horse the way he was traveling,” Brisset said. “So, the plan today was to get out there and make sure we make it. Obviously, the 21 and 3 [21.56] – if it’s a six furlong, yes, six and half, you have to worry about the last sixteenth, but he hung on pretty good. I don't think he is going to want to go too, too far.”

World Record emerged sharply from the inside post in the field of 5 and was quickly two lengths in front of Donegal Momentum, with the remainder of the field running in post position order through the opening quarter mile in 21.56 seconds over the fast main track.

A freewheeling World Record motored down the backstretch with post-time favorite Jefferson Street taking up third position in the two-path outside of Donegal Momentum approaching the turn, and creeping closer as the pacesetter marked the half-mile in 44.64 under confident handling.

World Record cut the corner at the top of the lane and was set down for the drive as Jefferson Street put forth his best run down the center of the course under an all-out Junior Alvarado, but the early foot of World Record proved too quick to catch in the late stages and carried him to the wire 6 3/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:16.20.

Jefferson Street secured place honors by 7 1/4 lengths over the late-running Valentine Candy with Donegal Momentum and Pure Force rounding out the order of finish.

Prat said he was determined to make the lead after the colt’s even run when drawing the rail and stalking in the Maxfield.

"I thought the other day kind of took the temperature out of me, on-and-off the whole backside, couldn't get him into a good rhythm,” Prat said. “We drew the one again, so I was really committed to get him running out of there and getting him forwardly-placed for sure.

"I squeezed him out of there, but then I thought I was in a great rhythm,” Prat continued. “I was going a good speed, but cruising so I thought I was comfortable there.”

Brisset said the addition of blinkers was a question mark, along with the inside post for the third consecutive time in four starts, but WinStar Farm CEO Elliott Walden encouraged him to run the colt anyways.

"The blinkers didn't make much difference in the morning and I was still 50/50 at entry to put them on and we said that it is not going to hurt if they don't change anything, they won’t make him slower,” Brisset explained. “We just put them on and then he drew the one. I almost didn't come because of that. I have to give credit to Elliott - he told me, 'listen, he has drawn the one three times out of four races. I just didn't want him to be in the pocket and get all the dirt. We tried this already and he got beat.' We decided to come and he let me decide, but at the same time Elliott can put his word in and said, 'I think you should do it.' We did it and it paid off."

World Record will likely aim to raise the bar next out in Grade 1 company at the Spa in the seven-furlong $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 24.

"Hopefully we don't draw the rail but seven [furlongs] shouldn't be an issue, he won going seven you can clear the field you don't have to go that fast,” Brisset said. “The six and a half can be tricky, you've got to be able to put up those fractions like you're going six and hold up like you're a seven-furlong horse, he did that today."

Bred in Kentucky by Runnymede Farm, Falguieres Bloodstock, Gestut Zur Kuste AG, et al., World Record was a $410,000 weanling purchase at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. He is out of the Exceed And Excel mare Marwa, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winners Miss Isella and Sir Cherokee, and multiple stakes-winner Guam Typhoon.

World Record improved his ledger to 4-2-0-2 and banked $110,000 in victory while returning $14.60 on a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with a 12-race card, featuring the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in Race 6 and the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun in Race 10. First post is 12:35 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/.

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