Worstcasescenario Turns Out Okay

The young Dashing Debby did her best to impersonate her famous, older stablemate Rachel Alexandra in the grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga Wednesday. Afterall, the 2-year-old filly, like Rachel, is by Medaglia d'Oro, trained by Steve Asmussen, and runs under the yellow silks of Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables. Apparently, the Saratoga crowd bought her act as she was bet down to 6-5 and then sprinted to the lead and a quick pace.

But the act ended at the top of the stretch when Worstcasescarnario and jockey Alan Garcia took the lead away from Dashing Debby on their way to an upset victory in the 6-1/2 furlong, $150,000 Adirondack. It was the second win in as many starts for the daughter of Florida stallion Forbidden Apple, who is the son of Kentucky Derby winner Pleasant Colony.

Dashing Debby faded to fifth while Sassy Image was second and Magic Appeal finished third. Beautician, the Kenneth McPeek-trained morning line favorite, was scratched after she suffered a bout of colic.

The day was not a total loss for the two-year-old filly division of McPeek's stable however, as House of Grace broke her maiden in her first try by winning a 1-1/16 maiden special weight race on the grass at Saratoga. The race is significant also for House of Grace's sire, Limehouse, who now has eight winners in this his freshman year as a sire.

That may be a significant detail when trying to find young winners and may be especially impactful when Keeneland begins their yearling auction in September.

More Stallion Fun Facts
If thoroughbred stallions had any idea of the big business surrounding their business (so to speak), Medaglia d'Oro may have had a sigh of relief when his three-year-old Iqbaal won his first race at Monmouth Park Wednesday. Not only was the Kiaran Mclaughlin trainee the 8-5 favorite, but also has the distinction of being Medaglia d'Oro's most expensive yearling of the sire's first crop selling for $675,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Last week, a Medaglia d'Oro filly sold for $1.5 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. That's what having Rachel Alexandra and Dashing Debby on an auction catalogue page will do for a stallion.