Friday, August 15, 2008

RUN AWAY AND HIDE MAKES IT SPECIAL

Run Away and Hide, unraced since May 1, showed the benefits of a long rest by settling under jockey Robby Albarado and taking the inside path to a 1 ¼-length victory in Thursday’s 103rd running of the Saratoga Special for two-year-olds at six and a half furlongs at Saratoga Race Course.

The Saratoga Special, a traditional prep for the meet’s biggest race for juveniles, the Grade 1, $250,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes at seven furlongs on September 1, gave Run Away and Hide a chance to do his sire, City Zip, proud. City Zip won the Sanford, Saratoga Special and dead-heated with Yonaguska in the Hopeful to complete the sweep of Saratoga’s graded stakes for two-year-olds in 2000.


“It worked out like we wanted; it sure did,” said winning trainer Ronny Werner, as Run Away and Hide returned $8.80 to win. “He got away a little bit slow, which was okay. That’s what we were looking for. Robby (Albarado, jockey) did an excellent job. He set him up just right. He gave us a little spot on the rail. It worked out great.”

Now unbeaten in three starts, Run Away and Hide passed this test with aplomb. He already proved he had speed, with strong victories on Keeneland’s Polytrack and a Grade 3 victory on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs. What his trainer and jockey wanted to see was for the colt to take a more relaxed position.

All of his training paid off on Thursday.

“Ronny has done a remarkable job of taking his time with him,” Alvarado said. “This colt hasn’t run since Derby Day, and that’s a pretty long time to be coming into this race against some talented two-year-olds. He has been a laid-back horse and he has done everything we’ve asked him to do. When I rode him the last time, I told Ronny that he wants to settle. He has worked off horses and inside of other horses. He has shown a lot of professionalism from Day 1. We had a lot of expectations for him, and he exceeded them by winning this race.”

While favored Reynaldothewizard broke in the air and then created trouble for jockey Julien Leparoux -- “He acted up a little in the gate. When they opened the gate, he just broke in the air. He was very difficult, too, and, you know, you had to make your way around everybody else,” Leparoux said – Run Away and Hide settled into a ground-saving trip about two lengths off front-running Join in the Dance, who zipped along in 21.66, 44.80 and 1:09.28.

Albarado kept him inside and when they hit the stretch, Run Away and Hide surged ahead, brushing with Break Water Edison but going on for the win in 1:15.67on the fast track.

Reynaldothewizard necked Join in the Dance for the show. Proud Jefe, Medaglia d’Onore, Dusting Alex, Unsung Song and Lyin’ Heart trailed.

Comments (0)