Wednesday Saratoga Notes

Puzzling ($23) took a strangely-run first on Wednesday in his first try against winners for McGaughey; and that's three winners from ten starters for the Shugster. And the second to return a nice price; Hit it Rich returned $16.20 on Saturday. Alan Garcia, riding Inflation Hedge, managed to slow the pace down from 23.84 to a half in 50.45. That's a second quarter of 26.61! Puzzling was a pocket rocket, sitting third in the garden spot on the rail, and swinging out to sprint the final furlong home in 11.06 seconds. In fact, every one of the seven starters finished in less than 12 seconds. I know some people deride races like that (especially the ones on synthetic); they love their early speed. While I have to admit that this was an extreme example, I think it's a lot closer to how races should be run than, say, a fiasco like Sunday's Ruffian.

Puzzling is by Ghostzapper out of a Seeking the Gold mare. She's a half to the Phipps' G1 winner Dancing Forever; a look at her distaff line reveals Phipps stakes horses like the champion Heavenly Prize, Fantastic Find, Good Reward, Persistently, Oh What a Windfall, and her third dam, Blitey.

The Toddster back on the winning track with first-timer Hunt Crossing ($3). The word was obviously out on this one, perhaps because of a bullet five furlong drill on July 28 in which he outworked his older stablemate Ibboyee, who was the morning line in the John Morrissey later in the day (and the winner, giving Pletcher a double); that as reported by our buddy Discreet Picks on his site. Hunt Crossing is the second winner for the rookie sire Corinthian, who had his first, My People, at Monmouth on Saturday. Heavily inbred to Mr. Prospector (4x4x4) he's out of a stakes winning Silver Deputy mare, and hails from the distaff family of the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain.

Churchill shipper Yadira ($14.60) took the third, first try on the turf, at 5 1/2 furlongs, for Asmussen, now four for 21 on the meet. Daughter of Pulpit is a half to two turf stakes winners, Capitano and Dilemma; and her third dam is the great multiple G1 grass winner Sabin.

An all-Woodbine exacta in the 4th; but another mention here for trainer Tom Bush, whose Ouchy Night closed for third at 9-1, beaten just a length and a neck after being three wide on both turns. This barn has been extremely live at 9-2-2-1; and some tough luck with those in-the-money finishers missing by margins ranging from a nose to a length and a quarter. None of the five in the money overall went off at less than 5-1, so this is a barn that bears continued watching.

Two noses, a neck, and a head were the respective margins of victory for the 6th through 9th races. The last one was a tight three horse battle to the finish, and a game win by a persistent Argentine Talisman ($31.40). Three-year old son of Dehere looked like he was gonna hang midstretch after a big four wide move on the turn. But he grimly hung in, seemed to re-break as he surged to the front in the final yards, and just lasted over Sour. This is the first winner, from five starters, for trainer Michael Matz. Just another neck back to show horse Top Surprise, who was claimed for 50K by Dutrow. 6th place finisher Mr. Pippit was claimed for the same price by Chad Brown for owner Michael Dubb.