Obliteration and Ewing go one-on-one in Saratoga Special

Saturday’s Grade 2 Saratoga Special unfortunately turned into a somewhat two-horse race, after the death of Dazzle d’Oro earlier this week after a training injury. Now, a field of five 2-year-olds are set to sprint 6 1/2 furlongs.

Obliteration, trained by Steve Asmussen, who knows a thing or two about training standout sprinters, will be looking to attempt a feat only four horses have ever completed. In the long history of Saratoga, only Regret (1914), Campfire (1916), Dehere (1993), and City Zip (2000) each swept the Saratoga Special, Sanford Stakes and Hopeful Stakes.

During the July Fourth Racing Festival, Obliteration was a 10 1/2-length winner of the Grade 3 Sanford, which came after an impressive debut victory at Churchill Downs. Obliteration won his debut from just off the pace and the Sanford on the front end. As usual in 2-year-old sprints, there’s plenty of speed in Saturday’s field. Jockey Flavien Prat should be able to work out a nice stalking trip from the outside post. Obliteration is the narrow 7-5 morning-line favorite.

Vying for that favoritism will be the Mark Casse-trained Ewing. Aptly named as a son of Knicks Go, Ewing was a dazzling debut winner on the same card as the Sanford, sprinting away to a 12-length win. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Ewing from the rail, as the 8-5 morning-line second choice. It is worth noting that Jose Ortiz was aboard for Ewing’s debut and he was set to ride Dazzle d’Oro.

A pair of longshots will add to the pace, though they likely won’t out-foot Ewing and Obliteration. Camigol will ship in from Gulfstream Park for trainer Antonio Sano after a pair of 4 1/2-furlong maiden races. In his debut, Camigol just missed but returned to win a statebred maiden race on the front end. Jose Lezcano will ride from post 5. 

Thunder Chuck comes in from Monmouth for trainer Jorge Delgado. He too, missed on debut but won second time out on the lead. Madison Olver is booked to ride from post 3.

All this pace may benefit one horse. Comport won a Churchill maiden from just off the pace and then ran second in the Bashford Manor while trying to rate. Luis Saez is named to ride for trainer Eddie Kenneally from post 2.

The Saratoga Special kicks off the stakes action Saturday as race 3 on a 13-race card. Four Grade 1 races in a row begin in race 8 with the Fourstardave, followed by the Saratoga Derby, the Test, and concluding with the Whitney.

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