Scramjet soars to victory in $200K Funny Cide
SJB Stable’s Scramjet stalked and pounced to a two-length score in Closing Day Monday’s $200,000 Funny Cide, a six-furlong sprint for New York-bred 2-year-olds, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Linda Rice and piloted by Ricardo Santana, Jr., the Uncle Mo bay entered from a pacesetting 1 1/2-length score engineered by Jose Ortiz over returning rival Mindfield in a six-furlong state-bred maiden sprint on August 15 here. The talented colt was content to track the pacesetting maiden winner D I Wire in the Funny Cide and proved too much for his rivals once straightened for home, providing both Rice and Santana, Jr. with their third win on the program.
Santana, Jr. was aboard Scramjet for a half-mile breeze in 49.31 seeconds August 30 over the Spa main track and used the experience to plan a winning trip in the Funny Cide.
“I worked in company, I was outside. I let the one inside go and I sit outside of him, and he gave me a nice kick that day. Today, I was trying to plan the same thing and that worked out today,” Santana, Jr. said.
D I Wire dictated the early tempo under Hall of Famer John Velazquez through an opening quarter-mile in 22.30 over the fast main track with Scramjet stalking to his outside in second position and 8-5 mutuel favorite Fullcup keeping close watch from third under Junior Alvarado.
Scramjet was in flight through the turn and on even terms with D I Wire as the half-mile elapsed in 45.58 as Fullcup awaited running room along the rail to the inside of Mindfield. Scramjet found his best stride once the field straightened and powered away from his rivals as Professor Plum, rallying from deep under leading rider Manny Franco, chased strongly down the lane. But there was no catching Scramjet, who needed only a couple of left-handed reminders from Santana, Jr. to secure the win in a final time of 1:10.15.
Rice said she was pleased with the effort from Scramjet, who she expects will continue to improve.
“I think he had to go after that horse that was loose on the lead, make sure he didn’t get away from us, but I think he’ll be better off when he runs seven-eighths or a mile,” Rice said.
Professor Plum completed the exacta by 2 1/4-lengths over Fullcup followed by Mindfield, D I Wire and Midnight Raider, who trailed throughout.
Franco said the Horacio De Paz-trained Professor Plum, a state-bred maiden winner here July 12, will also benefit from the effort.
“It was a great effort from him, second start. The one hole, he got some experience, so he’ll be OK for the next races,” Franco said.
Rice, who finished second in both the trainer and owner standings at the Spa summer meet, credited Santana, Jr. with providing good learning experiences for both Scramjet and first-time starter Dargham, a 2-year-old son of Army Mule who was an impressive winner of an open maiden special weight sprint in Race 7.
“Ricardo came and I had him work him in the morning, so he was familiar with him and Dargham, and I think that was helpful because he could get a feel for the horse, and as he observed, I think this horse will probably be better going further, where he doesn’t have to be rushed,” Rice said.
Scramjet, a half-brother to stakes-placed Skyler’s Starship, is out of the stakes-placed Simon Pure mare Dorothy’s Aurora. His third dam is dual stakes-winner Madame Roar.
Bred by Stephen Barberino, Jr. Accumulation Trust, Scramjet banked $110,000 in victory while remaining perfect through two starts. He returned $6.36 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing will resume on Friday, September 18 as racing returns to Belmont Park for a card headlined by the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in October at Keeneland.
To help unveil the new Belmont Park to a national audience on September 18, FOX will present live coverage of the Jockey Club Gold Cup as part of its Belmont Park: Return to Racing telecast to air from 3-4:30 p.m. Eastern. For the complete broadcast schedule, please visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.
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