Chasing Liberty © Benoit Photo
Under a well-judged ride by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., Chasing Liberty captured the $200,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes by a neck over 12-1 outsider Test Score in a wide-open line-up of 14 two-year olds today at Del Mar.
Chasing Liberty, a Kentucky-bred colt by Constitution owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables and trained by Rob Atras, was always well placed in the one-mile contest over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course, took charge while three-wide turning for home and held off the rallying Test Score and jockey Manuel Franco.
Third was the 3-1 favorite, Cavallo Bay, with Scipio fourth.
Chasing Liberty was timed in 1:37.44 and returned $15.60 while earning first money of $120,000 after his third success in four races. He now has won $770,901.
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes was another under-card race on a program billed as “Future Stars Friday” leading into Breeders’ Cup races today.
IRAD ORTIZ, JR. (CHASING LIBERTY, winner) -- “We had a beautiful trip. He broke well and he was a little closer than in his last couple or races. The field was bunched, so I was comfortable going three wide. When I asked him to run turning for home, he responded. I felt that other horse coming on the inside, so I asked a little more and he fired.”
ROB ATRAS (Chasing Liberty, winner) – “(The plan was to) break sharp and kind of sit just off. Irad is Irad. It looked like he had a lot of horse when they were a turning for home. He (Irad) told me the stretch is a little short and he had horse. He made the move and it worked out. Originally we nominated for the Turf Sprint. We always toyed with the idea of stretching him out and when they made this race we thought this might be our best option.”
FRACTIONS :23.48 :48.84 1:14.15 1:25.92 1:37.44
The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Ortiz and his first in the TAA. He now has 10 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Atras and his first in the TAA. It was also his first stakes win at Del Mar.
The winning owner is Twin Creeks Racing Stables.