El Grande O dominates Bertram F. Bongard

El Grande O almost added to trainer Linda Rice’s haul of victories this summer at Saratoga Race Course, finishing second in a pair of stakes efforts.

Barry K. Schwartz’s homebred son of Take Charge Indy didn’t come up short Sunday, demolishing a field of six New York-bred 2-year-olds with an 8 ¼-length victory in the $125,000 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. Jose Ortiz rode the colt to victory for Rice, winning in 1:23.89 over the sloppy and sealed track.

“He broke sharp. Obviously, he has speed,” Ortiz said. “I went out there and he was the fastest in the race. He proved that he was much the best today. I can’t take any credit – he was the best horse.”

The 3-5 favorite coming off a second in the Funny Cide Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day, El Grande O improved to 2-for-6 with three seconds and a third and boosted his earnings to $204,000.

Ortiz put El Grande O on the lead after a slight bump at the start and led Detective Tom through the opening quarter-mile in :22.76. They extended that advantage through the half in :46.03, while continuing to widen the lead into the stretch.

El Grande O led by 6 in midstretch and finished under steady urging well in front. Aggelos the Great ralled from third early to finish second, 2 lengths ahead of Bonne Chance. Skyler’s Starship, Detective Tom and Ranger Blue completed the field.

“I told Jose to just use his best judgement, and obviously he put him up on the front end and everything worked out well,” said Rice, Saratoga’s co-leading trainer this season with 35 victories.

Rice said El Grande O would most likely target the $200,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes on Empire Showcase Day Oct. 29.

El Grande O is the ninth foal out of the stakes-placed Unbridled’s Song mare Rainbow’s Song. A half-sister to multiple stakes winner and stakes producer Class Above, Rainbow’s Song is the dam of four winners led by Grade 2-placed Meal Ticket.

Schwartz purchased Rainbow’s Song in foal to American Pharoah for $13,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale. El Grande O is her third New York-bred foal and she’s also the dam of a New York-bred yearling filly by Dialed In that sold for $32,000 at the recent Keeneland September sale. St. Simon Place, which purchased the mare for $17,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, bred that yearling and also a Kentucky-bred colt by Mendelssohn born March 30.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/09/24/el-grande-o-dominates-bertram-f-bongard/

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