Adam Coglianese
In their last meeting in the Evan Shipman on July 22, Chester and Mary Broman’s Bigger Is Bettor (Grand Reward) finished a head in front of West Point Thoroughbreds’ Awesome Vision (Awesome Again), but Friday’s rematch in the $100,000 Saratoga Sunrise overnight stakes, also a nine-furlong New York-bred stakes race, saw Awesome Vision finish with a one-length edge over his rival after closing from fourth.
In the early stages of the race, as Most Happy Fella led the way tracked by Groomedforvictory, Bigger Is Bettor sat off the pace at the rail in third, while 8-5 favorite Awesome Vision tracked in fourth in the two-path.
As the field rounded the far turn, Awesome Vision advanced into contention three-wide, drew up even with the leaders four-wide, took over the top spot in the final furlong and finished with energy to get the one-length victory. Bigger Is Bettor, however, found himself in traffic in upper stretch, and bumped with Zetterholm to his outside. Eventually finding clear running room in the final furlong in the three-path, he closed gamely to secure the place. Pacesetter Most Happy Fella finished third another length and a quarter back, a neck ahead of Anaphylaxis. The winner’s final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.99.
Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who piloted Awesome Vision to victory, said simply, “He was ready, he gave me everything he had today.”
Trainer Tom Albertrani said he felt good before the race. “[Awesome Vision] just seemed a bit sharper this time, and we came back a little quicker. He just looked great in the paddock. He was on his toes. I liked the way he was training up into the race.”
Albertrani added, “I think the difference was he was right up on the lead turning for home so I felt pretty good about that. It was just a matter of changing leads. He has a tendency of not changing, but he did manage to change leads and found another gear at the sixteenth pole and that’s what made a difference today. Usually he doesn’t want to change his leads and that might be the difference of winning and losing a race. But he had it today.”
After breaking his maiden at second asking for trainer Mike Hushion going a mile over the Aqueduct inner in February 2012, the colt followed up with victory next out in a first-level state-bred allowance in March before being sidelined with an ankle chip.
When he returned to the races in December under Tom Albertrani’s care, he shook off the rust with an off-the-board finish in a sprint before going on to win his next three going a route of ground over the Aqueduct inner: a second level state-bred allowance, a first-level open allowance and, in his stakes debut, dead-heating with Saginaw for the win in the Compelling Word on March 21. Awesome Vision came into the Saratoga Sunrise following a third in the Commentator on June 1 at Belmont and second in the Evan Shipman.
Awesome Vision has compiled a record of 6-1-1 from eleven starts and earned $274,722.
Bred by Kaz Hill Farm and Adena Springs and foaled a Kaz Hill Farm in Middletown, Awesome Vision is the first foal, first starter and first winner out of Blind Canyon, a multiple stakes-placed Maryland-bred daughter of Valley Crossing ($225,960) purchased by Peter Kazamias at the 2009 Keeneland November sale for $25,000.
Blind Canyon has a 3-year-old filly by Ghostzapper named Screaming Phantasm, a 2-year-old colt by Here’s Zealous named Heretodaygonetmrow and a yearling filly by the same sire.
