Time catches up with Glimpse in Lake Placid

Last time out in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1), Time and Motion had delivered a bold late thrust, but Catch a Glimpse held on by a half-length. Going a furlong shorter at the Spa, and with no pace rival to complicate matters, Catch a Glimpse figured to carve out a similar trip on the front end.

But Velazquez and trainer Jimmy Toner recognized the only countervailing strategy: don’t give Catch a Glimpse that much leeway. Horse and rider executed that strategy to perfection, and a four-pound weight concession from Catch a Glimpse didn’t hurt in those final yards either.

For the first mile of the nine-furlong race, the Lake Placid was unfolding to Catch a Glimpse’s satisfaction. The odds-on choice glided to the lead through an opening quarter in :23.44 on the inner turf (still labeled “firm” despite showery weather) and continued to travel comfortably while posting fractions of :48.58 and 1:12.78.

Time and Motion was drafting right behind her in a ground-saving third, with only a couple of lengths’ deficit. The decisive move came when Velazquez began to ask Time and Motion on the far turn, thereby mobilizing more quickly against Catch a Glimpse’s typical move into the lane.

Catch a Glimpse spurted clear anyway, for Time and Motion apparently lost her footing at that juncture. But the well-crafted design paid dividends regardless. Time and Motion was in better position to recover and take aim on the leader. Although Catch a Glimpse hopped onto her wrong lead for a time, she dug in resiliently. Yet Time and Motion was relentless, and wore her down in the last strides.

Finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.39 as the 8-5 second choice, Time and Motion gave Toner his third Lake Placid trophy. His first two were furnished by Memories of Silver (1996) and Wonder Again (2002). All three are Phillips Racing Partnership homebreds, and Time and Motion descends from the same family as Memories of Silver. As an extra touch, Time and Motion scored her prior stakes victories in the April 24 Memories of Silver S. at Aqueduct and the June 5 Wonder Again at Belmont.

The rest of the field was strung out. Irish shipper Diamond Fields, whose saddle slipped when eighth in the Lake George (G2), was a much more characteristic third. Elysea’s World lost her chance with a very bad stumble at the start, making her fourth-place effort better than it looks on paper. Outsider Art finished fifth, and My Impression brought up the rear.

My Impression, who had tracked Catch a Glimpse early, spun out wide turning for home, giving Time and Motion room to maneuver off the fence. At the head of the lane, My Impression slipped and bobbled, and Jose Ortiz wisely wrapped up on her. The stewards conducted an inquiry into My Impression’s mishap, but no change was warranted.

Time and Motion has now won four of five this season, with an overall mark of 8-4-1-1, $623,150. The bay daughter of Tapit showed promise at two when finishing third in the Miss Grillo (G3) and fifth to Catch a Glimpse in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Quotes from Saratoga

Jimmy Toner, winning trainer of Time and Motion: "At the sixteenth-pole, I didn't think we were getting by her (Catch a Glimpse) but she doesn't quit. Catch a Glimpse is a tough filly. I didn't think we'd get by her but she did. Johnny (Velazquez) said she slid out a bit at the quarter pole and was able to get her traction back in the stretch. We had to be close. Johnny rode a perfect race and did everything right. We had to keep her in contention. There's no way you're going to make up five or six lengths on a filly like Catch a Glimpse. She hits that turn and she takes off. We knew it and Johnny knew it. You have to be able to execute it and she was able to do it."

John Velazquez, winning jockey: "Today, I kept her on her tail (Catch a Glimpse). Wherever she went, I was going to keep her right on her tail. It was different story than last time when she was able to get away, but there was no rabbit in this race. The reason she spurted off a little bit is because she went to slip right at the quarter pole. It took five steps to get her back straight, but when I got her back together and she gained traction in the lane, she went away."

Mark Casse, trainer of beaten favorite and runner-up Catch a Glimpse: "She ran well, I'm proud of her. She tries so hard and she runs so hard. Even Secretariat got beat here. It happens. A better filly beat her today.

"It's disappointing any time you lose, but she gave it her best. I'm disappointed but not upset. I thought she put it away. She did everything right today but win."

"We could go to Belmont and run against colts. We said all along that she likes Keeneland. We'll see. I'm not anxious yet to run her against older fillies. She may have one or two more starts this year, take a little break and get ready for next year."

Photo courtesy NYRA/Coglianese Photography/Chelsea Durand