Saratoga: New York Thunder stays undefeated, wins Amsterdam
Lightly raced but undefeated New York Thunder was lightning fast in theearly stages and stormed home a 7 1/2-length winner of his dirt debut inFriday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds atSaratoga.
Owned by AMO Racing USA, trained by Jorge Delgado and piloted by TylerGaffalione, the Nyquist bay ripped through splits of 21.48, 43.56 and 1:07.77over the fast, main track with Drew’s Gold tracking his early foot.
New York Thunder opened a three-length advantage at the stretch call andstrolled home a 7 1/2-length winner under a hand ride in a final time of1:14.65. Hissix-furlong split of 1:07.77 was faster than Saratoga’s six-furlong trackrecord of 1:07.92 set by Imperial Hint in the 2019 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap(G1).
Delgado said he wasn’t concerned about the swift fractions.
“I wasn't really worried. I worry in the mornings, because he breezes sofast that it scares you,” Delgado said. “He goes 46 and 47 (seconds) in hand,and you can relate it to the afternoons. Every surface he’s been on – Keeneland(for workouts), here, at different racetracks – he’s breezed the samefractions, so that tells you that he can handle any surface in my opinion, andhe proved that today.”
The shape of the race changed dramatically when graded-stakes winnerRyvit, who entered on a five-race win streak for Hall of Fame trainer SteveAsmussen, stumbled at the break. New York Thunder, exiting the outermost post5, was quickest away and seized control, putting away Drew’s Gold in the turn.
Martin García-piloted Deer District rallied from fourth to nose outDrew’s Gold for place honors with Gilmore and Ryvit rounding out the order offinish. Joey Freshwater was scratched.
“He’s fast,” said Gaffalione, who was aboard New York Thunder in theafternoon for the first time. “He broke running, and I tried not to get in hisway too much. He was wanting to do a little bit too much, but he was doing itwell within himself. Coming to the quarter pole I think someone started comingup to my outside, so I just took a squeeze on him, and he went on again andgalloped out well.”
Delgado, 33, the nephew of Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Gustavo Delgado,said he felt confident with Gaffalione in the irons.
“Tyler rode for me many times and helped me out at the beginning inFlorida, and he used to ride mostly claimers when I started,” Delgado said. “Ihave really good chemistry with him, and I can feel when he has a lot of horse.I saw him looking back, and I know he had a ton of horse. He wouldn’t play likethat unless he had tons of horse. Once he asked the horse, I knew my horse wasprepared, and it was just so fun.”
New York Thunder entered undefeated in three starts, winning on syntheticand turf at Gulfstream Park before shipping to Woodbine to win the six-furlongWoodstock over Tapeta.
He was entered in the Woody Stephens (G1) presented by Mohegan Sun onJune 10 at Belmont Park but scratched due to a bruised foot. He trained intothe Amsterdam with a series of swift works at Monmouth Park.
“The owner wanted a graded stakes, and I just followed his plan, and inthe end it worked. He felt like we have a really good horse, and he wanted toadd something like this to (his ledger),” Delgado said. “It's been a littlefrustrating at times with him over the summer. I feel like we lost a lot of hisschedule, but definitely (happy) he came back and won the way he did today.”
Delgado said New York Thunder will point to the seven-furlong Allen H.Jerkens Memorial (G1) on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.
"If everything goes well, yes,” Delgado said. “Let’s see how hecomes back. Right now I just want to enjoy this.”
García, aboard runner-up Deer District, only could tip his cap to thewinner.
“That’s the fastest race I’ve ever seen,” García said. “They went (ahalf-mile) in 43. My horse is fast, but going 43 is a little quick. We were inthe back and fighting a little bit for position inside, but soon as I moved himout, he started running."
New York Thunder is out of the Midshipman mare Start Over, who is ahalf-sister to graded-stakes placed Degree of Risk. His third dam Surf Clubproduced 2012 Forego (G1) winner Emcee.
Bred in Kentucky by Gatewood Bell and Forgotten Land, New York Thunderbanked $110,000 in victory while maintaining his perfect record through fourstarts. The $130,000 Keeneland September yearling-sale purchase returned $13.00for a $2 win bet as the fourth-longest shot in the field of five horses.
