SIGHTSEEK TRIUMPHS IN PHIPPS H
Sightseek triumphed by an impressive five lengths over a sloppy
track at Belmont Park in the Gr.1 Ogden Phipps Handicap. A daughter
of Distant View out of the Nureyev mare Viviana, Sightseek won her
second Grade 1 race, following her victory in the Humana Distaff
Handicap at Churchill Downs on May 3. The filly has won her last
two starts by a total of nine lengths.
As easy as Sightseek made her latest effort look, she did not
inspire confidence from trainer Bobby Frankel. “I didn’t think she
was handling the track,” Frankel said. “It didn’t look like she was
on the bridle, and it looked like [jockey Jerry Bailey] was riding
her all the way. Even when Sightseek came outside of Take Charge
Lady, I thought Take Charge Lady might still pull away. Sightseek
is a great filly.”
But, in fact, Bailey had Sightseek nice and relaxed while
stalking the pacesetting Take Charge Lady, who had taken the lead
out of the gate. Instead of letting Take Charge Lady set the pace
at her leisure, Bailey had Sightseek stay right with her along the
outside through a quarter-mile in :22.52 and a half-mile in
:45.3.
“I wanted to leave there running,” Bailey said. “I wanted to
make Take Charge Lady use her speed and run faster early. I also
wanted to spread the field out.”
Coming off the final turn, Take Charge Lady could no longer
withstand the pressure on the front end and Sightseek began to kick
clear at the top of the stretch. She continued to draw off under
mild urging from Bailey, covering the distance in 1:40.89.
“The biggest question was the mud, but she is a classy horse and
horses like her will run over anything,” Bailey said.
Fellow Grade 1 winner Mandy’s Gold was third, five lengths
behind Take Charge Lady.
Sightseek has six wins and four seconds from 10 starts and has
earned $719,866.
Date:
26 June 2003