‘A Day to Remember’ for Pleasant Acres owners and stallions

The list of movies that have the word ‘remember’ in their titles is virtually endless, but the one that best describes Joe and Helen Barbazon’s Sunday accomplishments is the 1953 flick “A Day to Remember.” In the short span of one hour, the Barbazons celebrated the victory of Decorated Ace at Saratoga, followed up by a mind-boggling maiden-breaking debut by Sir Seamus at Gulfstream Park.

At 3:29, Decorated Ace, bred by the Barbazons, broke quickly from the No. 7 post in a one-mile, $40,000 claiming race on the turf, and 1:36.71 later had carried Jose Lezcano to victory by a neck. The 3-year-old daughter of Treasure Beach, winner of the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park last year, shadowed 17-1 shot Tempers Way down the length of the backstretch, went after her on the turn and into the stretch, then out-gamed the pacesetter to the wire to pick up her third career victory. Decorated Ace paid $20.40 and earned a check for $35,750, raising her career total to $119,250. She became winner No. 28 for Treasure Beach this year, as the stallion closed within less than $22,000 of reaching $1 million for the second year in a row.

At 4:28, Sir Seamus, who was 80-1 on the tote board for his debut at one mile on the grass, completed the impressive Barbazon double under talented Cristian Torres. From the No. 12 post, the 3-year-old Handsome Mike gelding shot out of the gate, beat five others inside him to the lead around the first turn, and continued on to defeat 6/5 favorite Hard Count in a head-bob at the wire after a heart-pounding stretch battle. The $13,000 OBS June 2-year-old earned (1) a check of $21,400 for owner/trainer Dennis Manning, (2) a juicy breeder’s award for the Barbazons, (3) decimated the tote board to the tune of $164.60, $44.60 and $20.20, and (4) became winner No.17 for Handsome Mike this year.

Sixty-six years after the movie, it was definitely ‘a day to remember.’