Saratoga Treasure lives up to her name at the Spa

After Tigerbeach broke his maiden in his third start, and Seattle Treasure in his second start, Saratoga Treasure yesterday became the fifth consecutive son or daughter of Treasure Beach to win in their career debuts, and the second in a row to accomplish the feat at her namesake, Saratoga, the No. 1 race meeting in the country.

Saratoga Treasure was bred in New York by her owner, longtime Pleasant Acres client Patricia Generazio, who, in partnership with Joe and Helen Barbazon, is also the breeder of Treasure Beach’s fifth winner, Sunshine Treasure. Despite the recent success of the stallion, Saratoga Treasure was allowed to go off at odds of 20-1 under Jose Lezcano in the $73,000 maiden special at 5 1/2 furlongs over the turf course. Leaving from the No. 8 post, the filly was bumped solidly by the horse inside her and quickly dropped back to last in the field of 10 as they raced to the first quarter in :21.46. Lezcano moved Saratoga Treasure up on the rail down the backstretch and into the turn, swung her out and between horses entering the stretch, and the filly made up eight lengths with an eye-catching run through the lane to nail favorite English Soul by a neck at the wire.

The victory was worth $43,800 plus the New York breeder’s award to Ms. Generazio and $42.20, $15.80 and $9.50 to the filly’s faithful ticket-holders. It also served to move Treasure Beach up to fifth place on the national freshman sire list with earnings of $308,417.