The Mike Repole's horse Stay Thirsty won the $500,000.00 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga yesterday. Stay Thirsty is a 3 year old horse that ran in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont. During his 2 year old season, Stay Thirsty was always mentioned as the other stablemate of Uncle Mo.
Right before the Kentucky Derby, Uncle Mo was taken out of training and pulled from contention in the Derby because of a rare liver disease. Stay Thirsty was being entered into the Derby as Repole's other horse. As I handicapped the Derby, I saw something in Stay Thirsty. I included him in all of my exotics and also placed a Win/Place bet on him. He ran 12th in the Derby and just didn't fire that day. (See my June 10th blog, "We Got Mushed")
In the Belmont, Stay Thirsty finished a very respectable second. He was beat by only 3/4 of a length. I did not have Stay Thirsty on my tickets in the Belmont. I was mushed once and I was afraid that I was forever mushed. (See "The Belmont and The Stooges" for more)
Yesterday in the Jim Dandy, Stay Thirsty, with Javier Castellano on board, stalked the pace. The times for the leaders were a 24 second quarter and a 47.66 half. At the top of the stretch, Stay Thirsty moved into a favorable position and passed the leaders. He had a clear run and a hand ride to a four length lead. He went off at 5-2 and paid seven dollars to win.
There are a number of horses that do not hit their stride until they are past the three year old season. Zenyatta is a prime example. Two year old seasons are tough to judge and then when they are entered in the Derby, they have not raced a lot as a three year old. Todd Pletcher is a great trainer and I am glad that he sees something in this horse. Stay Thirsty is just going to get better as he gets older. Its called maturity.
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