Adam Coglianese
By Sarah Mace
Monday, August 13, 2012
GoldMark Farm’s Agilion, a 2-year-old daughter of Lion Heart, was a little slow to get into the game in her Spa debut on Monday, but made up for it in a big way in the end, rallying strongly in stretch to an open-length victory for trainer John Kimmel in a six-furlong maiden special weight for New York-bred fillies.
Last to load into the gate, Agilion found herself at the back of the seven-horse field following the break, ridden along by jockey Joel Rosario as Riptherubberoff and Grand Lely Drive vied for the lead through swift opening fractions (22.11, 45.49).
Getting into gear toward the end of the backstretch run, and going three wide on the turn, Agilion passed two rivals in short order, before swinging out into the four-path at the top of the stretch. Closing with decision, the filly found a completely new gear just before the final furlong, blowing by the remaining four fillies and opening up to a 5 3/4-length victory, while being geared down just before the wire.
Second-time starter and 2-1 second choice Riptherubberoff (Scat Daddy) finished second after contesting the pace, while Carameaway (Lawyer Ron), making her third start, finished third another two lengths back. The winning time for the six furlongs was 1:11.62 and Agilion paid $17.80 to win, as third choice in the wagering at post time.
In preparation for her debut the dark bay filly began a series of published breezes on the six-furlong synthetic Safetrack training track at GoldMark Farm in Ocala in May and June, including a four-furlong work from the gate in :48 1/5 seconds. She then added a half-dozen more breezes at Belmont and Saratoga, the most recent being a sharp four-furlong move on the Saratoga main track on August 7 in :48 2/5.
Bred by Mark Spitzer’s MDS Farms in Pine Plains where she was foaled, Agilion is a graduate of last year’s Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Preferred yearling sale in Saratoga, where she was purchased by Goldmark Farm for $60,000.
She is the second foal to start and second winner out of Fast Read, a winning 8-year-old daughter of Touch Gold, who currently stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.
[button link=”http://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/08/13/agilion-saratoga-debut/” color=”silver” window=”yes”]Article Source[/button]
