In a commanding performance on a challenging, sloppy track, Pin Oak Stud LLC’s Parchment Party drew off to an authoritative 8 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup at Saratoga.
The race, originally scheduled for two miles on the turf, was moved to the main track and contested at one and three-quarter miles due to showery weather.
Under a confident ride from Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, the William Mott-trained Parchment Party stalked the pace before making a decisive move.
Yo Daddy set the early fractions, leading the field through the opening mile with a clear advantage. As the field rounded the final turn, Velazquez angled Parchment Party to the outside.
The bay colt responded with a powerful rally, seizing the lead at the top of the stretch and pulling away effortlessly from the competition under a steady hand ride.
“He raced in the three path on the first turn, settled on the outside…rallied in the four then three path on the final turn, closed well to get the lead into the stretch, shook clear outside the furlong marker and drew away while kept to the task,” the official chart notes described the winner’s trip.
Yo Daddy, who dictated the terms for much of the race, held on gamely for second, a distant 14 1/2 lengths ahead of the next finisher. Padiddle, who stumbled badly at the start, recovered to make a late run and secure third place.
The final time for the demanding 1 3/4 miles over the sloppy (sealed) track was 2:57.86.
Parchment Party, a Kentucky-bred colt by Constitution, earned $137,500 for the victory. He also earned a berth in “the race that stops the nation”, the Melbourne Cup in November.
It is worth mentioning that he only ran in this race because it was taken off the turf due to the turf conditions. It will be interesting if his connections take up the challenge and go down under for the iconic race.
Parchment Party returned $16.00 for a $2 win bet. The victory was a testament to the conditioning of trainer William Mott, who also trains sixth-place finisher Timeout.
Scratched Horse(s): Anglophile (Off-Turf), La Mehana (FR) (Off-Turf), Limited Liability (Off-Turf), Lord Flintshire (Off-Turf), The Ginger Wizard (IRE) (Stakes Scratch)
Fractional Times: 24.22, 48.71, 1:12.87, 1:38.56, 2:04.75
Final Time: 2:57.86
Winning Connections
Winner: Parchment Party
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: William Mott
Owner: Pin Oak Stud LLC
Breeder: B. Flay Thoroughbreds
Bloodline: Bay Colt, by Constitution out of Life Well Lived, by Tiznow. Foaled Jun 05, 2021 in Kentucky.
Stallion Info: Constitution is standing at WinStar Farm LLC, Versailles, KY ($110,000 Stands & Nurses)
Payouts
1st – (13) Parchment Party – Win: $16.00, Place: $5.30, Show: $4.00
2nd – (11) Yo Daddy – Place: $5.70, Show: $4.60
3rd – (2) Padiddle – Show: $6.20
Exotics: $1.00 Exacta (13-11) Paid: $41.00, $1.00 Trifecta (13-11-2) Paid: $369.00, $1.00 Superfecta (13-11-2-1) Paid: $2,297.00
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