Resolute Racing's Pounce, under a perfect ride from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., native Dylan Davis, came running in the lane to win the $175,000 Lake George Stakes (G3T) by three-quarters of a length July 20 at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Mark Casse, Pounce denied a sixth consecutive victory in the race for trainer Chad Brown whose 2-1 favorite, Klaravich Stables' Oversubscribed, finished second after running in traffic most of the race.
"This means everything to me. Saratoga native, Saratoga High School ... everything," Davis said while still aboard the winner, a 3-year-old filly by Lookin At Lucky who paid $13.80 to win.
"I thought I'd be a little closer, but they were really running through the first turn. Once I turned her out in the stretch, she really responded nicely. I needed the outrider to help pull her up."
It was the second graded win for Pounce since John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock purchased her for $370,000 at the Fasig-Tipton February Digital Selected Sale. Pounce surged late to win the March 2 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park in her first start for Resolute.
That was followed by an 11th-place finish in the Appalachian Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland and then a third-place finish in the Penn Oaks. Pounce pressed the pace in both of those losses, but she returned to her stretch-running ways Saturday.
The filly settled in fifth place but only about two lengths off the lead through six furlongs in 1:12.52. Davis steered Pounce into the clear at the quarter pole and she finished strongly from there. The final time on a turf course rated as firm was 1:35.84.
"She has natural speed so I thought I would be forwardly placed on the lead, or second, but I just really rode her comfortable out of the gate to get her to relax because I thought last trip she was on the engine too much," Davis said.
Sterling Stables' Vive Veuve closed late to finish third in the field of 10 sophomore fillies.
The Lake George capped a huge day for Casse, who won seven races including the Plate Trial and Trillium (G3) stakes at Woodbine, and the United Nations Stakes (G2T) at Monmouth Park.
"It's been a crazy day. We've won (seven) today," Casse said. "We have a great crew. We got up to Saratoga a lot earlier this year and I think that might be part of it."
Pounce won for the fourth time in seven starts. She has earned $333,249. Bred in Kentucky by Bell, Rankin, VanMeter, and Hancock, she is the first foal out of the winning Twirling Candy mare Bouncy, who is a half sister to grade 3-placed Gold Dragon Queen (Goldencents ) and stakes-placed Blue Harbor (Rockport Harbor). Bouncy had a filly by Hard Spun this year.
