Holding Gold / Chelsea Durand Photo

Holding Gold runs down the competition for Quick Call victory

by Heather Pettinger

One day after being inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Mark Casse saddled Holding Gold for the colt's first stakes victory in Thursday's featured race at Saratoga Race Course, the $100,000 Quick Call for 3-year-old grass sprinters.

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite, Holding Gold settled in third under jockey Julien Leparoux, tracking early fractions set by Too Discreet, who led the field of eight through an opening quarter-mile in 21.99 seconds and a half in 44.44. The bay Lonhro colt moved into second in the turn and hooked up in a three-way duel at the top of the stretch, pulling double duty to power by Too Discreet and hold off a late charge from Commend to win by a neck.

"He broke sharp out of the gate," said Leparoux. "I let Joel [Rosario, aboard Too Discreet] cross over on me and I was right where I wanted to be. You have to fight real hard at the stretch to win these races."

Holding Gold, owned and bred in Florida by Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation, completed the 5 ½-furlong dash on the Mellon turf course in 1:01.84, giving his eight-time Sovereign Award winning trainer his third win of the meet. Holding Gold returned $4.80 for a $2 win wager.

"He's a pretty nice horse," said Casse. "My biggest concern was a little bit of the cutback, but I felt pretty good down the backside we were only a length or two behind. He's a home-bred for Mrs. Weber so that makes it even more special. 

"Last night I was at the Hall of Fame Awards in Toronto and I said 'I got to get back, I think we could win the stake tomorrow' so I'm just happy for Mrs. Weber," he added.

Expected Ruler checked in fourth, followed by Don't Be So Salty, Bust Another, Save the Drama, and Tiz Long Gone to complete the order of finish.