Partisan Politics overcame a rough start to break her maiden in the 2 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 P. G. Johnson S. Aug. 27 on the Saratoga lawn.
The 2-year-old More Than Ready filly appreciated the added distance of the 1 1/16-mile Johnson after finishing third in her debut going 5 ½-furlongs five weeks ago over the same course.
After a clean break, Partisan Politics got shoved very wide going into the first turn when Ancient Goddess veered into her. Javier Castellano got Partisan Politics settled into a good spot well off the rail for the backstretch run. Midway on the final bend, the chestnut filly began to reel in the leaders, hitting the front outside the eighth pole and coasted home under a hand ride (VIDEO).
The final time was 1:43.13 on a firm turf course.
“I’m really proud of this horse, for her to go wide the whole way and still power home and win convincingly,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I wasn’t positive she wanted to go a mile and a sixteenth quite yet. That’s why I debuted her sprinting.”
“I think the first race was too short for her,” Castellano added. “Now (Chad) put her in a mile and a sixteenth, and she was very comfortable today.”
Partisan Politics is More Than Ready’s ninth stakes winner of 2014. He is a top-five Juvenile sire this year in the categories of winners, earnings and stakes horses.
Partisan Politics was a $175,000 Keeneland September Yearling sales grad. She is the first foal out of the multiple graded-stakes placed Dynaformer mare Bluegrass Princess.
