Stayers' Watch: Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes · 23.08.08
Last year’s winner of the 1 1/2 mile Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (Gr. 1T), Grand Couturier, successfully defended his title last Saturday at Saratoga.
The 5-year-old bay horse was near the back of the six-horse field for most of the race, but launched a bid around the quarter-pole. Checked when he tried to come up on the inside, Grand Couturier then sneaked between pace-setter Presious Passion and long-shot Interpatation, and went on to win by two lengths. The 9-year-old veteran Better Talk Now got up for second, while Interpatation hung on for third.
Champion Stayer Award standings — update:
- Big Booster — 12
- Warning Zone — 12
- Da’ Tara — 10
- Grand Couturier — 10
- Porfido — 9
- Evening Attire — 8
- On The Acorn — 8
- Cedar Mountain — 8
- Delosvientos — 6
- Dancing Forever — 6
- Boule d’Or — 6
- Spring House — 6
With 10 points for his win in the G1 Sword Dancer, Grand Couturier leapfrogs into fourth place in the standings, behind Da’ Tara and his 10 points from the G1 Belmont Stakes. Keep in mind that while turf races are counted in the Champion Stayers’ Award standings — stamina is stamina, regardless of the surface on which it’s demonstrated — points earned in dirt or synthetic-surface races are given more weight in the event of a tie (all other things being equal).
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