Scat Daddy Beats Nobiz Like Shobiz
Pletcher Colt takes Tagg's 'Biz again - Fountain of Youth Stakes
Scat Daddy won a big Derby prep at Gulfstream Park March 3 over Nobiz Like Shobiz, a Triple Crown favorite. Daddy's second victory against Shobiz vaulted him to No.2.
Trainer Todd Pletcher hit lots of pay dirt March 3 when five of his colts in training scored victories. Two others placed and one more ran in show position (third).
His two major winners put themselves in Triple Crown contention. Scat Daddy and King of the Roxy came through in big Kentucky Derby prep races.
Fountain of Youth Stakes
Scat Daddy handed favorite Nobiz Like Shobiz his second loss against three wins in the $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr ll) at Florida's Gulfstream Park. The squeaked out upset victory pushed Scat Daddy to the No.2 Triple Crown contender in the Associated Press poll.
The Fountain of Youth Stakes gave racing fans a good look at three top contending colts. All three came to the wire in a shootout. Scat Daddy held the seven spot early in the race, while Stormello, a Bill Currin trained entry with Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux up, led the talented group of nine racers.
Favorite Nobiz Like Shobiz, Stormello, and Scat Daddy bulled their way to the finish, with Scat Daddy's nose in front of Stormello. The 'Biz was a half length back show. The 1-1/8 miles was clocked in 1:49.11.
Tagg's Triple Crown threat?
Nobiz Like Shobiz's trainer, Barclay Tagg, spent the week lobbying for attention to his colt's favored position. Convinced he has a horse in as good motoring condition as Michael Matz's Barbaro a year ago, Tagg said Nobiz Like Shobiz's breezed four furlongs in :47.60 on the Thursday prior to the Fountain of Youth was exactly what he had wanted: no faster, no slower.
Tagg has claimed the 'Biz to be the ideal Triple Crown horse. Nobiz Like Shobiz is also known for what Tagg calls "shenanigans". As a result, the colt makes things tougher on himself, Tagg said. In the Fountain of Youth's first turn, Nobiz Like Shobiz, with Cornelio Velasquez aboard, lugged in after blowing the end of the oval. Velasquez said the colt's temperment problems started in the gate. The 'Biz broke slowly after fussing while waiting for the start, the jockey said.
The 'Biz still lugging in
Tagg said he thought the lugging in behavior was already corrected. Apparently, the Albert the Great colt still has issues. He does have staying power in his genes, with Ribot, Northern Dancer and Raise a Native, plus Hail to Reason in his lineage. Tagg expected the 'Biz to lay about third in the Fountain of Youth, stalking, and rush to the finish from there.
The 'Biz did blitz to the wire, but not with overpowering authority. Tagg said the colt's overall performance "surprised" him. The trainer indicated he isn't certain if he will send the colt to the Wood Memorial on April 7, as previously planned.
The loss for Nobiz Like Shobiz wasn't by much, just half a length. On the other hand, the loss to Scat Daddy was the 'Biz's second to the Pletcher colt. His only loss in four previous starts was to Scat Daddy by three-quarters of a length in the Champagne Stakes (gr. l) at Belmont Park October 14
Entering the Fountain of Youth, Nobiz Like Shobiz had won the Holy Bull Stakes mile test by 1-1/2 lengths over placed Drums of Thunder. The margin of victory was a comfortable one, and it put the colt in people's minds as a legitimate Triple Crown threat.
Top weight on Scat Daddy
In the Fountain, Scat Daddy was assigned the top weight of 123 pounds for the 1-1/8 miles. The 'Biz and Stormello each carried 122 pounds. A handicapper's dream is to assign equalizing weights to ideally bring all runners to the wire in a dead heat.
Scat Daddy, Stormello, and the 'Biz very nearly got the high weights into a dead heat triple win. They certainly got themselves more credits.
Scat Daddy sits at No.2, behind Great Hunter, who ran a huge victory last Saturday at Santa Anita. Stormello stormed to the No.4 spot, and the 'Biz dropped slightly, but stayed strong at No.5.
