Basin leads first three home for Asmussen

Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (Grade 1)

STEVE Asmussen swept the first three places in the Hopeful, Saratoga’s final Grade 1 of the season. Owned by Jackpot Farm, Basin, the son of Liam’s Map, sat in third before drawing off to an easy score over stablemates Shoplifted and Gozilla over a sloppy surface.

“I’ve been trying to hold a lid on those three all meet,” Asmussen said.

Basin finished second to Sanford winner By Your Side (fifth in the Hopeful) in his debut and came back to handle maidens, including subsequent winner Three Technique, in his next start.

Perfect Alibi makes it

Spinaway Stakes (Grade 1)

PERFECT Alibi continued Mark Casse’s season with a determined rail bid to win the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga last Sunday. Owned by Tracy Farmer, the daughter of Sky Mesa tacked on her second stakes win, rallying to dispel the favourite Frank’s Rockette, who had no excuse and offered little resistance.

Perfect Alibi beat Frank’s Rockette in the Adirondack in early August, but the latter got roughed up that day and looked imposing in their rematch. Perfect Alibi turned imposing into imposter with a professional effort.

Stack raids with filly Yesterdayoncemore

YESTERDAYONCEMORE upset the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes at Del Mar last Monday. Fozzy Stack shipped the daughter of No Nay Never to California for Deron Person’s DP Racing, Linda Shanahan and Sue Magnier. The winner led an Irish trifecta of Croughavouke and Applecross. If you had the trifecta for 50 cents, it paid $168.67 and you were buying the Guinness at O’Sullivan’s Irish Bar.

“She looked the part at home and for the better part of two weeks we’ve been here. Victor (Espinoza) gave her a good ride. She’ll stay here and she’s got plenty of options now,” Stack said.

Yesterdayoncemore was winless in five tries in Ireland.

Nucky upset at Del Mar

NUCKY upset the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at Del Mar last Tuesday. Owned by Rockingham Ranch and trained by Peter Miller, the son of Ghostzapper paid a cool $72 to win. Norborto Arroyo Jr guided the winner who scored by two and three-quarter lengths.

The race was marred by an early accident when the favourite Eight Rings ducked into Storm The Court and both jockeys were unseated.

“It was obviously unfortunate. You never want to see any horse or rider go down,” Miller said. “To finish one-two in the Del Mar Futurity, for me, it’s just incredible under any circumstances.”

Nucky took four tries to break his maiden, needing to drop into a $100,000 maiden claimer to graduate in his previous start.

Bast stars in Debutante

BOB Baffert unleashed Bast to dominate the Del Mar Debutante, a Grade 1 stakes for two-year-old fillies. Owned by Baoma Corporation, the daughter of Uncle Mo drew off to win by eight and three-quarter lengths over favourite Inspiressa and Comical.

Bast finished second to Inspiressa in their previous clash when the fillies made their debuts. Bast, a $500,000 purchase at Saratoga last summer, improved on her first two start with blinkers.