Photo: Adam Coglianese
Responding to a hustling ride by John Velazquez, Repole Stable’s Never Right Joey faced down challenges by Private Rules, Robbie’s Turn and D’ Sauvage in a 5 ½-furlong Maiden Special Weight race for New York-bred two year olds at Saratoga on Saturday, drawing off at the eighth pole to win his career bow by a decisive 4 ¾ lengths.
A chestnut son of Tapit trained by Todd Pletcher, Never Right Joey went to the post as the 2.30-to-1 second choice after D’ Sauvage (D’ wildcat) – the only two-year-old in the field with a start under his belt. After breaking from post two, Never Right Joey came in a little, but had enough early speed to carry him to the lead and win a spot on the rail. The colt was immediately challenged by Private Rules, who vied to his outside through a brisk first quarter that went in 22.68. D’ Sauvage, after getting off slowly, advanced from seventh in the field of eight, and appeared next on the scene to shadow the leader. The frontrunners were also joined by Robbie’s Turn. By the time the field came out of the turn, however, it was just Never Right Joey and D’ Sauvage battling head to head. Both ran a little greenly, with Never Right Joey trying to come out and even brushing his rival outside the eighth pole. Even so, he was able to kick free to an open-length victory. Tall Tale Teller (Friends Lake) got up for third. After a half in 46.60, the final time for the 5 ½ furlongs was 1:05.43 over the muddy (sealed) track
Never Right Joey has been working regularly for his debut since the end of May, with six published moves on the Oklahoma track (including two gate works), followed by a culminating five-furlong breeze on the main track in 1:02 flat a week before the race.
Bred by JMJ Racing Stables LLC, Never Right Joey is the seventh winner of seven foals to race (but the first New York-bred) from his unraced dam Backwoods Teacher, sired by Woodman and a half-sister to stakes winner Dramatic Joy. The offspring of Backwoods Teacher include six-figure earner Seastate (Stravinsky) and have earned nearly $350,000 collectively. Never Right Joey, who gets a TrueNicks rating of A++ from the Pulpit/Woodman cross, first sold as a Keeneland September yearling to King’s Equine for $32,000 and then to Repole Stable for $100,000 in February as a Fasig-Tipton select juvenile (the sale’s third highest-priced New York-bred).
