Hot Stones wins Saratoga Dew in a romp

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Hot Stones asserted her class and erased any doubt about her ability to stay nine furlongs with a 9 1/2-length victory over Star Grazing in Monday’s $100,000 Saratoga Dew Stakes at Saratoga. Hot Stones broke in full stride and immediately took the race to defending champion and 7-5 favorite Carameaway, who bulled her way up the rail to take command into the clubhouse turn after a bit of a tardy beginning. Hot Stones readily disposed of Carameaway leaving the backstretch and repulsed a mild try from Smitten by Gold nearing the stretch before drawing off with complete authority under jockey John Velazquez.

Star Grazing ran gamely after being forced very wide on the opening turn and losing ground into the stretch. She outfinished Flipcup by a nose to finish second. Carameaway stopped badly and finished last in the field of nine New York-bred fillies and mares. Hot Stones, a daughter of Bustin Stones, completed nine furlongs in 1:49.87 and paid $7.10.

The Saratoga Dew was the fourth start of the year for Hot Stones, who finished fourth in an allowance race and in the Critical Eye, both at Belmont, in her first two starts of 2015. In her last start she won an optional claimer there in June. “Her first two races this year, she just wasn’t really fit,” said trainer Bruce Levine. “It takes a while to get her in gear and then she runs good. She ran super down below and trained up to this one super. The only concern was the outside post, but she really broke and Johnny put her in the game. That was the plan, not to let the favorite get away.” Levine said he was not as concerned about the distance as he was the outside post.

Hot Stones finished third in her only previous start going a mile and one-eighth here last summer in the Grade 3 Shuvee Handicap. “She hated the slop in the Shuvee," said Levine. "She was in a drive the whole way, and only got beat three lengths. Then we ran her back in the Ballerina and she ran bad, so we put her away. She’s just better than New York-breds.” Levine said he might take a shot and try Hot Stones back in the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont on Sept. 26.