Shock Woodward defeat for Frosted
Frosted went down by two heads when third in the G1 Woodward Stakes over nine furlongs on dirt at Saratoga, USA, on Saturday, September 3.
The four-year-old Tapit colt, partnered by regular rider Joel Rosario who was on board for two impressive G1 wins prior to this shock defeat, was slightly slow into stride when the stalls opened and he had to chase the leaders.
Frosted was settled in sixth on the inside and progressed on the final turn to take fifth when switched out.
The grey came widest of all on the outside to challenge in the straight and had every chance under a hands and heels ride, drawing upsides inside the final furlong, but could not quite get to the front, being beaten by the winner Shaman Ghost and runner-up Mubtaahij in a four-way photo.
The victor’s time, after modest early fractions of 24.38s for the first quarter-mile and 48.43s for the half-mile, came to 1m 48.92s.
Kiaran McLaughlin remarked: "It has been a rough day. Frosted did not break sharp and then there was not much pace.
"He had to come very wide into the home stretch and produced a momentous run, going 40 feet more than the winner, when beaten a head and a head. He is a horse who does not like to be hit by the stick.
"Things have not gone well for Frosted, with plenty of excuses, but he has only just been beaten.
"I think we will march on and have the 60 days before the Breeders’ Cup. We will all talk about what to do and the race to go for."
Joel Rosario added: "Every time I’ve ridden him, when I hit him with the whip, he didn’t like it too much. When I turned, I thought he was going home free. Just the last 20 yards, it looked like he tired a little.
"He was comfortable where he was. He normally comes off the pace and improves his position. He didn’t break sharp. When I’ve ridden him before, he liked to take his time. He made a nice run. He got a little bit wide but he seemed good. He just got a little tired at the end."
