Catch a Glimpse, Time and Motion Rematch in Lake Placid Stakes

Catch a Glimpse, Time and Motion Rematch in Lake Placid Stakes by Reinier Macatangay: Perhaps overshadowed by Songbird and other great horses is the 3-year-old filly Catch a Glimpse, who has built an eight-race winning streak on turf dating back to August last year. The turf win machine looks on track to pick up her ninth straight victory on Sunday in the $300,000 Lake Placid Stakes (GII) at Saratoga Race Course going the distance of 1 1/8 miles, but she is not a lock.

Trained by Mark Casse, Catch a Glimpse’s earnings include $1,748,052 already. Her two most important wins came in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Fillies (GI) at Keeneland and the recent Belmont Oaks Invitational (GI).

As a speed horse, one would think there would be a heavier target on Catch a Glimpse, but the daughter of City Zip surprisingly tends to have uncontested leads on her way to the winner’s circle. Assistant trainer Norman Casse commented on this for the track press release.

“She likes to go,” Casse said. “She likes to get out there and be comfortable. Her greatest asset is that she sits the perfect trip every time she runs. She typically doesn’t ever have a bad trip, and I think that makes it a little easier to keep this winning streak going.”

In the Belmont Oaks, Catch a Glimpse received a dream trip and held at least a one-length advantage at every call, with the margin only diminishing towards the end of the 1 1/4 miles. It is arguable fellow Lake Placid competitor Time and Motion ran a better race, as she overcame the pace dynamics and still closed within less than a length.

In the Penn Mile (GIII) against males two starts ago, Catch a Glimpse also held at least a one-length advantage or more throughout the race, before finishing up with a two-length advantage at the end.

To be fair, Catch a Glimpse rated fine in the Appalachian Stakes (GIII) at Keeneland to kick off her season in April, and pressed the leader in the Edgewood (GIII) at Churchill Downs, so maybe she does not need the lead.

Nevertheless, with Florent Geroux aboard, Catch a Glimpse will probably set the pace once again with little speed drawn outside from post position two.

If she misfires, the James Toner-trained Time and Motion will be set to pick up the pieces. With a 4-3-1-0 record this year, Time and Motion always seems to pack a punch in the lane.

Under John Velazquez, Time and Motion won a maiden race at Gulfstream to start her campaign, followed by wins in the Memories of Silver at Aqueduct and Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont. In the Belmont Oaks, Catch a Glimpse held on, but Time and Motion finished ahead of 11 other horses and three lengths clear of third-place Coolmore.

From the rail post position, Time and Motion can save a bit of ground not too far away from Catch a Glimpse, and strike when the time is right. Hopefully, she gets a little pace help from some of the other fillies.

Who can pressure Catch a Glimpse?

Well, from the outside seventh post, Diamond Fields under Junior Alvarado does own some speed. She began two lengths off the lead in the local Lake George Stakes (GII) last month before fading (her saddle slipped).

To the left, My Impression also displays tactical speed and prefers to be within a few lengths off the leader early. Maybe Jose Ortiz can ask his mount for a little more earlier if he sees Catch a Glimpse slipping away.

Other than those two, it is hard to imagine other horses applying pressure, although the Pace Projector for TimeformUS notes Outsider Art may hold an upfront position.

In the lane though, Catch a Glimpse and Time and Motion should be the two runners providing a show. Use both of them in horizontal wagers and move on to the next race.

Lake Placid Stakes 2016 Post Positions & Odds
Race 8 5:02 p.m. ET
1 Time and Motion 3-1 Velazquez/Toner
2 Catch a Glimpse 8-5 Geroux/Casse
3 Outsider Art 15-1 Franco/Sheppard
4 Pricedtoperfection 10-1 Ortiz, Jr./Brown
5 Elysea’s World 4-1 Castellano/Brown
6 My Impression 8-1 Ortiz/McGaughey III
7 Diamond Fields 6-1 Alvarado/Stack