Not This Time got his 39th lifetime graded stakes winner Saturday at Keeneland when Stars and Stripes took the $350,000 Ben Ali S. (G3) by a half-length over Batten Down.
Stars and Stripes was making his graded stakes debut in the 1 3/16-mile Ben Ali. The bay colt raced in midpack for the better part of seven furlongs while racing in the two-path on the backstretch. After waiting for room on the final turn, he swung four-wide into the stretch and engaged Batten Down for the lead. In a spirited battle down the lane, Stars and Stripes began to edge clear in the final sixteenth to secure the win.
“Last time when I had the opportunity to ride this horse [winning an allowance at Oaklawn Park Mar. 8], he showed that he had a lot of talent,” said Luis Saez. “[Trainer] Mr. Bill [Mott] always does a great job with the horses. Today my horse took a big step forward. I felt very confident. I knew I had a lot of horse, and he’s a fighter. He came to the top of the stretch and he did everything I asked.”
Four-year-old Stars and Stripes is now 4-1-1 in seven starts and has earned $429,533 for Frassetto Stables LLC. The winner was bred in Kentucky by Pam and Martin Wygod and is a half-brother to graded stakes winner Waves of Mischief.
