Lea Farms’ Kentucky-bred Power Squeeze outdueled Candied to win the 144th renewal of the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday, Aug. 17.
Trained by Jorge Delgado, Power Squeeze, who was ridden by Javier Castellano, settled near the back of the pack in the eight-horse field early in the 1 ¼-mile test. She raced four wide down the backstretch and traveled nearly eight wide around the far turn. In a relentless drive through the stretch, Power Squeeze got on terms with race favorite Candied in deep stretch and prevailed by a head over that rival in a thrilling finish. Power Squeeze is now a three-time graded stakes winner. Prior to her game score in the Alabama, the daughter of Union Rags won this year’s Delaware Oaks (G3) and the Gulfstream Pak Oaks (G2).
“An absolutely outstanding ride from Javier,” said Delgado after securing his first Grade 1 victory as a trainer. “He measured the race perfectly. He kept coming and coming and he knows that the filly fights a lot. On the head bob, she knows how to win. She wanted to win. She has so much determination to win.”
Castellano said of his trip, “She is not the best at breaking out of the gate. She always breaks a little slow, but she is OK. That was my goal—it was a mile and a quarter race. Not too many horses face a mile and a quarter in their 3-year-old campaign. I believed whoever had the most horse left near the very end of the race was going to win. I didn’t want to hook up with speed or chase the speed. I wanted to take my time and develop the horse through the race to find her kick and finish.”
Bred in Kentucky by Forging Oaks Farm, Power Squeeze improved her overall record to 10-6-1-1. She has now banked $897,450. Produced from the multiple stakes-winning Awesome Again mare Callmethesqueeze, Power Squeeze was a $90,000 graduate of the 2023 OBS Spring Sale.