Weekend Hideaway takes Affirmed Success S. in 2016 bow

Weekend Hideaway, already a five-time stakes-winning son of Speightstown, made it six black type wins on Friday at Belmont Park when the 6-year-old scored a handy 2 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 Affirmed Success S. on opening day of the Spring/Summer meet.

Off since an uncharacteristic performance in the Mr. Prospector S. (G3) in December, Weekend Hideaway was on his game in Friday’s six-furlong affair. After biding his time in fourth through a half-mile, Luis Saez urged his mount to the lead, taking over in mid-stretch and pulling away late to stop the timer in 1:10.30 on a fast track.

“We had a good break and I thought we’d get to the lead but I waited and sat on the rail,” said Saez. “I had plenty of horse and at the quarter-pole was able to get through and up to the wire. He’s a good horse and tries all the time.” 

“He ran a huge, huge race before (the Mr. Prospector),” said Phil Serpe, who trains Weekend Hideaway. “I guess he went a little backwards off that race. He hadn’t been away from the track in two years, and it was already in our plans to send him away for a while. We sent him to South Carolina to freshen him up, and he came back really well today. He just needed a little vacation.” 

Weekend Hideaway upped his record to 9-4-4 in 30 starts and has now earned $631,532 for owners Red and Black Stable. 

Weekend Hideaway is one of Speightstown’s six added-money winners this year. His progeny have earned in excess of $2 million through the first four months of 2016.