Adam Coglianese/NYRA

Spurious Precision won the Saratoga Special by five lengths Sunday as a more-than-adequate replacement for stablemate Carried Interest.

Trainer Rick Violette made the substitution this week when Carried Interest had a little shin problem and entered Spurious Precision in the Grade 2 stake for 2-year-olds. Spurious Precision and jockey Alan Garcia broke very sharply and set pressured fractions of :21.35 and :44.02. He withstood some challenges in the stretch and pulled away to his decisive victory in 1:16.53 and paid $3.50 as the favorite.

“He’s the real deal," Violette said. "He put Alan in an impossible spot – he beat the latch. He broke so good, it’s not like you can take back at that point. There was serious pressure every jump of the way. Just watching horses come at him, and they did, he had a lot left. I don’t think we have a horse that has to be on the lead; circumstances kind of dictated it today."

Violette said he expected Anthony's Dutrow's horse, Southern Honor, to have the lead on the backside.

"If we were second or third, that would have been ideal," Violette said. "He broke running, and you’re not supposed to take away what you’ve been given. He’s got a serious pump and he’ll go a long way. I think two turns is well within his scope. He’s obviously got plenty of tactical speed and he’s a pretty good horse to have in the barn.”

Violette said that Carried Interest is fine and will probably run in the Hopeful at the end of the meet. Spurious Precision, who was running back on 22 days rest, will be pointed toward the Champagne on October 6 at Belmont Park."