Micromanage wins Birdstone at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) Micromanage swept to the lead at the top of the stretch and beat pacesetter Irsaal by 8 1/2 lengths Thursday in the $100,000 Birdstone at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Todd Pletcher for Mike Repole, the 4-year-old multiple stakes winner ran 1 3/4 miles in 2:58.13 and paid $3, $2.50 and $2.10 as the 1-2 favorite in a field of six older horses.

Irsaal returned $4.50 and $2.90, and Slim Shadey paid $2.90 to show.

In the co-feature, Cat Feathers maintained her advantage over the final jump and sprinted clear to a 3 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Mrs. Ogden Phipps Stakes for steeplechasers.

Owned and trained by Kate Dalton and ridden by her husband, Bernard, the 6-year-old mare ran 2 1/6 miles in 3:49.74 and paid $10.80, $5.50 and $3.40. Kisser N Run returned $3.50 and $2.70, and Brilliant Match paid $2.90.