🎪 Thursday started off cool in the morning, temps in the 60’s but rapidly heated up to be in the low 90’s by post time for the opener. The rain came later in the card with wind and lightning delaying the 7th race by 23 minutes but no surfaces changes were required.
🎪 The first went to Ellis Park shipper, Sicilian Grandma, who swept by the leaders turning for home, crushing the field of 2 yo $50000 maiden claiming fillies for Maker and Saez. The Army Mule filly was claimed out of the race by Tom Morley as was first timer Lady Quinn, beaten 26 lengths, who was haltered for MyRacehorse by Kelly Breen.
🎪 Alluring Angel (GB) completed the early double with a furious rally down the center of the Mellon course to just get up breaking her maiden for dangerous first time starter trainer, Jorge Abreu. The 2 year old filly by Fastnet Rock was bred in Great Britain and is owned by Lawrence Goichman and ridden by Irad Ortiz.
🎪 Kentucky trainer Phil Bauer had himself a day, winning two races including a hard fought win by Played Hard in the third and a runaway winner in the 5th with One More Baby.
⏳ The fourth was a $25000 NW3 race for fillies and mares going a mile out of the Wilson chute, won by Alpine Queen for Antonio Arriaga and Irad. You could have used a sundial to time the race which was recorded in 1:42.28 which is glacial. The race prior went 4 seconds faster for the mile rate.
🎪 Abreu struck again, this time with a NY bred two year old filly, Lachaise, who was making her debut in the 6th, a NYB MSW going 8.5 furlongs over the inner turf. The filly, who is by second season sire Oscar Performance, was ridden by Flavian Prat, raced greenly in the stretch, lugging in late and bothering runner up Provision. In an unusual post race turn of events, despite the relatively dramatic swerve by the winner causing Provision to steady just before the wire, the inquiry sign wasn’t lit until Lachaise was already in the winners circle getting her photo taken. Then after perhaps the shortest inquiry of all time, roughly 25 seconds, the race was declared official. I can’t disagree that the trouble happened so late in the stretch that the finishing positions between those two wasn’t going to be affected, but man hang the inquiry sign so that the public and participants know that you are looking at it, at the very least in a token fashion.
🎪 Into Mischief again in the 7th as his daughter Spicy Marg wired allowance foes in the NW2x allowance going 5.5 on the grass for Wes Ward and Johnny Velazquez and three Lysters.
🎪 The Alydar (listed) was a cut and dry event as soon as Art Collector opened up several lengths on the lead after an opening quarter in 24.60. Masqueparade tried to keep pace with the favorite, but Luis Saez rationed out Art Collectors speed and had plenty in reserve to hold off the second choice in the stretch. It was 10 lengths back to Chess Chief who outgamed Mystic Night for third.
🤔 Churchill Downs trouble with its new grass course continues as Thursday, just a little more than a week till the event, they announced the cancellation of the Modesty and Secretariat stakes from their inaugural non-Arlington, Arlington MillIon Day card. Word had filtered out that the turf works over the course last Saturday hadn’t gone so well so this wasn’t entirely unexpected news but a tough blow for those scheduled to run in those two races. Hopefully the races that are run go off without a hitch but perhaps this should wind up a Colonial Downs event anyway?
🏀 The jockeys crushed the Saratoga horsemen by 30 in their annual basketball matchup for NYRTC last night. Manny Franco looked like a shorter version of Chris Paul, carving the mostly inept horsemen to pieces. Former Syracuse and New York Knicks player John Wallace was the “ringer” for the jockeys who don’t really need one. Perhaps coaches Pletcher & McLaughlin need to do a better job at recruiting, Kevin Durant might still be available for next years game, though even he might not have been enough to make a difference last night.
🏅 Today is the Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame across the street at the Fasig-Tipton sales arena. Congrats to all the inductees! If you make it up to Saratoga, the Museum/Hall of Fame is a can’t miss stop!
Day 17 (23 racing days to go)
Hall of Fame Grade II $200,000 1 mile inner turf 3yo
Chanceux - first of two from Team Todd, speedy sort and will be part of early pace or the outright leader. Doesn’t seem to have enough stamina to finish the job against stakes level competition and the presence of Dowagiac Chief means it will difficult to get lonely on the lead. As long as they are both still in, tough to see him lasting even if this isn’t exactly a star studded event.
Dowagiac Chief - adds blinkers after change of style trip, coming from off the pace to no avail in the Mystic Park Derby at Canterbury Park in latest. Will serve to keep pace lively though it’s difficult to envision the jump in figures for this Cairo Prince colt will need to be a factor here.
Wit - part two of Team Todd, he tries the grass for the first time which is interesting considering that he won the Bay Shore (Gr III) off the bench and had some trouble early in Woody Stephens (Gr I) against Jack Christopher in his only 2022 starts. Has worked well on the grass, his last two spins around the Oklahoma turf course include a bullet 47.4 (1st of 63) on July 22. Doesn’t have much grass in his pedigree and has never run two turns, carries low weight, switched back to Jose Ortiz with Irad taking the call on the other Pletcher runner. This isn’t a really strong field so if he takes to the grass, two turns, etc. we can see him winning, but that’s assuming a lot and at a relatively short price, making assumptions about unknowns is usually a bad idea.
Wow Whata Summer - upset the Penn Mile at Penn Nat’l over a soft course with a perfect trip at 83-1 back on June 3. Ships up from trainers Fairhill base and brings along jockey Conner with him. Back to reality in his latest, a dull try in the Kent (Gr III) over a firm surface.
Stolen Base - erratic runner from Maker who is difficult trainer to guess right with. He was terrible in the Belmont Derby (Gr I) last out, finishing last and getting beat 26 yet the race prior, he overcame trouble to score in the American Turf (Gr II) on the Derby day undercard. Probably best as a deep closer and he might actually get some pace to run into in this spot. Prat was aboard for the Churchill win and if you are willing to toss the last, he is a player in here.
Ready to Purrform - steps up to the graded stakes level but has been running figs that say he belongs. Should get enough pace to suit his mid-pack running style, Cox has had his usually strong meet and Rosario is riding well. A lot to like.
Double Clutch - half to top turf sprinter Gear Jockey, he has run well in all three of his lifetime starts for capable trainer Rusty Arnold. Finished just ahead of Ready to Purrform in the Manila in last, a repeat of that effort makes him a big player though Franco has to make sure he doesn’t give him too much to do.
Celestial City - Uncle Mo colt for Shug has been a bit slow for this class but is eligible to improve. McGaughey off to slow start at the Spa but jock Castellano has turned the clock back and been riding lights out. Wouldn’t argue with you if you wanted to use him at 10-1 or thereabouts but skeptical at a underlaid price.
Tiz the Bomb - I will be honest, I thought it was always folly for McPeek to chase Derby dreams with this horse who was a very good turf stakes performer at 2 and excellent synthetic track runner at three. He hasn’t really developed much as a three year old though part of that might have been the focus on dirt earlier in the campaign shrouding his form. Did zero running in the Belmont Derby and cuts back to the mile but I can’t use him in here at anything close to his morning line.
Troy Grade III $300,000 5.5f Mellon turf 4 and up
Spycraft - ships in from Midwest B track circuit where he has won last two, both turf sprints, by closely stalking the pace. Only has one race that is fast enough to put him in the mix for an on-the-board finish, but that is his last one. Gafflione/Sharp combo has stellar numbers and if can keep him from getting discouraged from chasing the mercurial Golden Pal, he might be a good enough to hold on to be second at a long price.
Yes and Yes - trainer Donk is red-hot batting at 24% with a 3.80 ROI over the last 90 days and has already recorded four wins at the current meet. Had three race winning streak broke in last when tiring after setting the pace in the Forbidden Apple (Gr II) earlier in the meet. Might be better suited to Belmont turf sprints.
Arzak - really improved from 3 to 4 and ran huge new lifetime top in latest, a second place finish at Woodbine in the 6f Highlander (Gr II). Trombetta reaches out for Rosario and the versatile son of Not This Time has to be respected among the other contenders for the runner up position.
Carotari - ran second in this race last year, getting caught late by Fast Boat. Might have to revert to chase mode with Golden Pal signed on here and that could be his undoing for Lynch who has only had three Spa runners this season, though he is firing on all cylinders elesewhere winning 30% the last 3 months. Leaning against here.
Golden Pal - has proved to be practically unbeatable on domestic, one turn courses as he is a perfect 6 for 6 in US turf sprints. Has never been headed in any of those six starts, he breaks from the gate so fast he often has 2 length lead after a few jumps. It’s a division that didn’t even exist up until about 20 years ago but he might be the best US turf sprinter ever. Anything can happen in a horse race but unless he stumbles badly or Irad falls off, he looks to be ultra tough.
True Valour (Ire) - jockey Feargal Lynch is showing some true valor by spending $4 a gallon for gas to drive up to Saratoga to get thumped by Golden Pal. Tough old campaigner took advantage of relatively soft pace to come close to upsetting the apple cart in the Jaipur last out. The pace won’t be soft in here though he is versatile enough to chase and still get a piece of the pie.
Thin White Duke - sounds like he was named after me, however he isn’t even remotely good enough to beat this class but might be able to pick up the pieces and nab third if the chasers tire of Golden Pal getting further and further ahead.
The great Tepin who is going into the Hall of Game today winning the Queen Anne at Newmarket
Superb idea to move "Million Day" to Colonial in general. They could also run their traditional August VA bred stakes on the undercard to give that program some exposure and additional handle.