Just Another Thursday at Saratoga

Real Writing on Racing 💯

Aug 03, 2023

August 2nd and by mid-day there was a cool breeze wafting through the box seat area and I actually wished I had brought a jacket. That isn’t a complaint in any manner, it’s just another reminder of the erratic behavior of Mother Nature when it comes to Saratoga in the Summer. It wasn’t the most captivating of cards on Wednesday afternoon but we did have a jumper to kick things off, a couple two year old events and a minor stake that turned into a procession as the New York grass races often do. Was a nice crowd for a Wednesday with the official tally being 25,811 and always was great to see old friends and meet new ones.

☹️ First race was a steeplechase race named after the late Jonathan Kiser and my chasing malaise continued as I buried Steve Byk who was very confident about the chances of Arch Kingsley’s Barbados (Ire) owned by Tampa Bay Downs owner Stella Thayer and her cousin Richard Colton. Sent postward as the 6-5 public choice (do the CAW teams play jumpers?) Barbados (Ire) raced toward the back of the pack throughout and never made any impact when finishing 4th, as my added wagering weight seemed to be too much for the 7yo Galileo gelding to bear. The winner was Mc Tigue (Ire) trained by Cyril Murphy who is now 2 for 2 at the 2023 Spa meet.

♟️Mike Maker has gotten off to a sluggish beginning of Saratoga 2023 but he did tack on win number 3 when Chess Master parlayed a fast pace, good trip and determined finish under Irad to take down the 3rd, a straight $32,000 claimer going 5.5f on the turf as the 6-5 public choice. It was career win number 15 for the 7yo gelded son of Overdriven with 14 of the wins coming in turf sprints though he will awaken this morning in a new stall as he was claimed by Diodoro.

🥇The 4th was a NY bred NW2x/opt $45,000 going 9f on the main track that featured an ‘in-sharp-form’ Olympic Dreams and a pair of Derby trail refugees from this year and last in Shadow Dragon and Un Ojo. Olympic Dreams wore down a stubborn Un Ojo and held him safe to the wire to register a 3/4 length victory for Pat Quick, Gallagher Stud and jockey Trevor McCarthy. Shadow Dragon who was sent off as the 6-5 favorite got too far behind and never menaced.

🌹The De La Rose appeared to have a pair of committed early pace types and a couple others that wouldn’t be far off the early lead. Then the field broke from the starting gate and almost nothing happened. Jose Ortiz wisely sent Technical Analysis (Ire) and the other jocks put no pressure on her, allowing the pair to fit the half in a pokey 48.49 which essentially is a head start for a mare of her quality. She buzzed a second half in 45.49, exactly three seconds faster the first half which made her close to impossible to catch. Not sure what the plan on Evvie Jets was but it didn’t work though credit Ortiz for being aggressive early and dictating terms unlike the last matchup between those two fillies, that made all the difference. White Frost was along for second and Regal Realm chased throughout and held on to be third. On to the Ballston Spa (Gr II) for the winner while we can only hope that at some point we see a turf stakes with a reasonable pace again…only kidding….but…

🆓 Free DRF Formulator PP’s for the Glens Falls can be found here.

🎖️Funny Cide will be feted in a charity event at Siro’s after the races on August 16. Read about it and get info for tickets Here.

👏🏼 The Hall of Fame inducts Corey Nakatani, Fernando Toro, Arrogate, California Chrome and Songbird on Friday morning. For more info click here.

🎉 It’s Game of Silks day at the Spa today as the first race honors the fledgling horse racing fantasy game that is picking up steam. Read more from this recent Bloodhorse feature. Look for yours truly outside the winners circle after the 1st today!

Glens Falls (Gr II) $250,000 4&up F/M 12f Inner Turf

War Like Goddess - has had a truly great career thus far, 15-10-1-2 good for in excess of $2.1 million dollars in earnings, with the two third place finishes both coming in Breeders Cup races. She already has two Glens Falls (Gr II) trophies and is a strong fav to make it a three-peat, incredible considering that the first time she went through an auction ring as a weanling she brought $1200 and then didn’t even attract a bid as a yearling at Keeneland September. Rosario won the Going in Circles Digest ‘worst ride of the meet’ award for his unconscionable steer in last years Flower Bowl (which attn: graded stakes committee…should still be a grade I) and has to make sure that he extracts her from the inside at some point and not just hopes to get lucky and have a seam materialize. Obviously the one to beat but we have seen her vulnerability on display before.
Virginia Joy (Ger) - upset WLG in last years Flower Bowl after stealing away to one of the slowest paces in a graded race on a firm turf in American racing history, getting the 6f in 1:19.2 yet barely holding off the champ. I’d expect Prat to play cat and mouse with Rosario here, trying to keep the big mare pinned down inside of her though you’d have to expect Rosario to be prepared after last years debacle.
Amazing Grace (Ger) - Solid German mare made her US debut a winning one in the Orchid (Gr III) but was very one paced in her subsequent start in the Sheepshead Bay (Gr II) before looming and running out of gas late in the two mile Belmont Gold Cup (Gr II) against the boys. Cuts back a half mile to the 12 furlong distance which is well within her scope and she can be on the board here.
McKulick (GB) - she hasn’t fared that well in her first two tries against older going shorter but stretches out here to what should be a more suitable distance for her to perform her best. She has a little more tactical ability than the other contenders and Irad might aggressively move early and try to put some space between her and WLG, hoping to outlast her late. Not convinced that it will work but if you are trying to beat the big mare, this filly may be the best chance…at least on paper.
Sopran Basilea (Ire) - has run well against lesser competition though has never gone the 12 furlong trip as of yet. Usually puts in a good late run and has been first or second in 12 of 17 lifetime starts but this group is a lot tougher than what she has ever lined up against
Elegant Taste - bizarre entrant figures to fire to the lead and set the pace for awhile before fading into oblivion. Trainer Smith who is O for 2023 showed little taste in his race selection though I’d expect this filly may not make it past the morning vet check.
Vergara - would be the likely pacesetter if Elegant Taste doesn’t make it into the gate otherwise you’d assume she will be stalking the ludicrous longshot and taking over at some point, the question is she good enough to hold off the late charge of WLG and others? Color me skeptical that she can.

Going In Circles Digest

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