Saratoga: Grade 1’s Sword Dancer, Allen Jerkens, Ballerina Stakes Previews

By Brian Bohl —-

European winners give G1 Sword Dancer international flair

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Niarchos Family’s Irish-bred Erupt will be looking for his second Grade 1 win in as many starts as he headlines a diverse field of seven in the Grade 1, $1 million Sword Dancer for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday, Travers Day, at Saratoga Race Course.

One of six Grade 1 races on Travers Day, the 43rd running of the Sword Dancer, contested at 1 1/2 miles, is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $4 millionLongines Breeders’ Cup Turf on November 4 at Del Mar. Carded as Race 10, it is part of an impressive list of stakes leading up the 148th running of the Grade 1 Travers presented by NYRA Bets.
Erupt has the distinction of winning both a Group 1 and Grade 1 race, forging his stellar reputation in France, where he won 2015 Grand Prix de Paris. The Francis-Henri Graffard trainee has amassed more than $1.2 million in earnings and made an impression in his North American debut when he bested a nine-horse field comprised of international runners to capture the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International by one length on October 16 at Woodbine.
Erupt ended his 2016 campaign with a 14th-place finish in the Group 1 Japan Cup. After a freshening, the 5-year-old returned to France to run fourth in the Group 1 Prix Ganay and ninth in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last out on July 2. Gaffard said his charge handled the travel well to Saratoga and is ready to make his U.S. debut.
“He seems to have shipped well and has been training well,” Graffard said. “The ground was way too soft last time in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but he had a very good seasonal comeback in the Prix Ganay.”
Erupt will have the services of jockey Stephane Pasquier from post 6.
Fellow European shipper Idaho, a full-brother to last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf champion Highland Reel, will be making his first start since finishing third behind Ulysses and Enable in the Group I King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 29. That performance came a month after the Irish-bred 4-year-old posted an impressive win in the Group 2 Hardwicke at Royal Ascot.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Idaho, who has exceed $1 million in earnings and has won twice at 1 ½ miles, and will have jockey Ryan Moore in the irons from the outside post.
Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Money Multiplier leads a strong American-bred contingent. The 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky has registered triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in six of his last seven starts, including a 104 rating after fending off Irish Strait by 1 ½-lenths to win the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes on July 30.
Trained by Chad Brown, Money Multiplier will be returning to the Spa for the first time since finishing second to stablemate Flintshire in last year’s Sword Dancer. The Monmouth victory was the first graded stakes win in 10 starts for Money Multiplier, who was a runner-up in five of those starts, encompassing back-to-back second-place efforts in the Grade 1 Man o’ War and Grade 1 United Nations last summer.
“He ran a great race last year in the Sword Dancer and he was a bit unlucky in there,” Brown said. “He seems to be training really well, so I’m excited for him to get another chance at it.”
Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will leave from post 5.
Woodslane Farm’s Sadler’s Joy finished third behind fellow Sword Dancer entrants Bigger Picture and winner Hunter O’Riley in the Grade 2 Bowling Green on July 29, getting bested by just a half-length. The 4-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy has finished in the money in eight consecutive starts, including a win in the Grade 2 Pan American on April 1 at Gulfstream Park and third-place finishes in the Grade 1 Man o’ War and Grade 1 Manhattan this spring at Belmont Park.
“He ran well last time; we only got beat by a half-length,” trainer Tom Albertrani said. “Toward the end, he got beat in the last couple of jumps. He made a wide move a little earlier than he needed, but he ran well. He’s always right there. He’s been training well going into this next race. Hopefully a good trip will get us there.”
Sadler’s Joy will be coming off a nearly four week rest between starts; an interval Albertrani said should help after the break between the Manhattan, in which he finished 1 ½ lengths behind winner Ascend, and the Bowling Green. The Sword Dancer also returns Sadler’s Joy to the track where he broke his maiden last summer.
“We were coming off a six week rest from the last race. If anything, this race should make him a little tighter coming back a little sooner,” Albertrani said. “He won on this course last year. He likes Saratoga and has done well up here. Every race, he shows up. We just need it to be his turn.”
Jockey Julien Leparoux will break from post 3.
Hunter O’Riley rallied from seventh to win the Bowling Green, outkicking Bigger Picture in the final jumps to win by a neck. The victory earned him a career-high 104 Beyer for trainer Jimmy Toner.
“He’s a hard-knocker; he gives you everything he’s got every time he runs,” Toner said. “Naturally, we’re thrilled with his last race and the effort he gave and hopefully he can duplicate it.”
Hunter O’Riley, a 4-year-old son of Tiz Wonderful, has won two of his last three starts.
“As he’s gotten older, he’s matured and developed and gotten stronger and has more confidence in himself,” Toner said. “He’s happy and doing well. There’s nothing better than a happy horse.”
Florent Geroux, who piloted Hunter O’Riley to the Bowling Green win, will have the return call from post 4.
Bigger Picture has improved with age and has registered the two highest Beyers of his career, 104 and 103, in his last two races, featuring a come-from-behind win by a head in the Grade 1 United Nations on July 1 at Monmouth Park before being beaten by Hunter O’Riley at the wire last out.
“Everything is on schedule and we’re looking forward to the race,” Maker said. “We know he shows up every time. He’s there every single race. We expect another big effort on his part. Once we’ve stretched him out, he’s gotten better and better.”
Jose Ortiz will ride from post 2.
Frank Conversation finished sixth Bowling Green after he lost his tongue tie mid-race. The 4-year-old Quality Road colt will get another chance at the Spa in drawing the rail for trainer Doug O’Neill. Mario Gutierrez will ride the 4-year-old Quality Road colt.
“He had a tongue tie come off somewhere between the starting gate and the finish line,” O’Neill said about the Bowling Green. “When he came back to get unsaddled, Mario said he just wasn’t getting good air out there and my assistant noticed there was no tongue tie on him. It was just a freakish thing. He came out of it physically sound, it’s just that that’s a big part of his equipment, so we’ll hope for a little better luck this time.”

By Najja Thompson —-

Talent rich field set for G1 H. Allen Jerkens

Featuring nine of the best 3-year-old sprinters in the nation, the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens, formerly known as the King’s Bishop, is one of six Grade 1 races from seven stakes overall on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, highlighted by the 148th running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers.
Entering from the barn of current meet leader Todd Pletcher and owners Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners is Coal Front. Purchased for $575,000 as a 2-year-old, the Stay Thirsty colt impressively won his debut by 6 ½ lengths going six furlongs on April 17 at Keeneland and followed up to take an allowance race on June 8 at Belmont Park.
Last time out, he bested a field of six to win the Grade 2 Amsterdam on July 29, earning a personal best 105 Beyer Speed Figure. In a field in which three fellow entrants have also posted triple-digit Beyer figures, Pletcher knows the importance of drawing a good spot.
“I think with this race, post position is very important,” said Pletcher. “He’s not one who is going to be way off the pace, but if he draws outside that will provide him some options. There’s a lot of speed in the race with him and Takaful and American Anthem, so, at seven-eighths races with a lot of pace, position is key.”
With Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the irons, the pair will leave from post 7.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will saddle Shadwell Stables’ Takaful. A homebred son of Bernardini, Takaful made an eye-catching debut as a 2-year-old last October at Belmont to win by 8 lengths. Following that race he then stretched out to two turns in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct Racetrack where he finished third and kicked off his 2017 season on the Triple Crown trail with pair of subpar efforts in the Grade 3 Jerome at the Big A and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream in which he finished seventh and eighth respectively.
Cutting back to one turn in his most recent start, Takaful blew away eight rivals in an allowance race on July 21 at Saratoga to win by 5 ¼ lengths and record a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. McLaughin reports his entrant is primed for another big effort heading into Saturday’s race.
“He seems to be most effective at one-turn distances,” said McLaughlin. “He’s fast but he doesn’t have to be on the lead. Jose [Ortiz] knows him know and his last was fabulous. He’s won over this track, which is important, and it’s a step up from an allowance race to a Grade 1 obviously, but we feel like he belongs and is doing very well so we’re happy with him.”
Drawing post 2, Takaful will be ridden by current meet leading rider Jose Ortiz.
Shipping in from California for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and WinStar Farm, Head of Plains Partners, China Horse Club and SF Racing Group is American Anthem. A Bodemeister colt who was cut back in distance after a 12th place finish in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, he is undefeated at seven furlongs, taking the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera on May 13 at Santa Anita and the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park on June 10.
With Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard, American Anthem will leave from post 9.
Also looking to capitalize on a turnback in distance is Practical Joke who runs for trainer Chad Brown and owners Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence with Practical Joke. Since running fifth in the Kentucky Derby, the son of Into Mischief returned finishing strongly to win at a mile in the Grade 3 Dwyer on June 10 at Belmont Park. Stretching out to a mile and eighth for the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 30 in his most recent start in which he finished third, Brown is hoping the multiple graded stakes winner will handle the turnback in distance returning to the Spa, where he broke his maiden and won the Grade 1 Hopeful as a 2-year-old.
“He’s been training very well up here since the Haskell,” said Brown. “It’s certainly a lot to ask cutting back to seven-eighths from the mile and an eighth distance, but he’s had success running here before and he’s really been doing well up here so we’re up to the challenge.”
Drawing the rail, Practical Joke will have the services of Joel Rosario.
Rounding out the field is the Arnaud Delacour-trained No Dozing, who enters off a win in the Concern Stakes on July 22 and Laurel Park; Phi Beta Express for trainer Danny Gargan and trainer Martin Cherry, who last out won by eight lengths on July 23; Ann Arbor Eddie for trainer Doug O’Neill and Reddam Racing; Tale of Silence for trainer Barclay Tagg and owner Charles Fipke; and Wild Shot for trainer Rusty Arnold and Calumet Farm.

By Michael Adolphson —-

Paulassilverlining continues dance toward Eclipse in G1 Ballerina

Paulassilverlining tops a septet of sprint fillies entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina at Saratoga. The seven-furlong main track event annually attracts some of the nation’s top fillies and mares – including victorious year-end champions Davona Dale, Maryfield, Lady’s Secret and Queena – and this year’s Ballerina dances to the same beat.
Trained by Chad Brown and owned by the powerful Juddmonte Farms operation, Paulassilverlining has proven to be a force in the division in 2017. Purchased privately in March as a future mate for Juddmonte’s world champion Arrogate, the daughter of Ghostzapper and half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dads Caps has proven her mettle with a trio of neck victories from as many starts, including a pair of Grade 1s at this distance – the April 8 Madison at Keeneland and May 6 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs.
After a brief freshening, the bay 5-year-old mare returned to defeat top sprint filly Finley’sluckycharm last out in Saratoga’s Grade 2 Honorable Miss on July 26. Leading local rider Jose Ortiz, 8-for-12 when pairing with the seven-time graded stakes winner, returns to the saddle from post three.
“It’s exciting to be following her along because every one of her races has been a dog fight and she comes out on top,” said Garrett O’Rourke, manager of Juddmonte’s North American operations. “She hasn’t been the property of Juddmonte for long, but she’s quickly become near and dear to our hearts.
“We are obviously hoping she runs well,” O’Rourke continued. “We have to give weight away and she’s run very close to some of these fillies in the past, plus she’s not a very big filly, but she keeps her weight and keeps running her race. She’s just a very cool filly to be around with a lot of talent. What brought me back to her before purchasing her was was just an admiration of her form line, more than anything. She’s just very fast and went all the way through her 2- and 3-year old years without missing a beat and never spits the bit. She’s never tailed off at any point, has been sound and you can’t get any more honest than her.”
The most formidable threat to the favorite may come from her old barn. Trainer Michelle Nevin’s By the Moon enters the Ballerina on the strength of a solid third to Paulassilverlining in the Honorable Miss, losing by three-quarters of a length at the wire after a steady, gaining drive. The Jay Em Ess Stable-owned, Samantha Siegel homebred daughter of Indian Charlie has had a productive season, winning half her four starts – all in graded stakes company – and receives five pounds from her rival under the Ballerina’s allowance conditions. A Grade 1 winner at two and four-time graded stakes winner overall, the 5-year-old dark bay mare reunites for the fourth consecutive race with Rajiv Maragh. The pair drew post four.
“I feel like she loves Saratoga and has been training really well here,” Nevin said. “She’s feeling well, is bright and happy and I think she’s coming in great shape. The seven furlongs will be better for her and is a good trip for the way she runs. In [the Honorable Miss], she ran huge. She’s not the quick six-furlong type, so her effort was great considering that. We feel good going into [the Ballerina].”
More than simply a Pas de Deux, this year’s Ballerina also features Carina Mia, who looks to improve upon a third-place finish last year as the even-money favorite. Previously trained by Bill Mott, the daughter of Malibu Moon has since been transferred to the Brown barn by owner Three Chimneys Farm and exits a successful seasonal debut in the restricted Shine Again over this course and distance on August 2. The three-time graded stakes winner and 2016 Grade 1 Acorn conqueror breaks from post five under freshly minted Hall of Fame inductee Javier Castellano.
Chester and Mary Broman’s Highway Star will try to extend her perfect 3-for-3 record at the seven-furlong distance when the Rodrigo Ubillo trainee breaks from post seven under Angel Arroyo. The New York-bred daughter of Girolamo cuts back in distance after a third last out in Belmont’s 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on June 10 and returns to the distance over which she landed Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Distaff Handicap in April.
Owner and trainer Happy Alter’s swift Curlin’s Approval brings her Florida heat to Upstate New York on the heels of a stellar 4 1/2-length victory in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 2 Princess Rooney on July 1 over this distance. A presser with speed to burn, the dark bay 4-year-old daughter of Curlin has six victories from 11 starts, including three stakes wins at this distance. Luis Saez, aboard for all three of her graded stakes tallies, rides from post two.
The field is completed by Fred Allor’s Princess Rooney runner-up Distinta, who makes her first start for trainer Todd Pletcher and breaks from post six under John Velazquez, and Forum Racing’s Tom Proctor-trained Birdatthewire, who breaks from the rail under Manuel Franco and has not won since taking the Grade 1 La Brea at Santa Anita in 2015.