Saratoga Race Course Notes

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

• Mr Havercamp under consideration for G1 Fourstardave
• War of Will breezes in company for G2 Jim Dandy; Strike Silver aiming for G2 Amsterdam
• Tax training terrific towards G2 Jim Dandy with half-mile breeze
• Tacitus and Yoshida breeze towards Saratoga summer targets
• Pletcher breezes King for a Day in preparation for G1 Haskell Invitational
• Talk Veuve to Me takes drop in class in Wednesday allowance; Quip slated for Grade 1 action
• Global Campaign breezes ahead of G2 Jim Dandy; Recruiting Ready could target G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap
• Jerkens still ironing out plans for summer

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry’s Mr Havercamp, who stalked a swift early pace set by Gidu before pouncing to a half-length score in Friday’s Grade 3 Forbidden Apple, could return to Saratoga in search of his first Grade 1 score in the $500,000 Fourstardave slated for August 10.

The Ontario-bred son of Court Vision, trained by Catherine Day Phillips, earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his impressive return from a seven-month layoff.

“It’s a very legitimate Beyer. He ran a great race,” said Day Phillips. “He came out of the race really well. He shipped home last night. He was a little excited after the race and feeling good, but he settled down and ate his dinner. He arrived in Toronto at 4 a.m.”

Day Phillips has saddled three starters at the Spa, including two attempts at the Grade 3 Saranac, winning with Jambalaya in the 2005 renewal and a fifth in 2017 with Mr Havercamp. Day Phillips said the multiple graded-stakes winning Mr Havercamp, who earned Sovereign Award honors last year in his native land as Champion Turf Male and Champion Older Horse, could target the one-mile Fourstardave contested on the same inner turf as the Forbidden Apple.

“I think you have to consider it,” said Day Phillips. “He obviously enjoys the course and the trip works for him. It’s definitely on the radar. We’ll nominate and see how he comes out of the race and go on from there.”

Day Phillips said Mr Havercamp remains in consideration for the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on September 14, and that the dark bay could also use the Grade 3 Seagram Cup slated for August 11 on the Tapeta at Woodbine as a possible prep race.

“The ultimate goal is the Woodbine Mile, which is what took us to the Forbidden Apple” said Day Phillips. “Backing up to the Seagram or the Fourstardave on the same weekend – it would be between those two races. The timing works for us and we’ll keep our focus on the Woodbine Mile.”

* * *
War of Will breezes in company for G2 Jim Dandy; Strike Silver aiming for G2 Amsterdam

Gary Barber’s Grade 1 Preakness winner War of Will breezed in company with John C. Oxley’s Strike Silver at 5:45 a.m. on Saturday as the sun rose over the Saratoga main track.

With Tyler Gaffalione in the irons, War of Will, breezing outside of Strike Silver, overtook his stablemate down the lane and galloped out strong. The horse known as ‘WOW’ covered five furlongs in 1:00.43 with Strike Silver, stopping the clock in 1:00.64.

Trainer Mark Casse said he was pleased with both horses, with War of Will targeting the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, July 27 and Strike Silver pointed to the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam on July 28, both at Saratoga Race Course.

“He always amazes me how effortlessly he does things,” said Casse of War of Will. “We wanted to let him gallop out some and I didn’t with the other horse, so the other horse didn’t gallop out. I wanted to put a little air into him [War of Will]. He looks great.”

Strike Silver won the Indian Summer at Keeneland in October and last out finished fourth in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day, June 8.

“Strike Silver is a pretty good horse. We wanted a good work out of both horses because he’s going to run in the Amsterdam,” said Casse.

War of Will contested all three legs of the Triple Crown, placing a troubled seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby ahead of his Preakness coup. Last out, War of Will finished ninth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, which was won by stablemate Sir Winston.

Casse said War of Will is blossoming as he prepares for a summer campaign expected to include the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 24.

“He’s put on about 100 pounds and his color is really good. He doesn’t look like a horse that has been through the wars of the Triple Crown,” said Casse. “As long as he comes out of this happy and healthy and shows good energy, I think the Jim Dandy makes sense.”

Tracy Farmer’s Sir Winston, who thrived at Belmont with a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Peter Pan before his Classic score in the Belmont Stakes, is enjoying some down time at Casse’s farm in Ocala while recovering from an ankle injury.
Casse said he is hopeful the Awesome Again chestnut will return to action this year.

“He hurt his ankle after the Belmont. It was just a minor injury. He’s in Ocala and doing great. I was just with him a couple days ago. I’m hoping to get another start in him at the end of the year. He’ll start back training in about two weeks,” said Casse.
* * *
Tax training terrific towards G2 Jim Dandy with half-mile breeze

R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch, and Corms Racing Stable’s Tax breezed a half-mile on the Oklahoma training track in 49.95 seconds on Saturday morning in preparation for a start in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by NYRA Bets.

Trainer Danny Gargan said the dark bay son of Arch, who rose from claim to fame with a victory in the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct Racetrack in February, looked strong during his morning work.

“He’s moving great. He’s doing better than he’s ever done right now,” said Gargan. “I wanted him to go in 50 and he went 49 and 4. He worked fast last week and I just wanted to have an easy breeze this week and then we’ll bring him back next week and tighten him up. I’m really happy with how he’s doing. He looks better now than he’s ever looked. His coat is coming around. Everything about him is good right now.”

Gargan said Tax is thriving because of the move to upstate New York.

“That’s why I think he looks so good,” said Gargan. “From the Belmont to now his coat has just blossomed. He’s putting on weight and filling out more. He’s doing tremendous right now.”

Claimed for $50,000 out of a maiden event at Keeneland in October, Tax has since finished third in the Grade 3 Remsen at the Big A, won the Withers, and run second in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets ahead of his Triple Crown campaign.

Following an off-the-board effort in the Kentucky Derby, Tax rebounded to be a good fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont after contesting the early pace with Joevia.
Gargan said Tax will continue to be prominent as he contests the summer stakes schedule at Saratoga.

“If somebody gets up there in front of us we’ll sit second, but we’re not taking back,” said Gargan. “I like him to get into a rhythm and I think he’s going to like this track.”

* * *
Tacitus and Yoshida breeze towards Saratoga summer targets

Never one to rest on his laurels, Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott was a busy man one day following an impressive maiden victory on Friday’s card with 2-year-old filly Vast, for owners and breeders Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider.
On Saturday morning, Mott sent multiple graded stakes winners Tacitus and Yoshida in tandem to breeze over the Oklahoma training track.

Working in company, Tacitus completed the five-furlong breeze in 1:01 flat and Yoshida in 1:00.90.

Targeting a start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy presented by NYRA Bets, Tacitus posted his third breeze since finishing second in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Mott said he was pleased with the work from the homebred son of Tapit for Juddmonte Farms.

“Real good work,” said Mott on horseback. “I thought they both went well. We just want to keep them happy, healthy and stay on their respective courses.”

Tacitus broke his maiden in his second start at Aqueduct Racetrack and emerged on the Kentucky Derby trail by winning the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in March in his next start. He secured the top spot on the Kentucky Derby qualifying points leaderboard with a victory in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets at the Big A, and placed third in the Derby following the disqualification of Maximum Security.

Mott said Tacitus has kept his good form following the Belmont Stakes.

“He’s pretty much about the same as we had him for the Belmont,” said Mott. “He was going good into that race and he’s continued to do so.”

Yoshida, a multiple graded stakes winner in his own right for owners China Horse Club International, Winstar Farm, and Head of Plains Partners is looking to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Saturday, August 3.

The 5-year-old Japanese bred son of Heart’s Cry has yet to hit the board in three starts this year. Yoshida finished sixth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational on January 26 at Gulfstream, the Group 1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse, and last out in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill.

“He’s continued to stay on course,” said Mott. “If we continue to be pleased with how he’s doing we’ll give him a shot in the Whitney.”

Vast, a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Sower and also to Mott’s stable pony Round, won her debut by a half-length at odds of 12-1.

Mott said he was pleased with the daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Lea, who he also trained.

“You have to be pleased first time out of the box to have her run that way,” said Mott. “It’s exciting and we’re keeping it in the family with the victory also being from her brother to my stable pony.”

* * *
Pletcher breezes King for a Day in preparation for G1 Haskell Invitational

The first Saturday morning of the prestigious Saratoga meet was a busy one for 13-time leading trainer Todd Pletcher, who sent some of his heavy hitters to the Oklahoma training track for preparations for their next test.

The two-time stakes winner King for a Day, owned by Red Oak Stable, worked in company with three-time winning New York-bred Just Right and went a half-mile in 48.39 seconds with Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez aboard.

“He breezed really well,” Velazquez said. “Right on schedule which is what Todd wanted and it was a very nice work.”

King for a Day, a 3-year-old chestnut son of Uncle Mo, won both of his starts this year in the Sir Barton and Pimlico and the Pegasus at Monmouth Park, where he bested disqualified Kentucky Derby winner Maximum Security. He will likely return to the Jersey Shore and target the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational on Saturday, July 20.

“That’s what we’ve been looking at,” Pletcher said of the Haskell. “Certainly, the way he went this morning I would be enthusiastic about going assuming that everything is in good order.”

Pletcher had always held King for a Day in high regard, even as a 2-year-old. He won his second career start in a 1 1/16-mile maiden event on the main track which featured eventual dual graded stakes-winner Tacitus. From there, he was fourth in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club last November at Churchill Downs and did not race again until winning the Sir Barton.

“That was a huge win for him to beat the horse who crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby,” Pletcher said of the Pegasus. “He’s perhaps a horse that has been on our radar, we’ve thought a lot of him since he came here last year. We gave him a little time after he ran at Churchill in the fall and so he was a little behind schedule for the Triple Crown but came back in the Sir Barton on Preakness day and looked impressive and took another move forward with a win in the Pegasus.”

A solid run from King for a Day could result in a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 24, which Pletcher has won twice with Stay Thirsty (2011) and Flower Alley (2005).

“It’s a little better scheduling for the Travers now that the Haskell is moved forward eight days sooner than it used to be. So that gives him the possibility of coming back in the Travers if everything goes well,” Pletcher said.

A Kentucky homebred, King for a Day is a half-brother to three stakes winners, all out of the unraced French Deputy broodmare Ubetwereven.

Pletcher also worked Grade 1-winner Vino Rosso in company with graded stakes-placed Intrepid Heart on Saturday. Both horses completed their respective five-furlong journeys in 1:00.90.

Eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets last out, Intrepid Heart is likely to return in the $100,000 Curlin on July 26 over the Saratoga main track, while Vino Rosso will target another Grade 1 win in the $1 million Whitney Handicap on August 3.

“Intrepid Heart breezed this morning and we’re considering the Curlin with him,” Pletcher said. “If that were to go well, that could possibly put him in the Travers. He went with Vino Rosso. Obviously, he’s an older horse and a good work horse and I thought he did well to stay with him.”

A son of Curlin, Vino Rosso struck Grade 1 gold for the first time in his most recent effort when shipping to the west coast for the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

Coincidentally, Vino Rosso comes from the same family as his Saturday morning workmate. His dam Mythical Bride is out of Flaming Heart, who produced Intrepid Heart as well as three-time graded stakes winner Commissioner.

Also on the Saturday morning work tab for Pletcher is five-time graded stakes winner Coal Front who logged a half-mile breeze in 48.96 seconds under exercise rider Amelia Green.

The Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners owned dark bay son of Stay Thirsty was seventh last out in the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park and is under consideration for the Grade 3, $200,000 Monmouth Cup on the Haskell undercard.

“I’m still thinking about it. We’ll assess the field and see how he comes out of it. We’ll make a decision on entry day probably,” Pletcher said.

All five of Coal Front’s graded stakes wins took place over different tracks. As a 3-year-old, he won the Grade 2 Amsterdam over Saratoga’s main track two starts before winning the Grade 3 Gallant Bob at Parx Racing. He finished his 4-year-old campaign with a win in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector going the one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park before shipping to Oaklawn Park, where he was a hard-fought winner of the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap. His last win took place overseas in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan Racecourse.

* * *
Talk Veuve to Me takes drop in class in Wednesday allowance; Quip slated for Grade 1 action

Graded stakes winner Talk Veuve To Me is taking a drop in class on Wednesday afternoon following a disappointing seventh in the last out Grade 1 Humana Distaff on May 4 at Churchill Downs and will face six other fillies and mares in a second-level allowance race going six furlongs on the Saratoga main track.

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the 4-year-old Violence dark bay filly is owned by Barry Irwin’s Team Valor in partnership with Brisset and Stephen McKay. She had throat surgery to treat an entrapped epiglottis just days after her last effort.

Brisset reported that his filly had a speedy recovery from the treatment and said Wednesday’s race could be a prep for a race like the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina on August 24.

“The Humana was not very good and we know why. She had an entrapped epiglottis, so we gave her surgery a few days after the race and she recovered very quickly,” said Brisset. “She’s worked twice here. She worked an easy three-eighths [on Saturday morning] to just gave her a blowout before Wednesday, so we’ll see how she does first Wednesday and make plans off of her race.”

Talk Veuve To Me graduated at second asking with an eye-popping 11 ¼ length romp over the main track at Fair Grounds and won the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks two starts later which was her last victory.

Brisset also worked two-time graded stakes winner Quip on Saturday morning. The 4-year-old Distorted Humor bay was second last out in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, which came after a narrow win in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in April.

Quip could make his next start in either the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Handicap on August 3 at Saratoga or could ship for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on August 17 at Del Mar.

“Quip is doing very well. He worked well this morning went 48 and change and went out 1:01 and change,” Brisset said. “We’re very happy with him. We’re looking at the Whitney and the Pacific Classic. Of course, we are here so we may take a closer look at the Whitney, but the Pacific Classic is definitely in the picture too.”

Brisset also went on to speak of recent stakes winner The Black Album, who scored his first victory in North America when shipping to Woodbine for a triumph in the one-mile Charlie Barley on June 29.

Brisset said the French-bred dark bay would thrive off of shortening up and has the Grade 3 $500,000 Franklin-Simpson on September 12 at Kentucky Downs in mind as a long term goal.

“He might not want to be a two-turn horse,” Brisset said. “He is by Wootton Basset who was a very good sprinter in France. Even if they give you signs that they want to go longer, at the end of the day the way he ran those races in America for us, you definitely have to question his distance limitation. So, that’s why we went back to one turn, and added the blinkers. More than likely, the goal for him would be the race at Kentucky Downs.”

Brisset said the $100,000 Mahony on August 7 over the turf at Saratoga could be a spot in between races.

Graded stakes winner Positive Spirit, who fell leaving the gate in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, is enjoying some down time and could return later this year.

“She is at the farm. She went to WinStar after the Oaks for two weeks, just for a refreshing and came back to us galloping fine for two weeks,” said Brisset. “Something was off, so we decided to be safe and did an MRI and we found a bruise inside her front leg on her bone and it was pinching her a little bit. She’s a very valuable filly and I think the ownership wants to run her again next year, so we decided to give her 60 days. She should be back with us after the summer.”

Positive Spirit is owned by Micheal Ryan and Gerry Dilger and is by the late multiple champion producing sire Pioneerof the Nile.

* * *
Global Campaign breezes ahead of G2 Jim Dandy; Recruiting Ready could target G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap

Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm’s Global Campaign breezed Saturday morning over the Saratoga main track and remains on target for the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy presented by NYRA Bets on July 27, trainer Stanley Hough said.

The Grade 3 Peter Pan winner went five furlongs in 1:01.16, marking his second work of the month at Saratoga.

“I thought he worked great and came back good,” Hough said. “He cooled out good. It was a step in the right direction.”

The Curlin colt bested a five-horse Peter Pan field on May 11 at Belmont Park, earning his first triple digit Beyer Speed Figure with a 101. A traditional prep for the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, Global Campaign outkicked runner-up Sir Winston, who went on to win the “Test of the Champion” a month later, by 1 ¼ lengths.

“He ran great that day. He came out of the time off because of a foot injury and was much better,” Hough said. “He trained good last week and trained good today. We’ll go next weekend and if everything goes right, just hope for the best. It’ll be a tough race, but hopefully, he can show himself.”

That foot injury occurred during a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 2 at Gulfstream Park, marking the only time Global Campaign did not earn a winner’s circle trip in four starts. He won his first two races over the Gulfstream main track, capturing his seven-furlong debut by 5 ¾ lengths on January 5 and following with a 2 ¼-length score against optional claimers at 1 1/16 miles on February 9.

“He had a foot injury in the Fountain of Youth, so we’d like to blame that race on that injury. But he’s been able to overcome it. He keeps going on and hopefully he has it taken care of now,” Hough said.

Sagamore Farm’s Recruiting Ready, who ran third in the Grade 2 True North on June 7 as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival,could be making his first Grade 1 appearance in the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on July 27.
The 5-year-old son of Algorithms earned a 102 Beyer in the 6 ½-furlong True North, finishing behind Strike Power and the winner Catalina Cruiser.

Since taking over training responsibilities from Horacio DePaz, Hough has seen Recruiting Ready post a 2-2-1 record in six starts, all against stakes company, dating to December 23 when he won the Gravesend by a neck at Aqueduct Racetrack. His 3 ¼-length win in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint at the Vanderbilt distance of six furlongs earned him a personal-best 105 Beyer.
Recruiting Ready would be making his second career start at the Spa and first since running fourth in the 2016 Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

“He’s doing well, so we might go that route and see how he’s feeling. There aren’t that many Grade 1s, so you know they are going to be tough,” Hough said.

Recruiting Ready has already won at six racetracks, including Belmont, Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Pimlico, Laurel Park and Oaklawn, and will look to add Saratoga as No. 7.

“He puts in a very good effort wherever we run him,” Hough said “If he does make it, I think he’ll be [competitive].”

* * *
Jerkens still ironing out plans for summer

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens finished up Belmont Park’s spring/summer meet with a number of formidable contenders and good performances.

Grade 2 Suburban winner Preservationist, a 6-year-old son of Arch for Centennial Farms, earned his first graded stakes win last out

“He came out of his race okay,” said Jerkens. “He’s galloped the last couple of days and we don’t have any real plans right now. We might give him a break, but we’ll look for races at distances that suit him.”

Jerkens also reported that 5-year-old graded stakes winner Rocketry, who finished eighth in the Suburban and previously recorded second-place finishes in the Grade 2 Woodford Reserve Brooklyn Invitational in June and Flat Out at Belmont in May would receive a short layoff.

“We’ll give him a little break,” said Jerkens. “It doesn’t seem like there’s much for him now, so that may be our best move.”

Jerkens said he would also look for a spot to run Centennial Farms 4-year-old Candygram who last out put up a valiant effort, finishing second to multiple graded-stakes winner Prince Lucky in the State Dinner on July 7 at Belmont.

“I don’t really know where he’s going next,” said Jerkens. I was very happy with his effort. I thought he gave a good performance and we were happy with him.”

Lastly, Jerkens said multiple graded-stakes winner Holy Helena was continuing to do well and remained on target for the Grade 2 Canadian on September 14 at Woodbine.

“The reports have been well and she likes it up there, so I’m happy with that,” said Jerkens.
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