Saratoga Race Course Notes

NYRA PRESS RELEASE —-

Minit to Stardom earns 94 BSF in G2 Honorable Miss score
Thunder Snow stretches legs on main track; on schedule to breeze Sunday
Warrior’s Club completes move; on target for G1 Forego
Atras off to good start, considering the Birdstone for Royal Albert Hall
Preservationist points to G1 Whitney; Mihos breezes for G2 Jim Dandy
Wet Your Whistle on track for G3 Troy
Mominou in fine fettle; Hunter O’Riley begins recovery
Magic Dance, half to Guarana, could race in G2 Adirondack
Borracho headed to G1 Allen Jerkens following allowance win against elders
Point of Honor likely for G1 Alabama

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Brittlyn Stable’s Minit to Stardom earned a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure for her front-running victory in Wednesday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap, a six-furlong main track sprint for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Jose Camejo and piloted by Alex Cintron, Minit to Stardom was sent to post as the longest shot on the board at 20-1 and wasted no time wrestling the lead away from Grade 1-winner Mia Mischief to notch the opening quarter-mile in 22.49 seconds. From there, the 4-year-old daughter of Star Guitar never looked back, fending off all comers, including the belated charge of Chalon for a 1 1/2-length win in a final running time of 1:08.81.

Camejo, who took over training duties for Minit to Stardom in the spring, said the filly is improving with each start.

“She’s doing good this morning. She’s already home at Delaware,” said Camejo. “It was very impressive. The best part of this, for me, is that every race she continues to improve and do better and better. Everything we’ve asked her to do, she’s responded very well.”

Minit to Stardom, a homebred daughter of Star Guitar bred in Louisiana, launched her career with a three-race win streak in November 2017 with a 5 1/4-length score in a Fair Grounds maiden when under the tutelage of Al Stall, Jr. She followed up with a victory in the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie ahead of a score in an optional-claiming tilt at Churchill Downs.

The talented bay finished sixth in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Longines Test at Saratoga in August before heading home to Louisiana, where she finished second in a trio of starts.

Since being transferred to Camejo, Minit to Stardom is perfect in three starts with optional-claiming scores at Delaware Park and Laurel. The former jockey turned trainer said he has big plans for the improving filly.

“Our plan was to win a graded stakes race and to see how far she can go,” said Camejo. “She’s improved a lot since we got her and every time she runs, she’s doing better. She’s healthy and sound and happy.”

One date that looms large on the Saratoga stakes schedule is the Grade 1, $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina on August 24. The seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race offering a berth in the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint.

Camejo said Minit to Stardom, who has yet to win beyond six furlongs, could get the distance, but is unsure of the timing.

“I do [think she can go seven furlongs], but I think it’s cutting it close,” said Camejo. “I’ll check how she is in a couple of days and she how she handled the race. It will depend on her and how she comes back to the track.

“We’ve already found out what kind of horse she is and how capable she is,” added Camejo. “I’ve had faith in her since the day she ran for the first time at Delaware. I’ll wait and see how she comes out of the race and make a plan.”

* * *
Thunder Snow stretches legs on main track; on schedule to breeze Sunday

Multiple Group 1 winner Thunder Snow visited the Saratoga main track for the first time Thursday briefly jogging over the surface following the renovation break at 8:45 a.m. before returning to his stall at the quarantine barn.

“It was just a nice easy canter,” said Tommy Smith, traveling assistant to conditioner Saeed bin Suroor. “We just wanted to let him see everything, get to know the main track and enjoy himself.”

Expected to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Handicap on Saturday, August 3, the 5-year-old enjoyed a light gallop on the Oklahoma training track on Wednesday morning after clearing quarantine.

Thunder Snow galloped from the half-mile pole to the three-eighths pole on Thursday before exiting the track. Smith said he was happy with the move and expects Thunder Snow to breeze on Monday.

“He looked like he took it all in good today,” said Smith. “We might breeze Sunday. I’ll have to confirm with Saeed, but as of right now those are our tentative plans.”

* * *
Warrior’s Club completes move; on target for G1 Forego

Warrior’s Club, a 5-year-old graded stakes winner for Churchill Downs Racing Club, visited the Oklahoma training track on Wednesday morning, breezing four furlongs in 50.31 seconds.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, Warrior’s Club is expected to make his next start in the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego on Travers Day, Saturday August 24.

“He went well,” said Lukas. “It was just a maintenance breeze for him. We’re about 30 days from the race, so we don’t have to do much. We’re just tuning him up a little bit.”

In four starts this year, of which three were graded stakes, the son of Warrior’s Reward has finished second in both the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland in April and most recently in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud at Belmont on July 6.
An allowance winner at Saratoga in 2017, Warrior’s Club finished second here last year in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt.

“I would say he’s liked it here at Saratoga and Keeneland the best out of all the tracks he’s been,” said Lukas. “I think he likes those deeper tracks. Of course, he ran well at Belmont as well. He seems to prefer tracks that are deeper than are firmer such as at Churchill.

“He hasn’t missed many dances and he’s got a ton of supporters with the ownership of the Churchill Downs Racing Club,” added Lukas. “Hopefully, we’ll give them something to cheer for. We’re in a bit of a slump at the meet so far we haven’t beaten anybody but we’re staying positive and looking to get rolling here soon.”

* * *
Atras off to good start, considering the Birdstone for Royal Albert Hall

One of the fairly new faces on the Saratoga Race Course backstretch who has been going well going into the first 10 days of the meet is Rob Atras. Coming in Thursday’s meet, he had two winners and four others finishing in the money from 10 starts.

“It’s nice to get a good start. I was worried because I know how tough it is to win here,” said Atras, who was Robertino Diodoro’s assistant that included a two-year run at Saratoga. “With a couple of those seconds [finishes], I was hoping they would have won. I thought we had a shot. They have been running well. That’s the main thing. It takes a little pressure off of us.”

Atras is hoping that trend continues as he entertains the idea of bringing back Royal Albert Hall for the marathon Birdstone Stakes for older horses running 1¾ miles on Thursday.

The 7-year-old gelding is already an overnight stakes winner going longer in taking the Bernardini Stakes on March 2. Recently, Royal Albert Hall trailed throughout to Hofburg and former stablemate Roaming Union in an optional claiming/allowance race here at Saratoga last week.

“His last race was disappointing. I did expect a little bit better of an effort from him,” Atras said. “I know it was a tough field. They weren’t going that fast on the front. He needs a pace to run at. He’s kind of a one-paced horse.”

Despite that effort, Atras said Royal Albert Hall can handle this type of a race.
“He trains like he wants to go far,” Atras said. “When he won the Bernardini, everything worked well that day. The pace collapsed and he took over. I am considering going into the Birdstone.”

Atras also indicated that Dynamax Prime, who finished second to easy winner Mr. Buff in the Saginaw on June 30 at Belmont, is being pointed for the Evan Shipman for New York-breds going 1 1/8 miles on August 7.

* * *
Preservationist points to G1 Whitney; Mihos breezes for G2 Jim Dandy

Centennial Farms’ lightly raced but ultra-consistent Preservationist has climbed the ladder in his last three starts and will make his Grade 1 debut in the $1 million Whitney on August 3.

The Jimmy Jerkens-trained Arch bay won his graded stakes debut last out when besting dual Grade 1-winner Catholic Boy in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 6 at Belmont, which came after two straight allowance victories on the NYRA circuit.
“He’s done well up here and so we’re going to give him a shot,” Jerkens said. “He’s been very genuine so far so we’re just making on that, keeping him healthy and see what he does. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain now.”

The 6-year-old Preservationist is scheduled to breeze on Friday morning.
A five-time winner, Preservationist has never finished off the board in eight career starts. He was bred in Kentucky by Emory Hamilton and is out of the Dixieland Band broodmare Flying Dixie.

Jerkens and Centennial Farms will team up this Saturday when they send out stakes winner Mihos for a highly competitive edition of the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy presented by NYRA Bets. The chestnut son of Cairo Prince was fourth last out in the Grade 3 Dwyer, which was his first start since finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in February at Gulfstream Park.

Mihos has breezed at Saratoga twice this meet. On July 19, he went six furlongs in 1:13.12 and recorded a three-furlong work in 36.87 seconds on Thursday morning over the Oklahoma training track.

“He had a real good breeze here on the main track last week and we blew him out a little this morning,” Jerkens said. “It’s a small field so hopefully he can save some ground, come along late and get something.”

A Kentucky-bred out of the unraced Lion Heart broodmare Feline Flatline, Mihos was purchased for $320,000 from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2017. He was bred by Wayne Lyster, Gray Lyster and Bryan Lyster.

* * *
Wet Your Whistle on track for G3 Troy

After scoring a Grade 1 win in the Highlander at Woodbine last month, David Palmer’s Wet Your Whistle is pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy on August 3, which is one of six graded stakes races scheduled for the Fasig-Tipton Racing Festival.

Trained by Michael Trombetta, the gelded dark bay son of Stroll has won his past four starts. Prior to the Highlander, where he ran a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, he won the Get Serious at Monmouth Park after winning a second-level allowance event over the turf at Laurel Park.

“He closed up the year last year figuring things out and came back this year with running on his mind so well see what he can do for us,” Trombetta said.

Trombetta also plans on sending Live Oak Plantation’s Global Access to the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 2. The sophomore son of Giant’s Causeway won his graded stakes debut two starts back in the Grade 3 Marine over the Tapeta surface at Woodbine and was a close third to The Black Album in the Charlie Barley on June 29 at Woodbine.

* * *
Mominou in fine fettle; Hunter O’Riley begins recovery

Conditioner Jimmy Toner reported Sunday’s $200,000 Caress winner Mominou exited the race in good order.

Owned by Sean Shay, Mominou was making her 12th career start in the Caress, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mare, 4-years-old and up, and fourth start of the year following a third-place finish in the Politely on May 18 at Monmouth Park.
The 4-year-old daughter of Congrats broke alertly with rider Kendrick Carmouche aboard and wired the field at odds of 29-1 to win her first career stake.

“She’s come back really good,” said Toner. “We were thrilled with the way she ran and we haven’t lined up anything next for her yet, but we’re just going to enjoy her last run for now. In her best races, she seems to be on the lead and Kendrick is the right guy for one like that so it worked out good.

Toner also reported Grade 1 winner Hunter O’Riley, who missed a scheduled start in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green with a leg infection, has improved and would move from the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga tomorrow.

“He’s doing much better today,” said Toner. “In fact, we’re looking to move him tomorrow. We’re going to take him from the clinic and I think he’s over the hump. It was an unfortunate incident but I think we’re out of the woods with him and he’ll be OK.”

Lastly, Toner said 4-year-old graded-stakes winner Hawkish, for owners Robert LaPenda, AJ Suited Racing Stable, and Madaket Stables, was on schedule to make a start by the end of the Saratoga meet. A son of Artie Schiller bred by co-owners AJ Suited Racing Stable, Hawkish began her campaign with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Appleton on March 29 at Gulfstream Park and last out won the Cliff Hanger on May 4 at Monmouth Park.

* * *
Magic Dance, half to Guarana, could race in G2 Adirondack

Guarana notched a victory in Sunday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, and her 2-year-old half-sister Magic Dance could give broodmare Magical World another graded stakes winner at The Spa this meet targeting the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on August 4.

Like her older sister, Magic Dance also is unbeaten. After breaking her maiden over the Churchill Downs main track by 4 ¾ lengths, the More Than Ready dark bay followed up with a stakes victory in the Debutante at the Louisville oval on June 29.

Owned and bred by Three Chimneys Farm, Magic Dance is currently based with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen’s string on the Oklahoma training track’s backstretch and recorded one serious work over the oval on July 15 going half-mile in 52.41.

“I watched her train [Sunday morning],” said Doug Cauthen of Three Chimneys Farm. “Steve wants to work her up here a couple of times and based on if she’s doing well, and if he feels like she’s going to continue to carry her speed, I think the obvious race is the Adirondack, but it’s a trainer’s decision.”

Magic Dance’s dam Magical World is out of the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Pleasant Home.

* * *
Borracho headed to G1 Allen Jerkens following allowance win against elders

Following a victory in a second level allowance race on Sunday afternoon, trainer Rusty Arnold will point Preston Madden’s Borracho to the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial presented by Runhappy on August 24 at Saratoga.

The sophomore son of Uncle Mo notched a third career victory on Sunday after finishing third in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park. He broke his maiden third time out at Churchill Downs in September and went on to defeat winners on the Kentucky Derby undercard besting eventual dual stakes winner Lexitonian and highly regarded Hidden Scroll.

“We brought him for the Allen Jerkens and we were going to have to run him once before,” Arnold said. “It was either the [Grade 2, $200,000] Amsterdam or here and we decided this would give us a few more days. We loved the seven-eighths, so it worked out well.”

Bred in Kentucky by Haymarket Farm, Borracho is the first foal out of the Congrats broodmare Pantanal.

* * *
Point of Honor likely for G1 Alabama

After a troubled second in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, trainer George Weaver said Point of Honor will target the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on August 17.

Weaver said the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Stetson Racing’s chestnut Curlin filly was making up ground in the final furlong of the 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks, but lost a bit of momentum when eventual winner Guarana veered out into the path of the progressing Point of Honor.

“She came out of the race well and we’re looking at the Alabama,” Weaver said. “She’s pretty nice. We were second best the other day. We lost a little ground when [Guarana] came out, but I still don’t know that we would have beat her. A mile and a quarter will be to her advantage and we’re looking forward to seeing it.”

Point of Honor won the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico in her start prior to the Coaching Club American Oaks. A victory in the Alabama would make Point of Honor the first filly to score a Black-Eyed Susan-Alabama double since Stopchargingmaria won both races in 2014. Other recent fillies to score wins in both stakes include Royal Delta (2011), Jostle (2000) and Silverbulletday (1999).

Bred in Kentucky by Siena Farms, Point of Honor is out of the Bernardini broodmare Zayanna, who is a half-sister to four stakes winners.