Saratoga Race Course Notes

NYRA PRESS RELEASE —-

Got Stormy looks for good weather to bolster bid to win second G1 Fourstardave
Keepmeinmind on point for G1 Runhappy Travers; Dream Lith under consideration for G1 Spinaway
Pletcher sends out Double Thunder, Midnight Worker for G2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite
Rookie Report: Power Agenda debuts for Pletcher in Saturday maiden special weight
Saratoga Week 6 stakes probables

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Got Stormy used a strong effort in last year’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave to facilitate a successful initiative that led to a pair of graded stakes wins. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he’s hoping for a similar trajectory this year, as the 6-year-old will compete in Saturday’s 37th running of the Fourstardave going one mile on the inner turf course in Race 10.

Got Stormy, owned by MyRacehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm, has a strong connection to this prestigious turf tilt for 3-year-olds and up. Her sire, Get Stormy, won the race in 2010 and finished third in 2012. In 2019, Got Stormy bested males to win the Fourstardave by 2 1/2 lengths in a course record 1:32 flat, earning a 109 Beyer Speed Figure that is still a personal best in a 29-race career.

On Saturday, Got Stormy will look to become the first dual Fourstardave winner since two-time Horse of the Year and recent Hall of Fame inductee Wise Dan [2012-13]. She drew post 6 in the eight-horse field.

Last year, Got Stormy ran second, 1 1/4-lengths back to Halladay, in the race and subsequently won the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Lady Spirit and the Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County before capping her campaign with a fifth-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November at Keeneland.
“I think she’s training well and similar to when she ran a big race last year,” said Casse, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame across Union Avenue from the Spa last week. “I was just going over the similarities from one year to the other. She kind of struggled early on and then came here and ran a big race in the Fourstardave. She’s happy and she’s ready. We just have the same concern we always do about the weather.”

Got Stormy will stretch back out to one mile after running fifth in the six-furlong Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on Belmont Stakes Day June 5 on a course rated good. Casse said Got Stormy’s preferred track is a firm surface but he added the eight furlongs also should play to her strengths.

“She loves the mile on the inner turf, it’s her best [distance] and she likes the sharp turns,” Casse said.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, aboard for her last seven starts, will have the return call. Got Stormy is 10-1 on the morning line, with 9-5 favorite Raging Bull drawing the inside post and 5-2 Set Piece breaking from post 5.

Casse said both of his runners in last Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test – runner-up Souper Sensational and eighth-place finisher Make Mischief – exited the seven-furlong sprint for sophomores in good order.

Live Oak Plantation’s Souper Sensational ran second, 4 1/4-lengths back to much-the-best winner Bella Sofia, to earn a 93 Beyer one race after posting a personal-best 95 number for her 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Victory Ride on July 10 at Belmont. In eight career starts, the Curlin filly has already earned stakes black type at four different tracks [Woodbine, Fair Grounds, Belmont and Saratoga].

“She’s doing well. I haven’t really decided what I’m going to do with her next,” Casse said.

Gary Barber’s Make Mischief has already made eight starts in her 3-year-old campaign and has spent the spring and summer facing top-flight competition, starting with a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Eight Belles in April at Churchill before running third in the Grade 1 Acorn going a one-turn mile on Belmont Stakes Day. Returning to Big Sandy for the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Mother Goose three weeks later, Make Mischief ran fourth before finishing last-of-eight in the Test.

Casse said the daughter of Into Mischief, bred in the Empire State by Avanti Stable, could be targeting the $200,000 Fleet Indian for state-bred 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on August 27 at Saratoga.

“Make Mischief will probably go back against New York-breds,” Casse said. “I want to just see how hot it is and how they respond to the heat. But she has quite a resume, so we’re very proud of her.”

Casse said John Oxley’s Palazzi, who ran seventh in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational in the second leg of NYRA’s Turf Triple series on August 7, will now likely run in a stakes at Kentucky Downs next out.

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Keepmeinmind on point for G1 Runhappy Travers; Dream Lith under consideration for G1 Spinaway

Trainer Robertino Diodoro, who sports a ledger of 19-5-4-1 at the half-way point of the Saratoga summer meet, said he is hoping he can cap off an already successful venture with a flourish by saddling Keepmeinmind in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 and Dream Lith in the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway on September 5.

Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith and Spendthrift Farm’s Keepmeinmind, a sophomore son of Laoban, has shown improvement in his last two starts matching up career-best 97 Beyers.

In the nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown, Keepmeinmind closed from last-of-9 to finish third, a half-length back of the victorious Masqueparade.

Last out, in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Keepmeinmind raced from last-of-5 but just 2 1/2-lengths off the pace, before closing gamely down the lane to finish second, a half-length back of Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-winner Essential Quality.

“I thought he ran a big race. I really thought as he matured some more in the second half of his 3-year-old year, I was hoping he would come around,” Diodoro said. “His last two races have been his better races. I think there’s still a couple more lengths for him to improve and hopefully that’s enough for him to get the job done.”

The talented bay was multiple Grade 1-placed at Keeneland as a 2-year-old, finishing second in the Breeders’ Futurity in October and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November, before graduating at fourth asking with a last-to-first rush in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club on November 28 at Churchill Downs.

Diodoro said Keepmeinmind, who competed in two-thirds of the Triple Crown finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness, will now target the Runhappy Travers, a 10-furlong test for sophomores and a return engagement with the reigning 2-year-old Champion Essential Quality.

“I think the extra distance definitely helps him. He’ll run all day and that will be to his benefit,” Diodoro said. “We’ll breeze him this weekend, but we’re pointing towards the Travers.”

Last out, Keepmeinmind was piloted by Joel Rosario for the first time. The colt responded by not dropping too far out of it in a compact field of five.

“He was a lot closer last time and we were real happy about that,” Diodoro said. “That was his first time on him and he mentioned there’s a couple quirky things about him that he knows now. I think he’s excited to ride him back.”

The probable field for the Runhappy Travers includes Dynamic One [Pletcher], Essential Quality [Brad Cox], King Fury [Kenny McPeek], Masqueparade [Al Stall, Jr.], Midnight Bourbon [Steve Asmussen], and Miles D [Chad Brown].

Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith’s Dream Lith, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Street Cry mare Elle Sueno, registered a 76 Beyer for her 2 1/4-length debut win Sunday at odds of 36-1 sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs on the Saratoga main track.

“All the help and myself all loved the filly from Day One. We broke her in Arkansas so we’ve seen a lot of her,” Diodoro said. “My only concern was she needed two turns to win, but she proved me wrong. I was pleasantly surprised. I knew she would run good, but I didn’t think she could win going that short. She ran very impressive.”

With David Cohen up, Dream Lith tracked from fourth before advancing four wide at the top of the lane, taking command at the eighth pole and finishing strong.

“One of the big plusses to her is she’s been all class and professional from Day One. She a good-minded filly and I think with any good horse that means a lot,” Diodoro said. “The one horse [Popular Vote] broke bad and ran off to the lead. I thought when that horse went blowing by her early that would get her on the bit and aggressive but David Cohen said she sat there and relaxed and waited until it was time to go. She’s a smart, classy filly.”

Diodoro said the Dream Lith will now point to the Grade 1 Spinaway, a seven-furlong sprint on the main track.

“She’s come back great, but we’ll wait until we breeze her and make sure everything is go,” Diodoro said.

Diodoro said Flying P Stable’s Lone Rock will look to extend his current win streak to five in the 1 5/8-mile Grand Prix American Jockey Club on September 18 at Belmont.

The 6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding has won seven of his last eight starts. His current streak is capped by wins in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational presented by Northwell Health in June at Belmont and the last-out Birdstone on August 5 at Saratoga.

“We’ll keep our fingers crossed and touch wood, but he’s come out of it just like he went into the Birdstone and the Brooklyn – like a monster,” Diodoro said. “We just have to keep him healthy and happy and keep moving forward.”

Lone Rock was claimed back by Diodoro and Flying P Stable for $40,000 out of a winning effort in October at Keeneland and has lost just once since, finishing second by a neck in the Temperence Hill in March at Oaklawn.

“He was meant to be a good horse,” Diodoro said. “He’s built like a good horse. He’s a big, strong horse. I always say good horses love to train and he loves to train.”

Flying P Stable’s [owner Jason Provenzano] Fort Peck registered a career-best 92 Beyer in his first start for Diodoro, taking a nine-furlong claiming route on Saturday at the Spa by 6 3/4-lengths.

The 6-year-old Fort Larned gelding was claimed for $62,500 out of an off-the-board effort in May at Churchill Downs.

“We claimed this horse and for three weeks or longer after we got him we thought we were in trouble with the horse,” Diodoro said. “He had some internal issues more than physical issues. We took our time and I have to give the owner credit for letting us do our thing and not pressing on to run him. It took him awhile to come around. That’s one thing about Jason, it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get a horse right as long as you think you can. It paid off for sure.”

Diodoro said Fort Peck has thrived since shipping up to Saratoga from Churchill Downs.

“The surroundings here at Saratoga sure didn’t hurt him,” Diodoro said. “He has some back class. We just have to get it back out of him.”

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Pletcher sends out Double Thunder, Midnight Worker for G2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite

After capturing the Grade 3 Sanford with Wit on the Spa’s opening weekend, newly enshrined Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is hoping to add to his juvenile stakes prosperity when he sends out Midnight Worker and Double Thunder for Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite.

Owned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Double Thunder seeks his second graded stakes win in only his third career start. Following a triumphant and forwardly-placed debut on June 5 at Monmouth Park, the son of Super Saver won with new tactics, making up nearly 10 lengths to capture the six-furlong Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 24 at Churchill Downs.

“It was all about timing. The race fit in well with his schedule and worked nicely,” Pletcher said. “He had a very good set up, they went fast early. He was pretty professional in his second start and finished up strongly. I don’t know that he’ll be quite that far off the pace this time. It will depend on how fast they go, but it’s nice that he won his debut close to the pace and came from out of it the second time. He seems versatile.”

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Double Thunder is the first offspring out of the graded stakes-placed Tapit mare Rattataptap. He was purchased from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton July Sale for $60,000.

Double Thunder will be piloted by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who teamed up with Pletcher to capture the 2013 Special with Corfu, from post 7.
Repole Stable’s Midnight Worker makes his graded stakes debut following a July 24 maiden special weight win at first asking.

The son of second crop sire Outwork, who also was trained by Pletcher, was hustled out of the gate under Luis Saez, tracking the pacesetter along the rail in second. The colt was angled a couple of paths wide around the far turn and fended off an inside challenge from Bourbon Heist to win by a head.

Pletcher likened Midnight Worker to his sire, who broke his maiden in April of his juvenile season.

“He was a very good 2-year-old himself and very precocious for a big horse,” Pletcher said. “This is a big, leggy colt as well, but he’s been very straightforward and professional. I thought he was game on debut.”

Pletcher said the precocity may come down to bloodlines as Outwork is by 2010 Champion Juvenile Colt and multiple champion producer Uncle Mo. All were trained by Pletcher and owned by Mike Repole.

“It seems like a good 2-year-old family. Uncle Mo was obviously a brilliant 2-year-old, Outwork was precocious, so it seems to run in the family,” Pletcher said.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. picks up the mount from post 5.

Pletcher said he is in the process of mapping out a next start for recent maiden winner Mystic Eyes, who won on debut on August 5 going 5 ½ furlongs over the Mellon turf for owners MeB Racing Stables and Vincent D. Esopi.

Pletcher said the $120,000 Bolton Landing – a 5 ½ furlong stake for juvenile fillies over the Mellon turf on august 18 – will likely come up too soon and that the $120,000 P.G. Johnson on September 2 could be in the works.

“We’re waiting on options,” Pletcher said. “Unfortunately, the 5 ½ race is back a little too quick. We’ll either see if she can stretch out in the P.G. Johnson or look for something at Kentucky Downs.”

Pletcher expressed delight in seeing highly-regarded Vindictive find the winner’s circle at second asking on July 28 at Saratoga. Following a distant fifth on debut to subsequently stakes placed Miles D, the sophomore Uncle Mo bay colt was more forwardly-placed next out, collaring pacesetter Pipeline in the stretch to win by a head.

Owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods, Vindictive, a half-brother to 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria, earned a 97 Beyer for the performance.

“We’ll look for an allowance race and try and develop him,” Pletcher said. “He trained really well before his debut and was disappointing. What we saw the other day was much more of what we’re expecting.”

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Rookie Report: Power Agenda debuts for Pletcher in Saturday maiden special weight

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Power Agenda faces a contentious field in his career debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in Saturday’s sixth race, a six-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds on the Spa main track.

The son of second crop sire Nyquist is out of the dual graded stakes placed Afleet Alex mare Dream Dance and was bought for $120,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Paramount Sales.

Power Agenda has trained forwardly into his debut with a couple of solid gate works over the Saratoga main track. On August 8 he went a sharp half-mile in 47.40 seconds over a fast main track a week after breezing from the gate in 47.66 at the same distance.

“I thought his last couple of gate works have been solid and if he gets away cleanly, he acts like someone that will run well in his debut,” Pletcher said. “I see a couple of ones in there with similar workouts, so we’ll see.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call from post 2.

Breaking to the inside is Godolphin’s Urban Forest, a homebred son of Hard Spun out of the Elusive Quality mare Arbol, who also has been training forwardly and enters off a half-mile work from the gate in 47.33 over the main track.

Urban Forest’s second dam, Forest Heiress, is a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Wildcat Heir.

Junior Alvarado rides from the rail for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Gainesway Stable’s General Strike [post 8, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] debuts for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

The son of Union Rags is the first progeny out of the three-time stakes-winning Dunkirk mare Danzatrice, who is a half-sister to 2018 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Jaywalk.

Montauk Point [post 10, Jose Ortiz], by Violence out of the Unbridled mare Antics, is a half-brother to Covfefe, the 2019 Champion Female Sprinter and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

A $550,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, Montauk Point finished fourth on debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over a Spa main track rated good on July 17.

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Saratoga Week 6 stakes probables

Wednesday, August 18
$120,000 Bolton Landing
Probable: Charlee O (Michelle Nevin), Derrynane (Christophe Clement), Fulminate (Mark Casse), Kneesnhips (Tom Amoss), Poppy Flower (Wesley Ward), Squid (Mike Maker), Stand Up Comic (Butch Reid, Jr.)

Thursday, August 19
$100,000 Union Avenue
Probable: Hannah Dances (M. Anthony Ferraro), Sadie Lady (Rob Atras)
Possible: Awesome Debate (Bruce Brown), Irish Constitution (Ray Handal), Love and Love (Mike Miceli)

Friday, August 20
$120,000 Skidmore
Probable: Baytown Frosty (Paul McEntee), Bueno Bueno (Jack Sisterson), Lucci (Wesley Ward), Pure Panic (Mike Maker)

Saturday, August 21
Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama
Probable: Army Wife (Mike Maker), Clairiere (Steve Asmussen), Crazy Beautiful (Kenny McPeek), Malathaat (Todd Pletcher), Maracuja (Rob Atras), Played Hard (Phil Bauer), Will’s Secret (Dallas Stewart)

Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid
Probable: Bubbles On Ice (Christophe Clement), Illiogami (Rusty Arnold), Lovestruck (Bill Mott), Por Que No (Kent Sweezey), Runaway Rumour (Jorge Abreu), Spanish Loveaffair (Mark Casse), Technical Analysis (Chad Brown), Tobys Heart (Brian Lynch)
Possible: Plum Ali (Christophe Clement)

$120,000 Smart N Fancy
Probable: Beantown Baby (Arnaud Delacour), Lead Guitar (George Weaver), Robin Sparkles (Bruce Brown)
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Cover Photo: Got Stormy; Lauren King Photo