Saratoga Race Course Notes 07/11

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Saratoga Race Course Notes

Attard seeks first G1 score in New York with Moira; strongly considering Belmont Park’s 2026 winter Tapeta meet
Weaver nears 1,000 career wins; Barbratina possible for G1 Coaching Club American Oaks
Donegal Momentum possible for the G2 Amsterdam
Mo Plex takes steps up for G3 Sanford
Fan-favorite Northern Invader storms into G3 Kelso
Rookie Report: Tenacious Leader well-prepared for career debut

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Kevin Attard will send out Moira, Canada’s 2022 Horse of the Year, in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Diana, a nine-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

The 5-year-old Ghostzapper mare is named after the character Moira Rose, played by Catherine O’Hara, from the television series Schitt’s Creek. She will be making her first start since a troubled third when checked hard into the stretch for the first time under Flavien Prat in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on November 4 at Santa Anita Park.

“She overcame that stumbling incident shortly after crossing the dirt there and I thought Prat put her in a good spot after that,” Attard said. “At the top of the stretch, she was making a bid for the lead and got me really excited – I just couldn’t have been happier with her performance.”

Attard was buoyed by the strong effort that saw Moira land a neck and a length back of the victorious Champion Turf Female Inspiral, who prevailed over Warm Heart in a race in which Diana favorite Didia – last out winner of the Grade 1 New York presented by Rivers Casino here – finished 10th.

“She ran a great race against some very tough company,” Attard said. “Didia came out of there and you can see what she’s done this year, and she will probably be the favorite, so it just goes to show how tough of a field that was.”

Moira has trained forwardly into her seasonal debut over Tapeta at her Woodbine Racetrack base, including a bullet five-eighths breeze in 59.80 seconds on June 29.

Attard said the talented Moira, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine and victress of the prestigious Queen’s Plate in 2022 against the boys, is in fine fettle.

“I think this is a bigger, stronger version of her right now. Physically, this is the best she’s looked,” said Attard, who won the Grade 2 Ballston Spa here in 2020 with Canada’s 2019 Horse of the Year Starship Jubilee. “She’s matured from 4-to-5 and she’s worked very well heading into this race. Going nine furlongs against Grade 1 company coming off of a seven-month layoff is not going to be easy, but she’s a good horse and I think she deserves a chance.”

The Ontario-bred Moira, owned by Lanni Bloodstock, Madaket Stables and SF Racing, will exit the inside post under Tyler Gaffalione in a strong 10-horse field that features five entrants from the barn of trainer Chad Brown, who was won the Diana a record eight times.

Attard, a 48-year-old Brampton, Ontario resident, has 75 stalls at Woodbine where he boasts a wealth of experience racing over synthetic tracks, finishing second in the standings – by earnings – behind perennial leading trainer Mark Casse in each of the last five years.

Having saddled more than 500 winners on synthetic surfaces in his multiple graded stakes-winning career, Attard said his interest was piqued last week when the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced it would be utilizing an all-weather Tapeta track as its exclusive winter racing surface at the new Belmont Park when it opens in 2026.

“It’s definitely something I’ve contemplated for a bit now. The fact that a synthetic track is going in there is a little bit more enticing for myself and I’m sure for a lot of other Canadians,” Attard said. “It’s a lot closer to home than Florida and you don’t have to worry about the climate change for your horses. I think it’s something we’ll have to explore and hopefully have a string of horses up there when the Tapeta opens up.”

Attard usually winters in Florida following the end of the Woodbine meet which spans April to December, but he said an option that’s closer to home in both distance and climate is intriguing.

“The Tapeta in Florida and the Tapeta at Woodbine are different – weather plays a big role in how it plays,” Attard said. “I think until it’s there and people figure it out and get a hold of it, it’s hard to say how horses will transition from one Tapeta to another. Some of them are a lot tighter than others – you would assume the track in New York, with a climate that is similar to Woodbine here in Toronto – that the tracks would be pretty similar. So, it might be an easier transition for our horses to go from here to New York.”

The one-mile Tapeta oval currently under construction at the new Belmont Park will mark a third racing surface at the modernized facility along with the traditional outer dirt main track and two turf courses. Belmont Park also offers a year-round dirt training track and a Tapeta pony track as additional options for training horses.

“I’ve seen some sketches of the new Belmont Park, and it looks like it’s going to be a state-of-the-art facility,” Attard said. “Eventually, it will have three surfaces at one place and that’s exciting. There’s a lot of history there and change is something that’s hard to accept, but the sport is evolving, and we all need to evolve around it.”

NYRA’s shift from dirt to Tapeta through the winter months is expected to enhance equine safety and provide additional opportunities for the year-round horse population.

Attard said he was pleased to see that the new Belmont Park, like Woodbine, will offer a variety of training options as it is a key component to how he manages his sizable string.

“At Woodbine, we also have a dirt surface to train over and we’re fortunate in that sense,” Attard said. “We use both surfaces and try to balance it out a little bit because I think they use different muscle groups training over Tapeta and training over dirt and that’s why you get two different types of injuries over the surfaces.”

Attard has made a name for himself at Woodbine where he captured his first Grade 1 win with the aforementioned Starship Jubilee in the 2019 E. P. Taylor and doubled his tally the following year when the same mare captured the Woodbine Mile against the boys. In 2022, he saddled Last Call to an upset victory in the Grade 1 Natalma.

And while he has also picked up graded wins in Florida with Starship Jubilee at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, he is keen to have a winter presence in New York.

Attard, working as an assistant for his father, Tino, spent the winters of 2001-02 racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, picking up 15 wins for $852,703 in purse earnings.

“We were there for a couple winters stabled at Belmont and running at Aqueduct. I enjoyed my time there,” Attard said. “I like New York and I’m looking forward to an opportunity of maybe getting back.”

***

Weaver nears 1,000 career wins; Barbratina possible for G1 Coaching Club American Oaks

Trainer George Weaver is just four wins away from eclipsing the 1000-mark on his career, and he has entered a variety of stakes-runners during the Opening Week of Saratoga Race Course and elsewhere.

Weaver’s Saratoga stakes-action will begin at its first opportunity, as he sends out West Memorial [post 2, Manny Franco] in the Listed $175,000 Schuylerville, a six-furlong test for juvenile fillies, on today’s Opening Day card, in Race 10.

West Memorial was fifth last-out in the 5 1/2-furlong Astoria on June 6 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. She has worked three times since the effort, including a five-eighths breeze in 1:01.54 over the main track on July 2 here.

“She’s been training very well and we are hoping for a rebound. She was disappointing during the Belmont Stakes meet,” said Weaver. “Hopefully she can bounce back. It is a tough race, maybe even tougher than last time, but she has to jump up and perform. We think she will.”

While a 20-1 longshot on the morning line, the Caracaro bay is one of two stakes-winners in the 11-horse field, winning the Kentucky Juvenile against males on May 2 at Churchill Downs as a second-out maiden for trainer John Hancock and owners Swinbank Stables.

Weaver is set to send out another 20-1 shot in New York-bred Soontobeking [post 4, Eric Cancel] for Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford, a six-furlong sprint for juveniles, in Race 11. Co-owned by Weaver with Our Blue Streaks Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds, the King for a Day bay became that sire’s first winner in a 5 1/2-furlong off-the-turf sprint on May 24 at Belmont at the Big A.

“We are leading some longshots over there,” said Weaver regarding the step up in class. “Saratoga is the graveyard of favorites, and that is why you’ve got to do it.”

Sunday features the Grade 3, $175,000 Quick Call presented by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomores, with two Weaver-trainees in the field including multiple stakes-winner No Nay Mets [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and stakes-placed Feltrinelli [post 4, Luis Saez].

Bregman Family Racing, Ivan Cabrera and Edge Racing’s No Nay Mets, who set the pace in his three career wins, stumbled at the break of the Grade 1 Jaipur presented by Resolute Racing over Sunday’s course and distance on June 8 and finished last-of-12 under Frankie Dettori.

For the Grade 1 attempt versus elders, the No Nay Never bay added blinkers as he looked to return to the form that won him the Royal Palm Juvenile on debut last May at Gulfstream Park ahead of the Tyro at Monmouth Park and the Rosies at Colonial Downs later that summer.

“It didn’t go well last time, but he is back against straight 3-year-olds. It is a salty enough race but we expect him to bounce back,” Weaver said, adding that the blinkers will stay on. “Dettori said he stumbled at the break. He wasn’t traveling comfortably early. It just wasn’t his day.”

R. A. Hill Stable and Kerri Radcliffe’s Feltrinelli graduated at third asking, sprinting six furlongs in gate-to-wire fashion in May at Belmont at the Big A. The Uncle Mo bay exited to a closing third in the Listed Paradise Creek there on May 19 ahead of an off-the-board effort going longer in the 1 1/16-mile Tale of the Cat on June 23 at Monmouth Park.

Weaver said he is also interested in Sunday’s $100,000 5 1/2-furlong My Frenchman at Monmouth for Feltrinelli, and he can be expected to be cross-entered.

Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Big Tufff Stables, Steve Adkisson, and Tommy Humphries’ stakes-placed Barbratina is possible for upcoming stakes action at the Spa, in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies next Saturday, July 20.

The Catholic Boy bay has made six career starts, the last five for two time Eclipse Award winning trainer Brad Cox, winning two including a last-out optional claiming score on June 1 at Churchill Downs after a debut score in August for Humphries.

“We are thinking about the Coaching Club American Oaks. She won a nice race at Churchill recently,” said Weaver. “This is probably the next step, you know, try her. She’s been fine. She’s done nothing wrong since she’s been here.”

Barbratina was the runner-up of the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy in March over the Turfway Park synthetic ahead of an off-the-board finish in a graded try in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Gazelle in April at the Big A.

Elsewhere, multiple stakes-placed New York-bred Aggelos the Great [post 6, Manny Franco] is entered in the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby, for state-bred sophomores on Monday at Finger Lakes.

The City of Light bay, owned by Hall of Fame NCAA basketball coach Rick Pitino’s RAP Racing, hit the board in a trio of state-bred stakes run at Aqueduct Racetrack, including the seven-furlong Bertram F. Bongard in September, one-mile Sleepy Hollow in October, and the six-furlong Notebook in November. He won a six-furlong allowance versus state-bred elders last-out there on June 28 at Aqueduct.

“We are coming back quickly, but we are really interested to see how he handles two turns,” said Weaver. “We want to see him around two turns, so this is an experiment, but he bounced back well and we are looking forward to it.”

With a good New York Derby showing, Weaver said Aggelos the Great would point towards the state-bred $250,000 Albany, a nine-furlong test for sophomores on August 25 at Saratoga.

Weaver has also entered two-time winning sophomore fillies Brocknardini [post 5, Paco Lopez] and Progeny [post 2, Isaac Castillo] in the 1 1/16-mile turf Boiling Springs on Saturday at Monmouth Park. The New York-bred Brocknardini won the Selima at that distance in September at Laurel Park. Progeny last ran third in a 6 1/2-furlong dirt claimer on July 6 at Aqueduct.

***

Donegal Momentum possible for the G2 Amsterdam

Donegal Racing’s impressive maiden winner Donegal Momentum is possible for the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds on July 26 over the Saratoga Race Course main track.

The $375,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Uncle Mo, and out of the stakes-placed Malibu Moon mare Moon Dash, looks to get his first stakes win after an eye-catching debut score by 8 1/4-lengths against elders on May 15 at Belmont at the Big A. He covered six furlongs in 1:10.30, earning a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

He followed on June 27 at the Big A with a pacesetting second against older allowance company, getting caught at the wire by Surface to Air and earning a career high 93 Beyer. Donegal Momentum worked back over the Belmont training track on Wednesday covering four furlongs in 49.67 seconds.

“He had a lovely work by himself yesterday on the training track,”

Morley said. “We will bring him up here and we will work him here next week

before we come up with a concrete plan for him, but everything is on the table for him. There is a possibility of him running in the Amsterdam.”

Morley said he is looking forward to cutting the colt back in distance.

“He’s a very young colt still who is relatively inexperienced, and he appears to have a very high level of speed,”Morley said. “Obviously, we are going to have to run against Book’em Danno and others so the waters are going to be very deep,but if he is as good as I think he is, he will hold his own very well against those horses.”

New York-bred and sired The Big Torpedo worked over the weekend with sights set on a potential start in the $150,000 NYSSS Cab Calloway, a one-mile turf test for eligible state-sired sophomores on July 18 at Saratoga. 

Morley said he was pleased with the half-mile work in 48.85 Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

“Super star – I love this horse,” Morley said. “I mean he is just a true workman. He has come out of his last race in very good shape. He shipped up here off one work settled in beautifully and has trained really well since he got up here. He will point to the Stallion Series next week.”

Bred by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, The Big Torpedo is campaigned by Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusaro and James Klein.

Out of the winning Empire Maker mare U.S.S. O’Brien, The Big Torpedo was a restricted stakes winner last out going six furlongs over firm footing in the NYSSS Spectacular Bid on June 16 at the Big A. The son of Big Brown has really found a home on the turf, boasting a record of 3-1-2-0 over the lawn with one of those seconds in open company in the one-mile Woodhaven on April 27 at Aqueduct.

Fugget About It Racing Stable’s Charging, a 4-year-old Candy Ride colt out of the winning Smart Strike mare Electric, comes into the Saratoga meet off a productive winter at the Fair Grounds and most recently was fifth with a ground-saving trip in the Get Serious on June 16 at Monmouth Park.

“He is at Belmont and will breeze over the weekend and run in the 3X at the end of this month,” Morley said. “I just feel that 5 1/2 [furlongs] is probably his best trip so he will go to that, and we will decide after that where he goes next.”

The turf sprinting son of Candy Ride was haltered for $35,000 last August here.

Lucky Hat Racing LLC and V Hop Racing’s 3-year-old filly Patty Brown Eyes, by Enticed and out of the winning Halo’s Image mare Brown Eyes, comes into the meet off two strong second-place efforts in maiden special weight company, both on the main track during the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet.

Morley said he was pleased with the runner-up effort last out when 11 3/4-lengths back of the well-regarded Headline Numbers in a one-turn mile on July 4. The Chad Brown-trained Headline Numbers registered an 85 Beyer in victory, 20 points more than Patty Brown Eyes.

“When you have a filly who has run twice and finished second both times it is hard to be disappointed in them, and I wasn’t disappointed in her second the other day,” Morley said. “I have always suspected that her best trip is seven [furlongs]. I think I found that out unequivocally the other day because Chad’s filly ran away from her, and she was life or death to hang on for second. If you look at the internal fractions of the race, both her and the filly who she just beat were stopping pretty badly in the last eighth of a mile. We will take our time with her. She is a very big, scopey filly and I am in no rush to pick a spot out for her.”

Patty Brown Eyes is from the first crop of Enticed, a horse with a deep family history at the Spa. Enticed’s dam, It’s Tricky, won the 2011 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks over the main track here for Godolphin and retired trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Enticed is currently the leading second-crop sire in Kentucky in winners-to-runners at 44 percent and boasts two stakes winning fillies in his first crop.

Morley debuts Ohonte Way Stable’s Reteko in Race 6 on Friday at the Spa, a 5 1/2-furlong dirt sprint for 2-year-olds that sold or RNA’d for $50,000 or less in their most recent sale.

The dark bay son of Outwork drew post 2 with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in the saddle at a morning line assessment of 9/2.

Outwork, a son of Uncle Mo, stands for $10,000 at WinStar Farm in Kentucky and is one of two of his sire’s progeny to have sired multiple Grade 1 winners at Saratoga.

Reteko is out of the Curlin mare What’s Bruin, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner Access to Charlie and stakes-winners Bear Access and Ocean Safari.

The $15,000 Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale purchase has worked extensively over the Belmont dirt training track, including a near-bullet half-mile from the gate in 47 flat Friday that was ranked 3rd of 109 works at the distance.

“We will find out on Friday if he is exciting, but he has done nothing wrong,” Morley said. “He has worked well. He is a big horse I am a little dubious about 5 1/2-furlongs for him. He is very quick out of the gate for a big horse. I have to hope he breaks cleanly and kicks mud over everyone else.”

***

Mo Plex takes steps up for G3 Sanford

R and H Stable’s New York-bred Mo Plex will make his stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford, a six-furlong test for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, the son of leading freshman sire Complexity was impressive on debut against state-breds on June 20 at Belmont at the Big A, romping to a 10-length score in prominent fashion under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Mo Plex battled for the early lead with Classic Ruby in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint before taking charge at the three-eighths call. He widened his margin comfortably through the turn to be five lengths in front at the stretch call before being geared down in the final sixteenth and stopping the clock in 1:05.05. The effort was awarded a 67 Beyer Speed Figure.

“We were a little worried about how he would act because he’s very colt-y, but he handled everything great that day,” said Englehart. “I was hoping for him to run well because he’s shown in the mornings that he had some ability. I was thinking he would give a pretty good performance and was pleased. It seemed like he came out of it really well and we’re looking forward to giving him the opportunity against open company this weekend.”

Bred by Everything’s Cricket Racing, Mo Plex is out of the Uncle Mo mare Mo Joy, which leads Englehart to believe Mo Plex may appreciate more ground in the future.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Englehart said. “That Uncle Mo on the bottom side and with his overall athletic look and movement, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s able to handle more ground.”

For now, the bay colt is well prepared for six furlongs after posting his final breeze Sunday over the Spa main track, covering a half-mile in 48.77 seconds.

“He’s been good in the mornings and his last work this past week was probably my favorite that he’s had all spring,” Englehart said. “Hopefully, that means something Saturday.”

Mo Plex will emerge from the outermost post 8 in rein to Ortiz, Jr. with a 6-1 morning line assessment in a field that includes formidable debut maiden-winner Mentee [post 1, John Velazquez, 6-5] and Listed Tremont-winner Studlydoright [post 6, Xavier Perez, 7-2].

***

Fan-favorite Northern Invader storms into G3 Kelso

West Point Thoroughbreds and David Ingordo’s stakes-winner Northern Invader looks to notch his first graded stakes conquest in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso, a one-mile inner turf test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the son of Collected enters from a pacesetting fourth in the Grade 3 Arlington on June 1 at Churchill Downs won by Ottoman Fleet. The effort came after a strong one-mile allowance victory on April 19 at Keeneland where he led at every point of call to cross the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front and equal a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, said the charismatic chestnut’s strong will could lead to an upset in a race that features Mysterious Night and Talk of the Nation, who finished a respective second and third in the Grade 3 Poker on June 7 here, and multiple graded stakes-winner Carl Spackler.

“He’s a beautiful, strong, strapping colt, and I can’t say enough about Cherie and her team,” said Blewitt. “This is a tough spot, and I have a deep respect for the Poker horses and for Carl Spackler, but Northern Invader’s got that high cruising speed and he’s a fighter. Win, lose, or draw, he’s going to leave everything on the racetrack.”

Northern Invader seeks to add to a resume that includes a win in the one-mile Gio Ponti in October at Belmont at the Big A, and runner-up efforts in a pair of Listed events in an off-the-turf edition of the Commonwealth Turf in November at Churchill and the Woodchopper in December at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Affectionately nicknamed “Chonk” in the DeVaux barn, Northern Invader is both a fan and a barn favorite.

“He’s got a pretty big fan base and he’s got a big white blaze,” said Blewitt. “We wish him a lot of luck. It’s going to be a big test for him, but I think he’s going to give a good account of himself.”

Northern Invader boasts a lifetime record of 10-3-4-0 with just shy of $300,000 in earnings. The $310,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Purchase is out of the winning Arch mare Androeah, a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Archarcharch.

***

Rookie Report: Tenacious Leader well-prepared for career debut

Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable’s Tenacious Leader looks to be a formidable contender in Saturday’s seventh race at Saratoga Race Course, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles featuring a field of nine.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the son of Not This Time is out of the Curlin mare Diamonds and Rust, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning multi-millionaire War Story and graded stakes-winner Land Over Sea. His third dam, Polly Adler, is a half-sister to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Epitome, who produced multiple graded/group-winner and multimillionaire Essence of Dubai. Bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, he was purchased for $375,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Tenacious Leader has worked steadily over Belmont Park’s dirt training track, most recently posting a sharp half-mile breeze from the gate in 46.60 seconds Friday, building upon a bullet half-mile from the gate in 47.11 on June 21.

Pletcher said the colt’s gate proficiencies should aid him on Saturday.

“His works have been very good. In particular, his final gate work should have him prepared for a solid debut,” Pletcher said.

Tenacious Leader will emerge from post 3 in rein to Irad Ortiz, Jr.

The precocious field also includes Frank Fletcher Racing Operations’ Sam’s Rocket [post 6, Junior Alvarado] for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The son of American Pharoah breezed in 10 seconds flat at this year’s OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and sold for $925,000. He is a three-quarters brother to dual Grade 2-winner Merneith, who in November sold for $2 million in foal to Horse of the Year Flightline.

Bred in Kentucky by D.C. Goff, Sam’s Rocket has breezed regularly over Saratoga’s Oklahoma dirt training track, including a half-mile from the gate in 48 flat on June 26 and most recently breezing through three furlongs from the gate in 38.03 Saturday.

Other challengers include the More Than Ready colt Moment’s Notice [post 2, Manny Franco], a $300,000 OBS Spring Sale purchase for owners West Point Thoroughbreds, Donarra Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables and trainer Christophe Clement.

Out of the stakes-winning Haynesfield mare Profound Moment, the chestnut colt is a half-brother to two winners and breezed an eighth of a mile in 10 seconds flat at OBS to catch the attention of his owners.

Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, said Moment’s Notice reminds him a great deal of the partnership’s Grade 1-winner Carson’s Run.

“We purchased him from Randy Miles, who is a longtime friend of ours,” said Blewitt. “He sold us Carson’s Run, and when we purchased Moment’s Notice, I was calling him Carson’s Run 2.0. He’s a beefier, stronger, bigger version of him. He hasn’t done anything wrong from the moment he walked out of that ring at OBS. Christophe is a great judge of talent, and he wouldn’t have put him in this race if he didn’t feel he belonged.”

Moment’s Notice enters off two strong half-mile breezes over the Oklahoma track, posting a time of 49.10 seconds from the gate on July 1 and following with a 49 flat effort Sunday.

“Fast, smart and does everything you ask of him,” said Blewitt. “He’s a 2-year-old, so he likes to test people, but he’s smart. We’re excited to see him run.”

-30-