Mythical looks to complete Saratoga stakes hat trick in G1 Spinaway; G2 Flower Bowl, G3 Prioress Previews wl,

Posted On 27 Aug 2025

By Keith McCalmont —-

Mythical looks to complete Saratoga stakes hat trick in G1 Spinaway

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Arindel’s Florida homebred Mythical brings a perfect 3-for-3 record to Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway, a seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies, at Saratoga Race Course. The Spinaway offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar.

Trained by Jorge Delgado, the St Patrick’s Day bay has posted all of her wins in frontrunning fashion under Emisael Jaramillo while progressing up the distance and class ladder. She debuted in April at Gulfstream Park, scoring by 8 1/2-lengths in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden before a pair of local starts that saw her take the 5 1/2-furlong Listed Tremont over males on June 5 and the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Adirondack against her own kind on August 3.

The Monmouth Park-based Delgado said he is humbled to be bringing Mythical [post 4, Emisael Jaramillo] back to Saratoga for a third time.

“It’s special to have a horse to be good enough to go to Saratoga and compete in these kind of races. We’re just trying to embrace the moment,” Delgado said.

Mythical’s connections entered in the Tremont rather than take on fillies in the Astoria on the same card as they felt Mythical would be the controlling speed. That decision proved correct as she held a two-length advantage at the stretch call and crossed the wire in a final time of 1:03.57, 3 1/2-lengths better than Blinging It Back with another 7 3/4-lengths back to Romeo, who would win the Listed Bashford Manor next out and subsequently sell for $1.7 million at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. That effort earned a field-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

In the Adirondack, Mythical showed the way through splits of 21.99 seconds and 44.86, stopping the clock, while kept to task, in a final time of 1:17.20 to score over returning rival Meringue.

Delgado said Mythical’s natural speed is an important asset.

“It’s crazy how she does it. She’s a small filly with a big heart. Once the bell rings, she just wants to go,” Delgado said. “She loves to run, and she does not want to get passed. She likes to win, and she knows where the wire is and enjoys it. She has really good chemistry with the jockey, who is a really good jockey from the gate – it’s a perfect match.”

Delgado said he is hopeful that Mythical can continue to stretch her speed as she now tries seven furlongs for the first time.

“The way she trains and the way she gallops out in her breezes suggests she won’t have any problem for only another half-furlong,” Delgado said. “We’ve increased [distance in her races] gradually. We knew after the Tremont that this was the ultimate goal for the summer. For this race, I’ve been working with her to stretch her, and she’s been responding really well.

“In the gallop out of the Adirondack, she kept opening up lengths and she kept going easy,” Delgado added. “In the head-on [replay], you can see her open up a good six lengths from the second place and she did it easy.”

While Mythical did turn her head towards the grandstand in the stretch run of the Adirondack, Delgado said it was indicative of her curious nature and didn’t hamper the outcome.

“She likes to observe everything around her. When she walks in the shedrow, she looks at every horse and every gap. she likes to see what’s going on,” Delgado said. “When she goes to the track for training, she’ll stop a good three times to see what is going on. She’s very smart – she knows what’s going on and sometimes she knows too much. So, the jockey has to keep her mind on it – she runs straight, she doesn’t lug out or in, she’s pretty much like an arrow.”

Delgado said he expects Mythical will once again be on the lead in Saturday’s Grade 1 tilt.

“We know what our game plan is, and I think everyone else does. Whoever wants to go with her, they’re welcome, but I don’t think it’s the best idea,” Delgado said.

Mythical is out of the winning Brethren mare Lailoni. Her second dam is the Grade 3-winning New York-bred Dat You Miz Blue.

Hat Creek Racing’s Percy’s Bar [post 5, Luan Machado] arrives from a five-length romp in the six-furlong Listed Debutante on June 29 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Ben Colebrook and piloted by returning rider Luan Machado, the Upstart bay rallied to a four-length victory in her April debut at Keeneland sprinting 4 1/2-furlongs. She followed with another strong effort, closing four-wide through the turn to take command at the top of the lane and power home to victory in a final time of 1:09.71. The winning effort earned a 70 Beyer.

Percy’s Bar has trained into this event at Keeneland where she worked a half-mile in 47.80 August 16.

The $52,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the Super Saver mare Honestly Deb, a half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Praetereo [82-11-12-18, $715,319].

AMO Racing and Mark Marxer’s Ornellaia [post 1, Dylan Davis] broke awkwardly under Flavien Prat in her August 2 debut here before rallying from 8th-of-10 to post a visually-impressive 2 1/4-length victory over returning rival Steer Clear.

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Girvin dark bay raced in the three path from the top of the lane before angling out wide and powering past four rivals to secure the win in final time of 1:11.57 for six furlongs. She earned a 72 Beyer in victory.

Ornellaia was purchased for $1.1 million at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale where she worked in 10.1.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will send out a pair of contenders in Spendthrift Farm’s Kentucky homebred Tommy Jo [post 8, Kendrick Carmouche] and Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable’s Steer Clear [post 7, Jose Lezcano.] Pletcher and the late D. Wayne Lukas share the record for most Spinaway wins with six apiece.

Tommy Jo earned an 85 Beyer for her 3 3/4-length debut score sprinting six furlongs on July 26 here. The Into Mischief bay settled quickly and took the lead inside the five-sixteenths, opening up by five-lengths at the stretch call and crossing the wire under a hand ride in a final time of 1:11.24 – good for an 85 Beyer.

“I thought she was impressive. She’s a nice filly who has trained very well,” Pletcher said.

Tommy Jo, who posted a half-mile breeze in 49.49 August 23 over the Spa main track, is out of the multiple Grade 1-placed Pioneerof the Nile mare Mother Mother, a half-sister to 2014 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve.

Steer Clear, by Street Sense, pressed the pace in the aforementioned August 2 maiden sprint but was collared late by Ornellaia. The $575,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase, out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Simply Sunny, is a half-sister to Group 3-winner Fore Left.

A talented field includes maiden winners Sina [post 6, Jaime Rodriguez] for trainer Brett Brinkman, Meringue [post 2, Luis Rivera, Jr.] for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, and the Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained trio of Spirit Doll [post 9, Edgard Zayas], Rileytole [post 3, Reylu Gutierrez] and Day to Day [post 10, Ricardo Santana, Jr.].

The Spinaway is slated as Race 11 on Saturday’s 13-race card, which also features the Grade 3, $175,000 Prioress in Race 7 and the Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl, a ‘Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in Race 10. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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Be Your Best wheels back for G2 Flower Bowl

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Michael J. Ryan’s Grade 1-winning Irish homebred Be Your Best will return on three weeks’ rest in search of a Breeders’ Cup berth in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl, a 1 3/8-mile inner turf test for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Flower Bowl [Race 10] awards a “Win and You’re In” berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf and is one of three stakes on Saturday’s card, which also features the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway [“Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies] in Race 11 and Grade 3, $175,000 Prioress in Race 7. First post on the 13-race card is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., Be Your Best was last seen posting a prominent third-place finish in the Grade 2 Beverly D. on August 9 at Colonial Downs. There, she sat off the pace set by Charlene’s Dream through splits of 23.78 seconds, 48.30 and 1:11.63 over the firm turf with a gap back to the rest of the field. Those two battled it out down the stretch before Charlene’s Dream kicked clear to victory while Spanish Eyes rallied late to take place honors by a neck over Be Your Best.

Joseph, Jr. said Be Your Best was likely hindered by pressing the pace.

“I thought she ran well in the Beverly D., it’s just it kind of became a tricky race pace wise,” Joseph, Jr. reflected. “We took back and let the other horse go and that horse kept going. We didn’t think that other filly could go the distance, but she did. I think we compromised our horse a little bit by giving up the lead, but hindsight is always 20/20 and we’ll move forward now and hopefully she can rebound in this race. She’s doing well and training well, so we’ll give it a shot.”

Joseph, Jr. added he chose to bring the 5-year-old daughter of Muhaarar back on short rest because of the Flower Bowl’s status as a “Win and You’re In” event. She worked three-eighths in 38 seconds flat on August 24 over the Saratoga main track.

“She’s doing well and had a work,” Joseph, Jr. said. “She’s coming back quick from the Beverly D., but she seems like she bounced out well and this is a ‘Win and You’re In,’ so that plays into it.”

Be Your Best has put together a short but strong campaign this year, beginning with a neck victory in the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park and following two starts later with her first Grade 1 victory in the nine-furlong Gamely in May at Santa Anita Park.

The consistent mare began her career with trainer Horacio De Paz, and moved to the Joseph, Jr. barn last fall, leading to her first graded victory at second asking for her current trainer when a nose winner of the Grade 3 Long Island going this distance in November at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Be Your Best makes her first Saratoga start for Joseph, Jr., but ran well here for De Paz in four outings, highlighted by a pair of 1 1/16-mile wins to begin her career as a juvenile in 2022 with a debut graduation and a 3 3/4-length victory in the Listed P.G. Johnson.

“She’s had a very good year. To win the Pegasus Turf with her and then to get that Grade 1, that was important on her resume,” Joseph, Jr. said. “She’s got a high cruising speed and she does stay, so hopefully the turf will be firm. We know she likes it there already, we just need it to be firm.”

Edgard Zayas, who engineered the Pegasus victory and a one-length score in the Grade 3 Suwannee River in December at Gulfstream, will return to the irons from post 7.

Trainer Miguel Clement began training in late May after taking over the stable of his late father, Christophe, and has gotten off to a strong start, including five turf stakes wins this meet at the Spa, led by a Grade 1 triumph with Deterministic in the FanDuel Fourstardave on August 2. He looks to keep his summer success rolling with a trio of entrants in dual graded stakes-winner La Mehana [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche], Grade 3-winner Bellezza [post 8, Jaime Rodriguez] and five-time-winner In Time [post 5, Dylan Davis].

LSU Stables’ La Mehana enters from an 8 3/4-length trouncing of the Grade 2 Glens Falls traveling 1 1/2 miles over yielding Spa green on July 27. There, she tracked in third through the early stages and made her move in the final turn to range up along the outside of pacesetter and returning rival Long Ago. She drew away in the stretch to post the facile victory in a final time of 2:30.54, which garnered a career and field-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure.

The 6-year-old daughter of Al Wukair doubled up on victories after a one-length optional claiming victory in June at Belmont at the Big A, where she also won the Grade 3 Waya last year. She scored additional 1 1/2-mile stakes wins in her native France in 2023 over good-to-soft going at Chantilly and over soft footing at Saint-Cloud before a Group 1-placing when third in the Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp in her final effort before moving stateside.

“She is ticking along nicely,” Clement said. “She was an impressive winner of the Glens Falls – she has an affinity for soft turf which is shown on her form in Europe. She’s also getting good. Her start two back was very impressive at Aqueduct. It’s funny to say, but even as a 6-year-old she’s improving.”

Moyglare Stud Farm’s Irish homebred Bellezza also had graded success at Belmont at the Big A when taking the 11-furlong Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay in May at 10-1 odds under returning rider Jaime Rodriguez. The 4-year-old Siyouni bay followed with a pair of placings over yielding footing here, landing third in the 1 3/16-mile Grade 1 New York presented by Rivers Casino on June 6 and second in the Glens Falls behind La Mehana.

Clement said he is hoping for firmer turf on Saturday.

“She’s had three starts in America and was an impressive winner of the Sheepshead Bay on firm turf,” Clement said. “She was fortunate enough to get third and a Grade 1 black type placing while running on heavy ground in the New York and she got a Grade 2-placing as well last time. In terms of her pedigree, it’s a big deal to do well in these graded races and I’m sure you’ll see another dimension on firm turf.”

Bellezza began her career in her native Ireland with trainer Ger Lyons, where her seven starts included a debut maiden win in July 2023 sprinting seven furlongs at Leopardstown and a neck score in the 10-furlong Diamond over the Dundalk synthetic in her final start before moving to the Christophe Clement barn.

Completing the Clement tetrad is Hoolie Racing Stable’s In Time, who makes her return to stakes company off a neck optional claiming win going 1 1/2 miles on July 6 here. The 6-year-old Zarak mare has not tried stakes company since finishing seventh into a consecutive trio of Group 2s in the Prix de la Nonette in August 2022 at Deauville and the Cape Verdi and Balanchine in February 2023 at Meydan.

In Time boasts a 3-1-2-0 record at Saturday’s distance, led by an allowance win here last summer. She has been training at Belmont Park since her last effort, and worked a half-mile in 50.88 seconds on August 22 over the dirt training track.

“She had a very good work at Belmont,” Clement said. “She loves Saratoga as well and is training very forwardly.”

Steep opposition will be provided by Cayton Park Stud’s graded stakes-winning homebred Marksman Queen [post 1, Luan Machado], who gave trainer Graham Motion a record-extending 10th victory in Delaware Park’s Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial last out on July 5.

The 5-year-old Dubawi mare led at every point of call going about this distance last out, and dug in determinedly when challenged late by Spanish Eyes to cling to a head victory in a final time of 2:15.85. The win marked her first graded score, and came on the heels of a similar pacesetting win in the 12-furlong Listed Keertana in May at Churchill Downs.

The British-bred bay holds a 17-5-3-2- record – including an additional graded placing when third in Del Mar’s Grade 3 Red Carpet in November – with $382,424 in total purse earnings. She is out of the dual graded stakes-winning Touch Gold mare Sharp Susan and is a half-sister to multiple South African Group 1-winner Oh Susanna and Australian Group 3-winner Signore Fox.

Completing the field are Chris Nolan’s Grade 2-placed Long Ago [post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for trainer Billy Morey, Flying P Stable’s stakes-placed Amber Cascade [post 2, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Mike Maker, and Amo Racing USA’s stakes-placed Madame Mischief [post 6, Emisael Jaramillo] for trainer Jorge Delgado.

Amanda’s Folly is entered for the main track-only.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit nyra.com/tv.

Contact: Mary Eddy

Delightful Claire has potential in G3 Prioress

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.– Rigney Racing’s Delightful Claire was an impressive winner last out and has serious potential in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Prioress, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Phil Bauer, the Thousand Words chestnut graduated last out by an eased-up 9 1/4-lengths against elders in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on August 2 here. Delightful Claire was making her second career start after a one-length third to next-out allowance winner Princess Proud sprinting six furlongs on June 8 at Churchill Downs.

Delightful Claire’s recent prominent score under Hall of Famer Joel Rosario stopped the clock in 1:22.77 – faster than the 1:23.10 clocking for Kilwin’s score five races later in the Grade 1 Test presented by Ticketmaster – earning a career and field-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I don’t think you can ever expect them to run like that, but I was glad to see that she did,” Bauer said. “We always thought she had a ton of ability. We were mildly disappointed that she didn’t win her first time out, but she ran a great race and it looks like it was a good maiden. We think there is better ahead for her, that is why we are being bold with going right into the graded stakes.”

Exactly one year before Delightful Claire won at second asking – on August 2, 2024 – Bauer sent out Two Sharp to graduate second-out by 11 1/4 lengths sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs here and she exited to run a close second when cutting back slightly in the Prioress.

“We did the same thing last year with Two Sharp,” said Bauer. “Delightful Claire likes it here and any time you can pick up graded black type, it is a good thing.”

Bauer said Delightful Claire [post 3, Luan Machado] looks like she could stretch back out in the future.

“I think so. We are caught in a situation with the calendar, with this stakes landing right in our lap, so we’ll try it,” Bauer said. “She is probably good enough to handle six furlongs, but may appreciate more ground.”

Delightful Claire, a $250,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale, is out of the Grade 3-placed Maria’s Mon mare Izshelegal, and her half-brother Crazy Mason won the Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets in April at Aqueduct Racetrack and recently closed for third in the Grade 1 Forego on August 23 here.

Will Stroud and Debra O’Connor’s Long Neck Paula [post 5, Dylan Davis] heads the opposition as she makes her seventh consecutive stakes start. Trained by Wesley Ward, the Uncle Mo bay captured the Prairie Meadows Debutante last August ahead of winning the Bowman Mill versus males in October at Keeneland.

Long Neck Paula has not won in the three efforts since her juvenile campaign-capping Bowman Mill triumph, but she has been second in her past two efforts, including the 5 1/2-furlong off-the-turf Palisades versus males in April at Keeneland and the six-furlong Jersey Girl by a head to recent Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks-victor Indy Bay last out on June 8 here.

Long Neck Paula set a fairly quick pace in the Jersey Girl through splits of 22.34 seconds and 44.97 on the fast main track, gamely battling to the wire to lose narrowly in a final time of 1:09.70 – earning a career-best 91 Beyer in defeat.

Long Neck Paula, a $500,000 purchase at the 2024 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Grade 3-winning Take Charge Indy mare Take Charge Paula.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and SunsetRidge Racing Stable’s New York-bred Stone Smuggler [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] will be making her first start as a sophomore after a juvenile campaign that featured two stakes wins.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, the Honest Mischief bay was second on debut last August here before graduating second-out as a maiden in the 5 1/2-furlong state-bred Lady Finger in September at Finger Lakes Racetrack. Stone Smuggler, after a third to the undefeated With the Angels in the state-bred Key Cents in November at Aqueduct Racetrack, closed to win the seven-furlong $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue in December there.

Bred in the Empire State by Eaton and Thorne, Stone Smuggler, a $57,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is out of the winning Bustin Stones mare Bustinattheseams.

Rounding out the field are dual stakes-placed Praying [post 6, Jose Lezcano] for conditioner Robert Medina; stakes-placed Rojo Rita [post 2, Edgard Zayas], who enters from two turf allowance sprint seconds at Churchill Downs, the latter versus males, for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.; and the 2-for-3 Flat Out Time [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche] for conditioner George Weaver, who upset this event with 21-1 Lighthouse Bay in 2013, then a Grade 1.

The Prioress is slated as Race 7 on Saturday’s 13-race program that features a pair of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events in the Grade 1 Spinaway [Juvenile Fillies] in Race 11 and Grade 2 Flower Bowl [Filly and Mare Turf] in Race 10. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

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Contact: Christian Abdo