Saratoga Race Course Notes – 09/01

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Saratoga Race Course Notes

G1 JCGC contender First Captain adds to banner weekend for West Point Thoroughbreds
Boppy O earns 70 BSF for G3 With Anticipation score
Fresu ships in to ride G3-winner Meraas in U.S. debut on Saturday
Rookie Report: Fly Right, full-brother to GSW Sail By, debuts Saturday for Gyarmati
G1-placed Runninsonofagun honors late owner with graded placings at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – West Point Thoroughbreds, fresh off their 1,000th career victory as a syndicate, has even more to look forward to Saturday with three live contenders in $1 million stakes, including dual graded stakes winner First Captain, who will seek his first Grade 1 victory in the 10-furlong Jockey Club Gold Cup for 3-year-olds and up at Saratoga Race Course

In addition, Flightline looks to keep an undefeated record afloat in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, while graded stakes winner Cavalry Charge will contest the Grade 3 Mint Million going one mile at Kentucky Downs.

West Point founder and CEO Terry Finley said Saturday’s lineup ranks at the peak of his 31 years of being involved in thoroughbred racing.

“This is Number One, no doubt,” Finley said. “A couple of people have come up to me and said, ‘You all deserve this.’ But you don’t deserve anything in this business. It’s a privilege and not a right. Racing has been so good to me and to my family. I’m okay with whatever happens.

“You can’t really plan for these types of weekends. We knew if things stayed on track early in the summer, we knew we could be looking at a very special weekend,” Finley added. “For the most part, it’s turned out to be great. We’re running 19 horses between [Thursday] and Sunday. It’s probably the biggest weekend in terms of numbers and certainly opportunity and chances to get lucky.”

In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a “Win And You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, First Captain will make his first start at the Spa since finishing third in his sire Curlin’s namesake nine-furlong race last July. Out of action for the remainder of the year, he returned as a 4-year-old with vigor, defeating allowance company in February at Gulfstream Park before an uncharacteristic last-of-7 in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 9 at Aqueduct.

First Captain regrouped following the disappointing effort, and returned to the winner’s circle when stretching out to 1 3/16 miles for the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 20 for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, a four-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner. He enters Saturday’s test off a narrow defeat in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 9 at Belmont Park, finishing a nose behind returning rival Dynamic One.

Finley described the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which features six other graded stakes winners as, “an exceptionally intriguing race.”

“Horses that run well here are going to force their way into the Breeders’ Cup Classic picture. Any time you have that, it’s a positive thing,” Finley said. “I’m not sure there’s a total throw out in the race. I’m sure everyone is thinking the same way. Let’s get the mile and a quarter, run well, and we can figure what to do to get to Keeneland in November.”

First Captain, owned by West Point in partnership with Siena Farm, Woodford Racing and celebrity chef Bobby Flay, has acclimated to his surroundings at Saratoga well. Since arriving in late July, he has consistently registered weekly works, including a pair of bullets over the main track. He went a half-mile in 46.80 seconds on July 30 – the fastest of 98 recorded works at the distance – before going five-eighths in 58.80 on August 21.

“He has had a superb month up here. Horses do well up here it seems. Talking to my trainer, they say the environment, the air, the water, they just have a lot of things in their favor,” Finley said. “This horse in particular, of the horses we have up here, over the last seven weeks has just been really, really solid. He has a confidence about him that I think gives us a lot of confidence.”

Luis Saez has piloted First Captain in his last two starts, both of which garnered a career best 98 Beyer Speed Figure. He retains the mount from post 6 at 4-1 morning line odds.

Flightline, a winner of all four career starts by a combined 43 1/2-lengths, stretches out to 10 furlongs for the first time following another open-lengths stakes triumph last out in the Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan on June 11 at Belmont Park. The gifted 4-year-old son of Tapit will have his skills put to the test when he sees added ground as well as two turns for the first time in the Pacific Classic.

“I think he is [the most exciting horse in training],” Finley said. “I was talking with [Trainer] Roy Lerman, who for 20 years we’ve had great discussions with, early one morning at the coffee stand on the backstretch. He said, ‘The moment of truth is upon us for your horse.’

“If, in fact, he is a generational horse, it will be very obvious on Saturday night,” Finley added.

Flightline, who has garnered triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in each start, is owned by Hronis Racing, Summer Wind Equine, Siena Farm and Woodford Racing, in addition to West Point.

Cavalry Charge, trained by Dallas Stewart, will seek his first victory since an upset wire-to-wire win in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds in February. The 5-year-old Honor Code gelding finished fifth last out in the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Churchill Downs.

“It should set up well,” Finley said. “It’s not the hardest million dollar race I’ve seen but it is very, very competitive and he has been a real work horse for us. Dallas has done a marvelous job of keeping him sound and in the game. We’re looking forward to him running as well.”

Finley said he is encouraging his partners to enjoy the moment.

“We’re not going to be nervous just to be nervous. The anticipation is great, but us being nervous doesn’t do anything,” Finley said. “I tell myself, the partners and the team to just savor every minute of this.”

***

Boppy O earns 70 BSF for G3 With Anticipation score

John Oxley and Breeze Easy’s Boppy O garnered a career-best 70 Beyer Speed Figure for his determined neck score in Wednesday’s Grade 3, $175,000 With Anticipation for juveniles traveling 1 1/16 miles on the lawn at Saratoga Race Course.

“He came back great and ate good last night,” said Shane Tripp, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. “We’re real pleased with him.”

Boppy O made his turf debut in the With Anticipation and rebounded from a distant 10th-place finish in the Grade 3 Sanford over the Spa main track on July 16. He earned his second lifetime win from three starts, adding to a debut maiden score by 1 1/2 lengths sprinting five furlongs in May at Gulfstream Park.

In the With Anticipation, Boppy O was piloted by Dylan Davis from just off the pace and stuck his head in front at the three-quarters call, digging in down the stretch under urging to hold off a late bid from Battle of Normandy and provide his sire, Bolt d’Oro, with his first graded winner. The win was also the first graded score at the Spa for Davis, who rode Our Flash Drive and Make Mischief to stakes victories for Casse this summer in the De La Rose and Yaddo, respectively.

Boppy O is a half-brother to the Casse-trained graded stakes winner Pappacap, who has earned three Grade 1 placings on dirt in addition to a victory in last year’s Grade 2 Best Pal. Boppy O is the second foal out of the Scat Daddy mare Pappascat to score a win on the turf.

“He didn’t run that good in the Sanford and then we worked him on the grass and he worked awfully good,” said Tripp. “I don’t think it was completely a shock. We’re really fortunate.”

Oxley, a longtime friend and client of Casse, said he was pleased the Hall of Famer recommended the colt at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was purchased for $190,000 by Oxley and Breeze Easy.

“We’ve been together 25 years and Mark picked him out,” said Oxley. “We bought him with Breeze Easy, 50/50. We were delighted to get him and Mark thought he was a very nice looking yearling and well bred. A half-brother to Pappacap. His half-brother was dirt, but he is by Bolt d’Oro, so he’s got some breeding for turf.”

The With Anticipation is one of more than a half-dozen graded victories at Saratoga for Oxley, who said each victory at the Spa is special.

“I remember many [wins here],” Oxley said. “We won the Spinaway here with Pretty City Dancer, a dead-heat by the way, and we won the Hopeful here with Sky Mesa, that was [in] 2002. They all come back. You remember the good ones. The losers I dismiss.”

***

Fresu ships in to ride G3-winner Meraas in U.S. debut on Saturday

Maitha Salem Mohammed Belobaida Alsuwaidi’s Group 3-winning sprinter Meraas and his Group 1-winning rider Antonio Fresu will make their North American debuts on Saturday at Saratoga in Race 7, a six-furlong optional-claimer for 3-year-olds and upward.

“I’m really looking forward to riding for the first time in the U.S. Obviously, Saratoga has a lot of history and it’s a beautiful track. I’m looking forward to seeing it,” said Fresu, who captured last year’s Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse from the outermost post 13 aboard Zenden.

Trained by Chad Summers, Meraas, who sports a ledger of 14-5-1-1, was last seen taking the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint in rein to Fresu in February at Meydan for former conditioner Musabbeh Al Mheiri.

The 5-year-old Oasis Dream gelding was a vet scratch the week of the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March and subsequently shipped stateside. Summers, who won the Dubai Golden Shaheen in successive years in 2017-18 with New York-bred multi-millionaire Mind Your Biscuits, said Meraas was freshened before returning to training.

“He came in the end of March and we wanted to give him some time, so he was at Paragon Farm in Kentucky for a few months,” Summers said. “He came up to Belmont and our plan was always to bring him back in an allowance race and go on from there to see what path he’ll take us on.”

Meraas made his first 12 starts on either grass [10] or synthetic [2] for conditioner Mark Johnston, but found rejuvenated form when trying the Meydan dirt, besting a field of 11 by 4 3/4-lengths in December while under top weight ahead of his Group 3 score.

Meraas has breezed five times this summer over the Saratoga main track with a trio of bullet breezes under exercise rider Alfonso Camacho, including a three-eighths effort in 35.20 on July 15; a half-mile in 46.07 on August 5; and five-eighths in 1:00.69 on August 14.

“Antonio is a great rider and not only did he ride him both races in Dubai, but he was the regular rider of him in the morning. He told us when we worked him to not ask him. He said, ‘he’ll do everything on his own, just drop your hands,'” Summers said. “The first time he breezed it didn’t look like he was going very fast and then you look at your watch and it was 35 and change. It’s continued from there. He went 46 flat and it doesn’t look like he’s moving. He has this long stride and just motors. We’ve never really ridden him. We haven’t gone in company or had a jockey work him because I was afraid he’d go too fast. That’s all just him.”

Summers said Meraas demonstrated encouraging dirt form in his two starts in Dubai.

“When he ran first time out in the Handicap in December, he was carrying 137 pounds. He broke and went about his business and won so impressively,” Summers said. “He came back in the Group 3 and it was the same thing – he kept finding more and beat a nice field. It gives you some excitement to what he could be over here.”

Meraas, listed at 6-1 on the morning line, will exit the outermost post 10 Saturday in a field led by Juddmonte’s impressive allowance winner Elite Power [post 6, Joel Rosario, 5-2 ML], a 4-year-old Curlin colt, for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

“There are a lot of nice horses in there. Bill Mott’s horse is really nice,” Summers said. “It’s a deep, quality field and we haven’t been out since February. This is Saratoga. It’s a very deep field. We’ll look to get through this race and see where we’re at and weigh our options. But Saturday will go a long way to showing us who he is and what he is at and where we need to point to next. All the credit to the family for gifting us this horse and the opportunity to run in America.”

In addition to Elite Power, a $900,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase out of the multiple graded-stakes winning Vindication mare Broadway’s Alibi, a strong field competing for the $120,000 purse includes graded stakes-placed Greeley and Ben [post 1, Junior Alvarado] and stakes winners Amundson [post 3, Jose Ortiz] and Foolish Ghost [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche]. Also entered is the stakes-placed Hoist the Gold [post 8, Jose Gomez], who graduated via disqualification last September at Churchill Downs when eventual dual Grade 1-winner Cyberknife was demoted.

But despite the strong field, Summers is buoyed by the strong morning efforts from Meraas and the presence of his familiar rider.

“It gives you confidence to know he’s handled this dirt,” Summers said. “Antonio knows the horse and I don’t want to have any excuses going into this race. I want to give this horse his best chance to win and Antonio is a Group 1-winning jockey making his American debut, so hopefully he can provide that.”

Fresu, a 30-year-old native of Sardinia, Italy, said he welcomes the opportunity.

“I’m really happy to be joining with Meraas again. I had a good feeling with him in Dubai during the winter,” said Fresu, who is represented in Dubai by Michael Adolphson. “I thought he would have a very good chance in the Golden Shaheen, but unfortunately he didn’t run. I’ve seen his workouts in the U.S. and he’s been doing well. I know he hasn’t run in a long time, but I think he’ll be pretty fit for Saturday. I think he will have a chance.”

***

Rookie Report: Fly Right, full-brother to GSW Sail By, debuts Saturday for Gyarmati

Trainer Leah Gyarmati will send out Treadway Racing Stable’s well-bred Fly Right for his career debut in Race 1 on Saturday, a maiden special weight for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf at Saratoga.

The bay colt is a full-brother to graded stakes winner Sail By, who captured last year’s Grade 2 Miss Grillo at Belmont Park. By Astern and out of the Johar mare Fly By, Fly Right has worked three times over the Oklahoma training turf course in preparation for his debut. He registered a pair of half-mile turf breezes in late July before an easy five-eighths move in 1:03.31 on August 7 over the Oklahoma turf.

“He’s training really well,” Gyarmati said. “I had him over on the turf for a few breezes. He seemed to really love it, which he figures to. He’s like twice the size that she [Sail By] is. I’m excited about running him.”

Gyarmati said Fly Right and Sail By are “very different horses”.

“They have completely different look to them and their personalities are much different,” Gyarmati said. “They’re both nice horses to be around in the barn. He’s a little more of a handful and a little quirky, but he’s a boy. He’s training really well.”

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will pilot Fly Right from post 2 at morning line odds of 12-1.

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will unleash another well-bred juvenile in Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Ari Gold, by Medaglia d’Oro.

The bay colt is out of the Distorted Humor mare Satirical – a three-quarters sister to 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide. Other prominent members of the family include multiple graded stakes winning millionaire Rule and graded stakes-winner Matrooh. Ari Gold was fetched by his owner for $220,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Claiborne Farm.

Ari Gold breezed a half-mile from the gate in 48.19 seconds on August 26, six days following a sharp five furlong move in 59.66 over the main track.

Three-time meet leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Ari Gold from post 3 as the 2-1 morning line favorite.

***

G1-placed Runninsonofagun honors late owner with graded placings at Saratoga

The Estate of Scott Zimmerman’s Runninsonofagun has shown up in nearly all of his races, boasting an 8-for-9 in-the-money record with over $233,000 in earnings for trainer John Toscano, Jr. The bay colt’s record includes graded stakes placings in his last three outings, topped by a third-place effort at odds of 41-1 on Saturday in the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course.

“He’s taken every step. He’s just gotten better and better with us and he’s a late foal, so we kind of thought he’d get better through the summer. Since he came up here, he’s blossomed,” said Toscano, Jr.’s son and assistant, John Toscano, III.

A gelded son of Gun Runner, Runninsonofagun started his career with a third on debut in November at Churchill Downs before winning a maiden claimer at Aqueduct Racetrack in December, an effort in which he was haltered by his current connections for $40,000. After another win in an optional claimer, his conditioner decided to give the $16,000 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale graduate a chance in the Grade 3 Gotham, checking in a non-threatening sixth behind the victorious Morello.

“You don’t expect to claim a Gun Runner. I call him the ‘Ugly Duckling’ because he was a $16,000 2-year-old but he’s just blossomed,” said Toscano, III. “In his first start, he didn’t break good, but he was rushed up between horses and he kind of had horse but then flattened out down the lane. He ran sneaky good. Bill Morey claimed him that day for $30,000 and then took him to New York and ran him for 40. There was a three-way shake and we got lucky.”

Runninsonofagun bounced back well in his next outing, shipping to Parx Racing to pick up an optional claiming score by 4 3/4 lengths before earning his first placing at stakes level in Belmont’s Gold Fever 2 3/4 lengths behind New York-Bred Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Senbei. He followed with a second to Charge It in the Grade 3 Dwyer in July at Belmont.

“The Gotham I thought was a reach at the time, but we said we’d try,” said Toscano, III. “After that, we took a step back at Parx and won there and then he got better and better.”

Runninsonofagun now boasts two graded placings at Saratoga, finishing a closing third in the Grade 2 Amsterdam on July 31 at odds of 56-1 and defeating an assortment of accomplished rivals that include multiple Grade 1-placed Pappacap and 2021 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Corniche. He added blinkers in his next start to finish just four lengths back of the well-regarded Jack Christopher in his Grade 1 debut in the Allen Jerkens.

“To get a Grade 1 placing at Saratoga with a horse we claimed for $40,000 is special,” Toscano, III said. “He gives his best. He was always a good training horse, so we always had high expectations for him. He’s never disappointed us.”

Runninsonofagun’s accomplishments this summer are even more meaningful to Toscano, III and his father after the gelding’s owner, Scott Zimmerman, who died unexpectedly in June. A longtime family friend, Zimmerman loved horse racing and was involved in the industry for many years. His wife, Karen, now races Runninsonofagun under the name The Estate of Scott Zimmerman.

“This horse was one of his owner’s favorites. It was devastating for us. He used to come to the barn and wouldn’t say anything. He’d run to the stall and bring peppermints. He’d go see the horse first and then he’d come see us second,” Toscano, III said, with a laugh.

The next stop for Runninsonofagun will likely be the Grade 3 Gallant Bob sprinting six furlongs on September 24 at Parx, and Toscano, III said he is sure the gutsy gelding has someone looking out for him each time he steps on the racetrack.

“He’s got his whole career ahead of him, and I think he’s got a little help from Scotty,” said Toscano, III. “Every time he runs, I say, ‘Scotty, help us out here. Give us a push, Scotty.’”

-30-
Contact: NYRA Press Office
NYRACommunications@nyrainc.com
 
New York Racing Association, Inc. – NYRA.com

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher fully loaded for G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A cumulative baker’s dozen graded stakes victories will comprise Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup field, where Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will unleash a competitive quartet for the prestigious 10-furlong test for 3-year-olds and upward at Saratoga Race Course.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup, offering a “Win and You’re In” spot in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Keeneland, is slated for Race 11 [5:45 p.m. Eastern] and will be broadcast live on NBC as part of a special 90-minute broadcast from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. that will include the Grade 2, $600,000 Flower Bowl [Race 10] which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf . A stacked card includes the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac in Race 4.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup, which celebrates its 104th renewal, has been won by all-time greats Man o’ War [1920], Gallant Fox [1930], War Admiral [1938], Whirlaway [1942], Citation [1948], Hill Prince [1950], Nashua [1955-56], Kelso [1960-64] Buckpasser [1966], Damascus [1967], Shuvee [1970-71] Forego [1974], Affirmed [1979], John Henry [1981], Easy Goer [1989], Cigar [1995], Skip Away [1996-97] and Curlin [2007-08].

Leading the Pletcher tetrad is Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Phipps Stable’s Dynamic One, who captured the Grade 2 Suburban on July 9 at Belmont Park over returning rivals First Captain and Untreated, who also is trained by Pletcher. The 4-year-old chestnut son of Union Rags, who finished 18th in last year’s Kentucky Derby, earned his first career stakes victory in the Curlin last July at the Spa, displaying a late kick to defeat Miles D and First Captain by 1 3/4 lengths ahead of a distant seventh in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

Dynamic One returned to action with vigor this season when a respective second and third to Scalding in the Grade 3 Challenger in March at Tampa Bay Downs and the Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland. From there, he added a pair of stakes wins to his ledger in the nine-furlong Blame on June 4 at Churchill Downs before his Suburban victory.

“He’s made steady progress throughout this year. I think each race has been better than the previous one, culminating with a win in the Suburban,” Pletcher said. “We’ve been pointing for the Jockey Club since then and has had a good schedule. The horse has trained well and we’re happy with the way he’s coming into the race.”

Pletcher noted Dynamic One’s improved maturity from ages 3-to-4.

“Physically, I think he’s always been a strong and good-looking horse, but I think he’s filled out even more,” Pletcher said. “More than anything, he’s just become a little more professional in his races and he’s figured it out. I would say he’s made quite a bit of mental progress.”

A $725,000 purchase from the Claiborne Farm consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Dynamic One hails from rich maternal bloodlines of 1988 Champion Older Filly and undefeated Hall of Famer Personal Ensign, who produced 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner My Flag. His dam, Beat the Drums, is out of Storm Flag Flying – the 2002 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and daughter of My Flag.

Dynamic One boasts earnings of $699,950 and a record of 12-4-3-1. Breaking from post 8, Irad Ortiz, Jr. will return aboard Dynamic One.

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.’s reigning New York-bred Horse of the Year Americanrevolution returns to his native state for the first time since capturing the Grade 1 Cigar Mile presented by NYRA Bets on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 4-year-old Constitution chestnut captured three stakes against fellow New York-breds during last year’s campaign, including an 11 3/4-length conquest against elders in the Empire Classic at Belmont Park, where he earned a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure. Americanrevolution made both of his starts this year at Churchill Downs, finishing fourth in the Blame in June off a six-month layoff and second in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on July 2.

Initially scheduled to enter the Commentator on May 30 at Belmont Park, Pletcher was forced to regroup when the race did not fill.

“We kind of got thrown off track earlier in the year when the race we were pointing for [Commentator] didn’t go and he had to run a mile and an eighth off the extended layoff,” Pletcher said. “He got a little tired from that but then he took a step forward and ran a solid race in the Stephen Foster. He’s been training strongly here, and he always has been a good work horse.”

Although he is Pletcher’s lone contender without 10-furlong experience, Pletcher has faith that Americanrevolution can carry a distance of ground.

“He’s proven versatile enough at a mile and an eighth and a mile, but he gives you the impression that he’s still finding more at the end of a mile and an eighth. Hopefully, that means he can carry it on to a mile and a quarter,” Pletcher said.

Two-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Joel Rosario, who has won 15 stakes this meet, will pick up the mount from post 5.

After a successful debut for Pletcher last out, Keepmeinmind will seek his first graded stakes victory since a maiden-breaking performance in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in November 2020 at Churchill Downs. Previously trained by Robertino Diodoro, the son of Laoban competed in nothing but graded stakes events last year with his best finishes taking place when third in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby and a game second to dual champion Essential Quality in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at the Spa. He was beaten a half-length in both races.

Keepmeinmind fired off an 11-month layoff with a last out victory in a first-level allowance on July 22 at Saratoga.

“He had trained strongly leading into that,” Pletcher said. “He’s a horse that’s at his best going a mile and a quarter. We didn’t want to sprint him coming back. We felt like we had done enough with him. But still, to his credit, to be able to win off a long layoff like that shows the quality that he has.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will have the call from post 7.

Rounding out the Pletcher contingent is Team Valor International’s Untreated. While he is the only Jockey Club Gold Cup contender without a graded stakes win, the son of Nyquist came close in his last three starts, when a pacesetting third in the Suburban and finishing three-quarters of a length behind Dynamic One. He showed early speed when third in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 20 and was beaten 1 1/4 lengths.

“He fought hard in the Suburban and same thing with the Pimlico Special,” Pletcher said. “He’s been knocking on the door, so a slight improvement could be the key.”

Untreated was a two-time allowance winner over the winter at Aqueduct, where he utilized off-the-pace tactics.

“He’s versatile enough tactic wise to where if it’s a slow pace he can go up front and if they go quicker, he can settle off the pace a little bit. We’ll see how it shapes up,” Pletcher said.

Jose Ortiz will pilot Untreated from post 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will seek his fifth Jockey Club Gold Cup victory with dual graded stakes winner First Captain.

Second in the Suburban beaten a nose, the 4-year-old son of 2007-08 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner and Hall of Famer Curlin captured the Grade 3 Pimlico Special two starts back going 1 3/16 miles under returning rider Luis Saez. First Captain won his first three career starts, including a victory in the Grade 3 Dwyer last June going a one turn mile at Belmont Park before suffering his first defeat in his sire’s namesake race last July at the Spa.

“I think [the distance experience] will help him, but he was coming off a mile and three-sixteenth race as well. He’s trained very well up here,” McGaughey said. “It seems like he’s a happy horse. We’ve learned that what he wants to do is run a distance of ground. This will be the third time Luis Saez has rode him and I think that will help, too.”

McGaughey, whose previous Jockey Club Gold Cup winners are Vanlandingham [1985], Easy Goer [1989], Miner’s Mark [1993] and Code of Honor [2019], said a Grade 1 victory would be important for First Captain’s resume.

“It’s a very good race,” McGaughey said. “In his continued career, it would be a big thing to win it. We’re looking forward to running him and I think he has a big chance.”

First Captain will emerge from post 6.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle four-time graded stakes winner Olympiad, who will strive to make amends following a distant fourth in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 6 at Saratoga.

By Speightstown, who sired 2010 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Haynesfield, Olympiad brags the most graded stakes victories in the field as well as field-best earnings of $1,472,560 through an 11-7-1-1 record. Olympiad won five straight races entering the Whitney, four at graded stakes level. He captured the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs by 2 1/4 lengths over Americanrevolution, producing a field-best and career-best 111 Beyer Speed Figure, one start following a triumph over 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Happy Saver in the Grade 2 Alysheba on May 6 at the Louisville oval.

A 7 1/4-length winner of his 2022 debut going two turns at Gulfstream Park, Olympiad followed with triumphs in Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots’ Grade 3 Mineshaft on February 15 and the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic on March 26. Olympiad is owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods.

Junior Alvarado will retain the mount from post 2.

Three-time graded stakes winner Tax will seek his first win at Saratoga since capturing the 2019 Grade 2 Jim Dandy for trainer Danny Gargan. The 6-year-old gelded son of Arch made his first start in a year and a half with a wire-to-wire victory in the last out Battery Park on July 9 at Delaware Park.

Owned by Gargan in partnership with R.A. Hill Stable, Tax also won the Grade 3 Withers in February 2019 at Aqueduct as well as the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday in December 2020 at Gulfstream Park.

Kendrick Carmouche will ride Tax from post 1.

Completing the field is The Estate of James J. Coleman, Jr.’s Chess Chief for trainer Dallas Stewart, who finished a last-out third in the Alydar on August 4 at Saratoga. The Virginia-bred son of Into Mischief has won all five of his lifetime victories at Fair Grounds, including the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic in March 2021.

Manny Franco, who guided Discreet Lover to an upset victory in the 2018 Jockey Club Gold Cup, then contested at Belmont Park, will attempt another upset in the race when guiding Chess Chief from post 4.

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

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

-30-

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

War Like Goddess tries for repeat win in G2 Flower Bowl Invitational

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Grade 2, $600,000 Flower Bowl will feature a rematch of the top-four finishers from the Grade 2 Glens Falls as George Krikorian’s multiple Grade 1-winner War Like Goddess will attempt a second victory in Saturday’s 1 3/8-mile inner turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course.

The Flower Bowl is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Keeneland, providing the winner a berth into the 1 3/16-mile contest for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, War Like Goddess is following a similar campaign to last year, arriving at the Flower Bowl once again from a win in the Glens Falls last out on August 6. There, the daughter of English Channel closed from 4 1/2 lengths off the pace from fifth to take the lead at the top of the stretch in the 1 1/2-mile marathon and score a 1 1/4-length victory over returning rival Temple City Terror in a final time of 2:29.33.

The Glens Falls was the second start in a thus-far perfect campaign for War Like Goddess, who won the Grade 3 Bewitch on April 29 at Keeneland in her seasonal bow. The 5-year-old bay continues to build upon a stellar resume that is highlighted by a 2021 campaign that saw her score graded victories in the Grade 3 Orchid, Grade 3 Bewitch, the Glens Falls and the Flower Bowl [then a Grade 1]. She capped the year with a close third-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf where she rallied from last-of-12 and came up just a half-length shy of the victorious Loves Only You.

War Like Goddess, who was bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm, has amassed over $1.2 million in earnings through a record of 10-8-0-1. She was purchased for $30,000 from the Hemingway Racing and Training Stables consignment at the 2019 OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Joel Rosario, the pilot in her two races this year, rides again from post 4.

Pocket Aces Racing’s Temple City Terror will take another shot at War Like Goddess after finishing a game second to her familiar rival in the Glens Fall last out. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the Temple City mare ran a similar race to War Like Goddess, but came up just short at odds of 14-1 in the field of seven to secure place honors a half-length ahead of fellow Flower Bowl aspirant Virginia Joy.

The Glens Falls came on the heels of a distant outing in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial on July 9 at Delaware Park contested over soft going. She trailed in last-of-9 and could only manage to put away two rivals to finish seventh, an uncharacteristic off-the-board effort after posting a 6-for-8 in-the-money record since last April.

Walsh said he was pleased to see improvement from Temple City Terror, who breezed a half-mile in 49.26 seconds over the Oklahoma turf training track on August 28.

“She’s doing well and we’re very happy with her. She’s been working well, so we’re good to go,” said Walsh. “It was a great effort in the Glens Falls, she was just a little unfortunate in the run there at Delaware – the ground came up really soft, which she didn’t like. But she seems like she’s doing well, so hopefully the weather has gone out of there now and we get decent ground on Saturday. I’m sure she’ll run well again.”

Temple City Terror earned her first stakes win last May in Churchill Downs’ Keertana, and went on to pick up graded placings that summer in the Robert G. Dick and Glens Falls. This campaign, she scored a repeat win in the Keertana in May en route to her runner-up finish in this year’s Glens Falls.

Walsh added that the 6-year-old dark bay has shown improvement from her 5-year-old season.

“She’s come along great. She seems like she’s improved a little from last year and she’s maybe more consistent, but she was very good last year too,” Walsh said. “She seems to run into a couple of these good fillies all the time. We’ll see what happens on Saturday.”

The Flower Bowl will be the third meeting between Temple City Terror and War Like Goddess, something Walsh said he looks forward to.

“War Like Goddess is a star and is very good. You’re always up against it against the likes of her,” said Walsh. “But who knows. Sometimes they have a bad day and you hope that you can pick up the pieces. We’ll give it a go. It’s horse racing, so you never know what’s going to happen.”

Temple City Terror will exit post 6 in rein to Luis Saez.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will be represented by three entrants in Peter Brant’s Virginia Joy, Klaravich Stables’ Capital Structure and Michael Dubb, the Elkstone Group and Michael Caruso’s Marvelous Maude.

Virginia Joy, a German-bred daughter of Soldier Hollow, finished third behind War Like Goddess and Temple City Terror last out in the Glens Falls. She rated 2 1/2 lengths off the pace in second and had fallen back to fifth by the 1 1/4-mile call. The bay mare re-rallied under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind War Like Goddess.

A Group 3 winner in her native Germany, Virginia Joy boasts graded wins this year in the Grade 3 The Very One in March at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay, which she won by 14 1/4 lengths over yielding footing in May at Belmont Park.

“She’s doing well,” said Brown. “War Like Goddess will be the heavy, heavy favorite and she’ll be very difficult to beat if she runs her race, but we’re giving it another shot.”

Virginia Joy, who was purchased for over $1.1 million at the Arqana Saint-Cloud sale, will leave post 3 with Ortiz, Jr. returning to the irons.

The British-bred Capital Structure will make her first start in graded company since a fifth in the 2020 Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita Park. A chestnut Lope de Vega mare, Capital Structure was last seen taking a second-level allowance by two lengths going the Flower Bowl distance on July 31 at the Spa.

A three-time winner, Capital Structure broke her maiden at first asking in July 2020 at Monmouth Park and won her first race against winners two starts later. After her fifth in the American Oaks, she was away from the races for four months before returning for two races last year. A 10-month respite followed a distance sixth-place finish last August over yielding Spa turf and she returned this June with a close fourth-place effort in allowance company before her latest win.

Jose Ortiz is tasked with the ride from post 1.

Completing the Brown trio is Marvelous Maude, who boasts a perfect in-the-money record from eight lifetime starts. A dark bay New York-bred daughter of Slumber, Marvelous Maude broke her maiden in an off-the-turf maiden last August at Saratoga and has earned three wins since, most recently a last out allowance score against eight rivals on July 30 in her first start against open company. Marvelous Maude was bred by Beechwood Bruckner.

Manny Franco will attempt to engineer a winning ride from post 7.

Rounding out the field are Emory Hamilton’s Flanigan’s Cove [post 2, Javier Castellano], who completed the superfecta in the Glens Falls for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey; and Belladonna Racing’s two-time winner Coastana [post 5, Jose Lezcano], who makes her stakes debut for conditioner Cherie DeVaux.

The Flower Bowl is slated for Race 10 and will be broadcast live on NBC as part of a special 90-minute broadcast from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. that will feature the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup in Race 11, which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Keeneland. First post on Saturday’s 13-race card, which also includes the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac in Race 4, is 12:05 p.m. Eastern. Gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

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

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

-30-

Contact: Mary Eddy

meddy@nyrainc.com
 
New York Racing Association, Inc. – NYRA.com

Facebook Twitter
The New York Racing Association, Inc. | NYRA, Press Office, P.O. Box 90,