Wondrwherecraigis Leads Field For De Francis Dash At Laurel

It's on to the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash for newly minted stakes winner Wondrwherecraigis, who tuned up for his return to graded competition with an easy half-mile breeze Saturday morning at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables' 4-year-old gelding Wondrwherecraigis went four furlongs in :49 over Laurel's main track, which underwent a multi-million dollar reconstruction over the summer.

It was the second work for Wondrwherecraigis since earning his first career stakes victory Aug. 13 in the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He also breezed a half-mile in :49.20 Sept. 3.

“That's all we wanted,” trainer Brittany Russell said of Saturday's work. “He's great. He's in good form. He's happy and he's training well. We have a lot going on at the moment, but it looks like we're going to move forward to next week.”

The six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses Saturday, Sept. 18 at Laurel, which launched its calendar year-ending fall meet Thursday. Joining the De Francis are the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs and a pair of $100,000 stakes going one mile, the Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up and Twixt for females 3 and older.

All four races are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course, the De Francis' illustrious roster of winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster, fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo and Benny the Bull, and Lite the Fuse, the race's only two-time winner (1995-96) honored with his own stakes race in Maryland.

Wondrwherecraigis has won each of his last two starts, both in front-running fashion. Saratoga meet champion Luis Saez was aboard in the six-furlong Tale of the Cat, beating fellow De Francis nominee My Boy Tate by 2 ¾ lengths in 1:10.09. He was a popular 5 ¾-length winner of a July 18 optional claiming allowance at Pimlico under Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell.

The connections will need a new rider as Sheldon Russell suffered a broken foot after being thrown from his horse during the post parade of Thursday's opening day finale at Laurel and will be out indefinitely.

Other jockeys to have ridden Wondrwherecraigis include Jose Lezcano and Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the latter in the 2020 Grade 2 Amsterdam last August where they ran fourth in the Munnings gelding's only previous graded-stakes attempt.

Sheldon Russell is also the regular rider for six-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful, trained by his wife and owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables, and Magic City Stables and scheduled to start in the Weather Vane. Hello Beautiful, who gave Russell his 1,500th career victory in the July 31 Alma North at Pimlico, breezed a half-mile in :48.60 Sept. 8.

“We'll just regroup here the next couple days and see what we're going to do,” Brittany Russell said.

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Other De Francis nominees breezing Saturday were Mucho, four furlongs in :50.80 at the Churchill Downs' Trackside training center for trainer John Ortiz; and Gary Capuano-trained stablemates Band On Tour (:48.20) and Threes Over Deuces (:48.40) at Delaware Park.

Band On Tour, 4, exits a six-furlong optional claiming allowance win Aug. 7 at Pimlico. Threes Over Deuces is a stakes winner that has run second or third in six others including a runner-up finish to Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire in the 2020 Grade 3 General George at Laurel.

Mucho leads the 3-year-old and up dirt sprint division of the MATCH Series with 20 points, two more than defending De Francis champion and fellow nominee Laki. Winner of the July 31 Challedon at Pimlico, Mucho is also tied with Chub Wagon for the overall MATCH Series championship.

Kentucky-based Ortiz said Saturday that Mucho is being pointed to the Grade 2 Phoenix Oct. 8 at Keeneland, an automatic qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

“I know we're sitting so close to winning the MATCH Series, but when a horse is doing this well you have to take advantage,” Ortiz said. “Kentucky being our home and his home track and Lexington being my hometown, I just think it's best to get a 'Win and You're In' while things are going the right way.”

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Friday Card Features Six New York Bred Stakes At Saratoga

State-breds will take center stage Friday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with an 11-race card offering a half-dozen stakes for horses bred in the Empire State comprising New York Showcase Day. The six stakes are worth a combined $1.15 million.

“Saratoga New York Showcase Day is the flagship event on the calendar for our state's breeders and owners,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “We're proud to partner with NYRA to feature an all New York-bred card at the premier racing meet in the country with competitive fields, lucrative purses and six state-bred stakes totaling $1.15 million. This day is a culmination of the hard work our breeders and everyone involved in the New York-bred program do daily to make our program great. It also highlights the advantages of breeding and owning state-breds in New York.”

Friday's card is headlined by the $250,000 Albany, a 1 1/8-mile main track contest for sophomores in Race 9. The lucrative card will include the $200,000 Fleet Indian for sophomore fillies going 1 1/8 miles in Race 7; the $200,000 Funny Cide, presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, for 2-year-olds sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track in Race 4; the $200,000 Seeking the Ante for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 2; the $150,000 West Point presented by Trustco Bank for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf in Race 8; and the $150,000 Yaddo, a handicap for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course in Race 10.

Trainer Christophe Clement will be represented by five horses across four stakes on the card, including Senbei [Funny Cide], Pay Grade [Fleet Indian], and Classic Lady [Yaddo], along with Therapist and City Man in the West Point.

“It's a big deal,” Clement said of the all-state-bred card. “I've got quite a few New York-breds, and, with the clients we have and the money we have to spend, we concentrate on the New York-breds because we have a better chance to get a stakes horse in the division.”

In the featured Albany, Americanrevolution [post 2, Luis Saez] will look to continue his upward trajectory following a 7 ¼-length victory in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes in Farmington, N.Y.

The son of Constitution handled his two-turn debut with flying colors, arriving at the New York Derby off a narrow triumph against next-out winner Water's Edge in a June 20 maiden event going six furlongs at Belmont Park.

Trainer Kelly Breen will saddle two contenders for Ron Lombardi's Mr. Amore Stable in It's a Gamble [post 1, John Velazquez] and It's Gravy [post 9, Joel Rosario].

It's a Gamble, a son of English Channel, earned an open company stakes victory when capturing an off-the-turf edition of the Jersey Derby on May 28 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. The three-time winner broke his maiden over the Mellon turf last summer at Saratoga and defeated winners over the Aqueduct outer turf in the final start of his 2-year-old season.

It's Gravy, by Freud, is in search of his first victory since breaking his maiden on January 16 over a muddy and sealed main track at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. The bay gelding arrives off of a third-place finish in the NYSSS Cab Calloway on July 28 at Saratoga.

Completing the field are Purple Hearted [post 3, Eric Cancel], Bingo John [post 4, Manny Franco], Bobby Bo [post 5, Flavien Prat], Anejo [post 6, Junior Alvarado], Joey Loose Lips [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], and Our Man Mike [post 8, Jose Ortiz].

Stakes action will kick off in Race 2 with CJ Thoroughbreds' stakes-winner Miss Alacrity [post 1, John Velazquez] looking to stay undefeated when headlining the Seeking the Ante.

Miss Alacrity, bred by Milfer Farm, dominated in her debut with a 10-length score in May over the Belmont Park main track. Moved to turf last out, the Munnings filly drew away to a 2 3/4-length score in the Colleen on August 1 at Monmouth. Trainer Wesley Ward will switch her back to the main track on Friday.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will send out Stonestreet Stables' Velvet Sister [post 6, Joel Rosario], a 9 3/4-length debut winner in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., for her second stakes appearance after running fourth in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on July 15 at the Spa. Velvet Sister was a $500,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Also in the field is Joseph Bucci's Laoban's Legacy [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], a 7 3/4-length debut winner for trainer Jeremiah Englehart; McConnell Racing Stable and Darlene Bilinski's Hideout [post 5, Eric Cancel], making her stakes debut for trainer Wayne Potts; November Rein [post 3, Jose Ortiz], who broke her maiden at second asking on July 16 here for conditioner Kelly Breen; and Succulent [post 4, Dylan Davis], looking for her first win, for trainer Phil Gleaves.

In the Funny Cide, Senbei [post 1, Manny Franco], a first-out winner by 4 3/4 lengths on July 18 for Clement, will take the step up in class. The Candy Ride colt, owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski and bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, earned a 73 Beyer for his victory last month.

“He's doing well,” Clement said. “He's still very tender and very green.”

Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso's Run Curtis Run [post 7, Jose Ortiz] will put his 2-for-2 streak on the line for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Summer Front followed his debut win on July 2 at Belmont with a 3 3/4-length victory in the Rick Violette for state breds on July 21 in his Saratoga bow.

Other contenders include the Robertino Diodoro-trained Happy Happy B [post 2, David Cohen]; Shipsational [post 3, Luis Saez], a 6 3/4-length first-out winner last month at the Spa for Edward Barker; Montebello [post 5, John Velazquez], a $400,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Sale for Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert; Daufuskie Island [post 8, Dylan Davis], an Englehart trainee who won by five lengths on August 12 here; Bourbon's Hope [post 6, Joel Rosario], a winner on July 9 at Belmont, for trainer Charlton Baker; and Who Hoo That's Me [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], trained by Jorge Abreu.

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The Fleet Indian will see A Little Bit O' Irish Sass [post 5, Luis Saez] attempt a third consecutive triumph for trainer Richard Schosberg. The gray or roan daughter of Laoban broke her maiden over next-out winners Raffinity and Epona's Dream over a sloppy and sealed main track on July 2 at Belmont Park en route to a score in the New York Oaks on July 26 at Finger Lakes.

Gary Barber's Make Mischief [post 9, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] brings open company class to the Fleet Indian field, having secured graded stakes black type in this year's Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the daughter of leading sire Into Mischief captured the Maddie May on February 20 at Aqueduct in her lone stakes coup.

Clement will saddle two-time winner Pay Grade for owner Robert Evans. The daughter of Tonalist, also trained by Clement and owned by Evans, defeated winners last out on July 10 at Belmont Park going a one-turn mile. Pay Grade broke her maiden at third asking on March 26 going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct.

“Pay Grade is coming into this race very well,” Clement said.

Jockey Eric Cancel, aboard for both victories, will retain the mount from post 2.

Completing the field are Betsy Blue [post 1, Jose Ortiz], Byhubbyhellomoney [post 3, Joel Rosario], Out First [post 4, Jose Lezcano], U Guys Are No Fun [post 6, Andre Worrie], Epona's Dream [post 7, Dylan Davis] and Coffee Bar [post 8, Flavien Prat].

Bond Racing Stable's graded-stakes winner Rinaldi [post 2, Luis Saez], last-out winner of the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple on July 16 at the Spa, will look to defend his title in the 42nd running of the West Point presented by Trustco Bank.

Clement will saddle a strong pair of graded-stakes placed veteran turfers in Oak Bluff Stables' 6-year-old homebred Therapist [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles, and Patty Searles' 4-year-old City Man [post 7, Rosario].

“We know them very well at this point, they've been around forever,” Clement said of the veteran duo. “It won't be an easy race but they are both doing very well.”

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sends out a strong pair for Repole Stable in Grade 1-placed Mo Ready [post 8, Flavien Prat] and three-time winner Microsecond [post 4, Jose Ortiz]. Rounding out the field are Graded On a Curve [post 3, Javier Castellano], Lord Flintshire [post 5, Dylan Davis], and Sanctuary City [post 6, Manny Franco].

A loaded field of 10 line up for the Yaddo headlined by Lawrence Goichman homebred Myhartblongstodady [post 3, Jose Lezcano], who returns to defend her title after scoring gate-to-wire last summer. The 6-year-old Scat Daddy bay, trained by Jorge Abreu, boasts a record of 13-5-2-3 with purse earnings of $344,216.

Strong opposition will be provided by Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Clement-trained Classic Lady [post 2, Joel Rosario], who finished third in last year's Yaddo and didn't re-surface until a fourth-place finish last out on July 31 in an open optional-claiming event on the Monmouth Park turf.

Rounding out the field are Dancingwthdaffodls [post 1, Dylan Davis], Giacosa [post 4, Luis Saez], Kreesie [post 5, John Velazquez], Chocolate Cookie [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Mike's Girl [post 7, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Pecatonica [post 8, Javier Castellano], Dancing Kiki [post 9, Jose Ortiz], and Kilkea [post 10, Flavien Prat].

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Russell Brings Wondrwherecraigis To Saratoga In Search Of First Stakes Win

Four-time winner Wondrwherecraigis will attempt to secure his first career stakes score in Friday's eighth running of the $120,000 Tale of the Cat at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Brittany Russell, Wondrwherecraigis enters the six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded race in 2021 from a 5 3/4-length optional claiming score on July 18 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The 4-year-old dark bay or brown son of Munnings, who garnered a 102 Beyer Speed Figure in his most recent effort, returns to stakes company on the NYRA circuit after being disqualified from second to third in the Gold Fever in July 2020 at Belmont Park ahead of finishing fourth behind three next-out winners in the Grade 2 Amsterdam last August at Saratoga.

Wondrwherecraigis is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.

“It was a big race. He's doing really well,” said Russell. “We figured we would take a look. It looks like the race will set up for him, so we're shipping him up and giving him a chance.”

Jockey Sheldon Russell will ride from post 5.

Trainer Ray Handal will saddle last-out stakes winner Foolish Ghost, who defeated his New York-bred counterparts in the John Morrissey on July 29. The son of Mineshaft was claimed by Handal and owner Ken Russell and Richard Newman Racing last August and has since won four times for his current trainer.

“He's doing well,” Handal said. “There aren't too many sprints for him in the northeast area. On his best day, he can run with some of the good ones, so we'll see.”

Jockey Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 6.

Daniel Alonso's Wind of Change arrives at the Tale of the Cat off a sharp win in the Mr. Prospector on May 29 at Monmouth Park for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The Brazilian-bred Forestry bay seeks his sixth stakes victory, which include four triumphs at such level in his native land.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride from post 4.

My Boy Tate will seek a sixth stakes victory for Little Red Feather Racing and trainer, breeder, and co-owner Michelle Nevin. The 7-year-old son of Boys At Tosconova was second in the 2018 and 2020 Tale of the Cat.

Breaking from post 1, My Boy Tate will be ridden by Manny Franco.

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Multiple stakes-winner Bon Raison [post 3, Jorge Vargas, Jr.] seeks a non-consecutive win in the Tale of the Cat, previously scoring in 2019. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Bon Raison brags the highest bankroll in the field with $685,874.

Completing the field is David Bernsen's Shashashakemeup [post 2, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], a four-time winner for trainer Peter Walder.

The Tale of the Cat is carded as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race program at Saratoga Race Course. First post is 1:05 p.m. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Value Proposition Headlines Field Of Ten For Forbidden Apple At Saratoga

Klaravich Stables' Value Proposition, one of three entrants for trainer Chad Brown, leads a talented field of 10 assembled for Friday's seventh running of the $150,000 Grade 3 Forbidden Apple at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

In addition to Value Proposition, the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner will saddle Sacred Life and Delaware in search of a first win in the one-mile inner turf test for older horses.

Value Proposition matched a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out, winning a one-mile optional-claiming event on the Belmont turf. That effort followed a close third in his seasonal debut in the seven-furlong Elusive Quality on April 24 at Belmont.

The 5-year-old Dansili ridgling made two attempts in graded company last year, finishing third in the Grade 3 Poker in July at Belmont and eighth in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in September.

Brown said he is expecting a strong effort from Value Proposition.

“He's had a few breaks in his form, but I feel that he's really matured mentally,” said Brown. “Early on, he was a bit difficult to get to focus on his job. He now appears to be much more focused and confident in his works and in his last race.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Value Proposition from post 3.

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bethlehem Stables' Sacred Life [post 9, Joel Rosario] enters from a rallying fourth as the beaten favorite in the Grade 2 Dinner Party on May 15 at Pimlico.

The 6-year-old French-bred son of Siyouni made a pair of starts in 2019 at Saratoga, completing the exacta in both the Lure and Grade 2 Bernard Baruch. The talented bay captured the 2017 Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud.

Delaware [post 7, Jose Ortiz], owned by Dubb, Nice Guys Stables, and Michael Caruso, will make his Saratoga debut in his 20th career start. The 5-year-old Frankel bay, a Group 3 winner in France, captured the Danger's Hour in April at Aqueduct ahead of a fourth last out in the Seek Again on May 22 at Belmont.

Augustin Stable's Grade 1-placed Corelli enters from a closing third in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Monmouth, contested over good going on June 5.

The 6-year-old Point of Entry gelding ran third in last year's 11-furlong Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth ahead of a distant fifth in the 12-furlong Grade 1 Sword Dancer over soft going at Saratoga.

A winner of the 1 1/16-mile Henry S. Clark at Pimlico in April in his seasonal debut, Corelli will turn back to one mile for the first time in his 16-race career.

“I thought his best race on paper was the mile and a sixteenth race because he had some pace to run into,” said Thomas. “I don't know that he's a real mile and three-eighths horse. He may, ideally, be a mile and an eighth horse. He does seem to like to come with a run. so what we're hoping for is to get a real pace to close into.”

Thomas said he will continue to seek out opportunities up to nine furlongs for the bay gelding.

“He ran well going a mile and three-eighths last year, but he was getting weaker as the race went on, not stronger,” said Thomas. “So, the turnback seems to suit him a little bit.”

Corelli will exit post 2 under Manny Franco.

Bond Racing Stable's New York-bred Rinaldi has proven to be a horse-for-course at Saratoga with three wins from four attempts, including scores in the NYSSS Spectacular Bid and NYSSS Cab Calloway in 2019 and the West Point for state-breds in September. His lone losing effort came with a strong fourth in the Grade 3 Saranac in August.

The 5-year-old Posse gelding, bred in the Empire State by Barry Ostrager, was a pace-setting second in the one-mile Danger's Hour in his seasonal debut in April at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Luis Saez will have the call from the inside post.

Calumet Farm's well-bred Flying Scotsman, a 5-year-old English Channel chestnut, will look to get back to winning ways after off-the-board efforts in his last three starts for trainer Jack Sisterson.

Out of the French Deputy mare Padmore, Flying Scotsman is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Leigh Court and 11-time winning stablemate Bon Raison. A four-time winner from 14 starts, Flying Scotsman finished sixth last out, defeated just 2 1/4-lengths, in the Grade 2 Dinner Party at Pimlico.

Flying Scotsman captured the 2018 Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille for Hall of Fame conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer and won the 2019 Woodchopper at Fair Grounds in his third start for Sisterson.

Ricardo Santana, Jr. will pilot Flying Scotsman from post 6.

Rounding out the field are graded-stakes placed New York-bred Therapist [post 4, Javier Castellano]; multiple graded stakes winner Made You Look [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione]; allowance winner Sanctuary City [post 8, Dylan Davis]; and multiple graded stakes placed Logical Myth [post 10, John Velazquez].

The Forbidden Apple is slated as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, 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 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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