Graded Stakes Mark Saratoga Opening Weekend

How's your Saratoga opening weekend stakes knowledge?

You probably already knew that the Sanford S. is the only race that the legendary Man o' War ever lost. Or that over a five-year span in the '60s, the great Kelso amassed a staggering record of 63-39-12-2. You also knew that the late '80s warrior Quick Call, who lived to the ripe old age of 35, was denied a third consecutive GII Forego H. by a nose to Lay Down.

And if you are pretty sharp, then you have it down pat that the inaugural running of the Diana S. occurred the same year–1939– that Hitler invaded Poland, which was the last time mounted cavalry saw action against tanks.

Saratoga is dripping with history–it's literally in the water. The track's storied past reminds us of Max Weber's warning that, “Specialists without spirit, sensualists without heart; this nullity imagines that it has attained a level of civilization never before achieved.” In other words, we need the magic to keep us anchored, as we bob along in a digital sea of information.

With the historical juices sufficiently percolating, here's a rundown of the weekend graded action.

GI Diana S. (Saturday)
Besides trainer Charlie Appleby in 2021, no one has been able to dethrone Chad Brown in this Grade I turf event since 2016. The likelihood of another win for Brown appears imminent, were it not for the presence of Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}).

Marketsegmentation | Sarah Andrew

Trained by Mark Casse, the 5-year-old mare is a MGSW who is making her first trip down from Woodbine. “She's coming back a little quick, but I'm going with the old Allen Jerkens line, 'When they're going good, run 'em,'” Casse said.

Out of Brown's four entries, Peter Brant's defending champ and 'TDN Rising Star' In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks best, but Marketsegmentation (American Pharoah), a 4-year-old filly owned by Klaravich Stables, is coming off a signature win June 9 in the GI New York S. at Belmont Park.

GIII Kelso S. (Saturday)
Shortening up over the grass, an experienced group of 4-year-olds and up assemble, with 'TDN Rising Star' and GISW Annapolis (War Front) serving as the standout. The Bass Stables homebred, who was second in last year's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational, won the GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. at Keeneland in October en route to a GI Breeders' Cup Mile berth.

Standing in his way is the accomplished grass miler Big Everest (GB) (The Gurkha {Ire}). Making his first graded stakes start, the 5-year-old gelding has won his last six out of seven starts.

“He was the kind of horse that, early on, he fought with the jockey,” said Big Everest's co-owner Dean Reeves. “We learned over time that he was fighting with the jockey because he had speed and wanted to go to the front. So, once we got out of his way and once he was gelded, he doesn't back up and they don't have enough to catch him.”

Also entered is the well-traveled fan-favorite, MGISW Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), whose style for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott makes him extremely dangerous towards the wire.

GIII Sanford S. (Saturday)
Rounding out the Saturday graded action is this 2-year-old NYRA series test, which has drawn 10. Trainer Steve Asmussen watched Gold Sweep (Speightstown) romp home by nine lengths as he posted a 91 Beyer figure in the Tremont S. June 11 at Belmont Park. The Hall of Fame trainer has never won the Sanford.

Others of note include Market Street (Street Sense), trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who broke his maiden in front-running fashion over the slop by 3 3/4 lengths June 29 at Ellis Park. He will be joined by Triple Trea (Bolt d'Oro). The dark bay colt debuted a winner for Barbara Minshall with a late move in early June on Woodbine's Tapeta.

“He's really nice,” Minshall said. “He's very rideable and it looks like there's a lot of speed in the race. Hopefully, he makes his big run and can get the job done. There's some really nice horses in there–the Asmussen horse [Gold Sweep] looks really tough–but he's coming into it in good order.”

GIII Quick Call S. (Sunday)

No Nay Hudson | Coady Photography

The final graded stakes of the weekend on Sunday afternoon pits 3-year-old turf sprinters against one another. Wesley Ward has two entered in this spot with No Nay Hudson (Ire) (No Nay Never), winner last out of the May 13 William Walker S. at Churchill Downs, and Eye Witness (City of Light), a $650,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase who won the Paradise Creek S. at Belmont Park May 20.

“He's [No Nay Hudson] one we're just trying to get to settle. My main exercise rider, Julio Garcia, has got the horse to relax,” Ward said. “We're doing some nice, easy slow works and he's got a couple races in him now. Fitness isn't an issue. It's just trying to get his mind to where we can get him to settle. He's at Saratoga now and ready to go.”

Facing this pair is Gaslight Dancer (City of Light). The Mike Maker trainee should not be overlooked after winning the Palisades S. at Keeneland in April and the bay colt did finish third behind No Nay Hudson in the William Walker.

The post Graded Stakes Mark Saratoga Opening Weekend appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Making Waves: Game, Set, Match

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Set Piece in the GIII Arlington S. at Churchill Downs in June.

 

Another Graded Victory For Juddmonte Veteran

Decorated 7-year-old Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}) won the Arlington S. at Churchill Downs earlier this month for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms and trainer Brad Cox (video).

The newly minted millionaire, who was runner-up in the 2021 GI Fourstardave H., was taking his fourth graded event. A half-brother to dual stakes winner and two-time Group 3 runner-up Alocasia (GB) (Kingman {GB}), the gelding's latest half-sibling is a yearling Kingman filly. From the extended family of Group 1 winners Elmaamul (Diesis {GB}) and Reams Of Verse (Nureyev), Set Piece is also kin to GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

Juddmonte's late Dansili has sired 19 stakes winners from 88 runners (21%) in the U.S. His 45 American winners (51%) also include 14 graded winners (16%), and eight Grade I scorers (9%). His best progeny in this region are headed by four-time Grade I winner Proviso (GB).

 

 

Another Juddmonte Homebred Doubles Down

Juncture (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who won the Listed Cooley Fillies S. at Dundalk in her final European start, ran out a handy winner of the Ouija Board Distaff S. at Lone Star Park to give owner-breeder Juddmonte and trainer Brad Cox an end-of-the-month present.

Placed three times at group level in Ireland, the 4-year-old is the first foal out of her dam, Occurrence (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and is followed by the unraced 3-year-old filly Singularity (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and a yearling filly by Oasis Dream (GB). Her second dam is a full-sister to blue hen Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), and has G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Promising Lead (GB) (Danehill) to her credit.

One of 24 winners from 42 runners in the U.S. (57%) for Yeomanstown Stud's Dark Angel, Juncture is one of six stakes winners (14%) which includes Grade I winners Raging Bull (Fr), Althiqa (GB) and Hunt (Ire).

Free Spirit At Monmouth

Spirit And Glory (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), who races for Michael Nentwig, Michael Dubb, Beast Mode Racing LLC, John Rochfort and trainer Robert N. Falcone, Jr., is now a two-time U.S. stakes winner after taking the Miss Liberty S. at Monmouth on May 28 (video).

The Dr. Noel Cogan and Patrick Williams-bred carried the colours of the Get Up And Go Again Syndicate for her four Irish starts under the care of Michael Mulvany, and joined the Falcone barn prior to July of 2022. Her three-time winning dam left Spirit And Glory and three other winners, as well as a yearling filly by Kuroshio (Aus).

Cotai Glory, best known as the sire of the Group 1-winning sprinter The Platinum Queen (Ire), has two winners from six runners in the U.S. (33%) and Spirit And Glory is his first stakes winner in that jurisdiction.

 

 

Le Havre Filly Graduates At Belmont

Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown teamed up to win a Belmont maiden special weight with Utilization Rate (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) recently (video).

Bred by Neustrian Associates and Christopher Hirst, the filly is a half-sister to Ride The Skies (Fr) (City Light {Fr}). A €95,000 Arqana October yearling, the dark bay is a granddaughter of G3 Prix Eclipse victress Iron Lips (GB) (Iron Mask) who is a half-sister to G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero and sire Falco (Pivotal {GB}).

The much-missed Le Havre has sired nine winners from 19 runners (47%) in the U.S. All three of his American stakes winners won graded stakes (16%), anchored by GI Turf Mile S. hero Suedois (Fr), while multiple graded winner Rymska (Fr) was second in both the GI Gamely S. and GI Jenny Wiley S.

Wonderfull Second Up Beneath The Twin Spires

Runnymede Farm and A.I.S's Wonderfull Lady (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) collected her first American win over the Churchill Downs turf for trainer Brendan Walsh in May (video).

Bred by former trainer Jean-Philippe Dubois, the bay made one start for Ecurie Victoria Dreams and Dubois last July, before racing for Maurice Lagasse and Catesby Clay in her next three French appearances including a fourth in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs for trainer Yann Barberot. The last foal of her dam, the Elusive Quality mare Tender Night, her great granddam is multiple group winner Smolensk (Danzig), who was second in the G1 Coronation S. and is a daughter of outstanding producer and Classic winner Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom {Fr}).

From five U.S. runners, Almanzor has sired four winners (80%), and one stakes winner, the 2022 Listed Woodhaven S. hero Unanimous Consent (GB).

 

 

Shock And Aw In California

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) made a winning Stateside debut at Santa Anita for trainer Leonard Powell (video).

A winner in three starts for breeder Morera Partnership and trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy, the 3-year-old filly was a 26,000gns Tattersalls Somerville yearling purchase by Mark McStay's Avenue Bloodstock and was acquired privately by these connections. Out of a Teofilo (Ire) half-sister to G1 Nassau S. heroine Sultanina (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), Anisette is followed by juvenile colt Eton Mes (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) and a yearling filly by Make Believe (GB).

Awtaad's American sire record stands at two winners from four runners (50%). Ebeko (Ire) won the Listed Zuma Beach S. and was fourth in the GIII Cecil B. DeMille S.

 

Check It Twice

During a purple patch of form for Klaravich runners after Ultilization Rate's victory in late May, 4-year-old filly Customer List (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) won a Monmouth allowance for Chad Brown on Derby day last Saturday (video) less than half an hour before Redistricting (GB) (Kingman {GB}) became the latest winner to wear the red-and-white silks when breaking his maiden at Belmont (video).

Bred by S.C.E.A. De La Fontaine & Ecurie Skymarc Farm, the €250,000 Arqana Deauville September yearling is the first foal of her winning dam. A 2-year-old by Sea The Moon (Ger) and a weanling colt by New Bay (GB) are still to come from Equivocal (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), herself a half-sister to multiple graded winner and GI Flower Bowl Invitational S. second Criticism (GB) (Machiavellian).

Coolmore's Wootton Bassett has 14 winners from 20 runners (70%) in the U.S., and his six stakes winners (30%) are led by Audarya (Fr), who won the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

In Redistricting's case, the Farm Cove Thoroughbreds Ltd.-bred was a 140,000gns selection out of the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale. The final foal out of the deceased Cascata (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), the gelding is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Pacharana (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Misericordia (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who was third in the GII Presque Isle Downs Masters S. Multiple Group 1 winner St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) is under his second dam.

Kingman has accounted for 27 winners from 52 runners (52%) in the U.S., with eight of those (15%) being stakes winners. His best to date has been three-time Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB), who also raced in the Klaravich silks.

 

 

Honourable Mentions

A repeat winner among the Making Waves brigade is Big Everest (GB) (The Gurkha {Ire}), who added the Cliff Hanger S. at Monmouth Park to his resume near the end of May (video). The Christophe Clement trainee, who is raced by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco and William Branch, won the Listed Danger's Hour S. at Aqueduct in April.

Another Making Waves veteran is Cheyenne Stable LLC's Mondego (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Previously a maiden winner at Belmont in May, he stepped up to win an allowance contest there for trainer Christophe Clement on June 2 (video).

The post Making Waves: Game, Set, Match appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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