Alabama Possible Next Stop For Malathaat

Shadwell Stable's Malathaat garnered a career-best 96 Beyer for her game runner-up effort to Maracuja in Saturday's Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and piloted by fellow Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the regally bred Curlin bay was pressured throughout the nine-furlong journey, first by Maracuja and later by Clairiere, after exiting the inside post in a compact field of four.

Malathaat, out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, maintained a precarious advantage at the stretch call but could not repel the rallying Maracuja, who prevailed by a head.

Pletcher said he concurred with the Daily Racing Form running line comment, which read, in part, “hounded.”

“Hounded is an accurate description,” Pletcher said. “We had a difficult time analyzing the race beforehand and how we thought it might unfold. There wasn't a lot of speed on paper and we were in the one post with a target on our backs, so our strategy was to let her run away from the gate and try to establish a position into the first turn, or, if someone was to clear us, hopefully move out into the clear.

“Everyone left there with the same intention and by the time we got to the first quarter we'd gone 23 and 1, which is fine if we could have a little breather along the way,” Pletcher continued. “But as soon as we got on the backside, Irad [Ortiz, Jr. aboard Clairiere] made a move and put pressure on her. She kind of had to fight off the whole field. When you're a heavy favorite in a race like that with a short field, those things can happen. I'm not disappointed with the filly at all. I thought she ran bravely considering everything that was thrown at her off the layoff. If she comes back well, we'll point towards the Alabama.”

The 10-furlong $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama is slated for August 21.

Pletcher said Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph F. Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson's multiple graded-stakes winner Con Lima is training well into the 1 3/16-mile $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational, the second leg of the Turf Triple series for fillies on August 8.

The Texas-bred daughter of Commissioner, who captured the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Herecomesthebride by disqualification in February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., worked a half-mile in :51.66 Saturday on the Saratoga main track.

“She worked fine. She's a high energy filly that seems to take her races well,” Pletcher said. “She'll have one more breeze and it seems like everything is in order.”

Last out, in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, Con Lima stretched her speed to 10 furlongs over good going, but was collared in the final stride by highly regarded Santa Barbara.

Pletcher was full of praise for the ultra-consistent dark bay, who boasts a record of six wins and five seconds from 12 starts with purse earnings of $509,865.

“She just continues to step up. She's been super consistent and gives a good effort every time,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said the tighter turns of the Saratoga turf may prove favorable for the handy Con Lima.

“This will be a little more favorable although she did win the Wonder Again at Belmont,” Pletcher said. “She seemed to really like Gulfstream, which is a tighter course, so maybe that will work in her favor here.”

CHC and WinStar Farm's undefeated Life Is Good, recently transferred to Pletcher's care, worked a half-mile in :48.88 Saturday on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

Pletcher said the Into Mischief Bay, who bested Kentucky Derby-winner Medina Spirit in the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita, will target either the seven-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 28 at the Spa, or the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 Grade 3 Smarty Jones on August 24 at Parx.

“He breezed in in 48 and change. He's a very impressive horse to watch train. He did that well in hand throughout,” Pletcher said. “We'll play it by ear, but we have a couple of options with the Allen Jerkens here and the Smarty Jones at Parx would be a possibility if we needed more time. He's a super talented horse and we're fortunate to have him.”

Repole Stable's Midnight Worker, a 2-year-old bay colt by Outwork, earned a 59 Beyer for a hard-fought win by a head in a six-furlong maiden special weight Saturday at Saratoga. A $60,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Midnight Worker was piloted to victory by Luis Saez.

“It was a good effort,” Pletcher said. “He was under pressure from the one hole, but worked out a trip and fought off a couple challenges. I was proud of his effort and he was very solid on debut. “

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Pletcher Plans Saratoga Starts For Con Lima, Malathaat

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher saddled Con Lima and Sainthood for formidable efforts in Saturday's opening legs of the Turf Triple series with the former a front-running second in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and the latter a close fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima, who entered the Belmont Oaks from a prominent win in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again, set a smart pace under Flavien Prat in the 10-furlong test over good going. The Commissioner filly opened up a 1 1/2-length lead at the stretch call and fought bravely to the wire, falling just a half-length short of the rallying Santa Barbara.

Pletcher said Con Lima will likely progress to the 1 3/16-mile $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“She ran her heart out. It was a big effort from her,” said Pletcher. “She handled the distance fine and ran well enough to give her another shot.”

CHC and WinStar Farm's Sainthood, a dark bay son of Mshawish, enjoyed a ground-saving trip under Joel Rosario in his turf debut in the G1 Belmont Derby.

Sitting just off a moderate pace, Sainthood progressed along the inside down the lane, but failed to make up the needed ground en route to a fifth-place finish, just 2 1/4-lengths back of the victorious Bolshoi Ballet.

“He ran well. He had a good trip but just couldn't quite polish it off,” said Pletcher. “I thought he ran a respectable race.”

Pletcher said Sainthood, who graduated on the Fair Grounds dirt in February and won the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks on the Turfway Park synthetic in March, could turn back in the one-mile $200,000 Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 6 at the Spa.

“He's versatile enough and proven he can run well on three different surfaces. It leaves us with a lot of different options,” said Pletcher. “We'll see how he bounces out of it, but something like the Hall of Fame might make sense.”

WinStar Farm's Country Grammer, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in May at Santa Anita Park, breezed a half-mile in :49.22 in company with Grade 3 Peter Pan-winner Promise Keeper on the dirt training track on Sunday.

Country Grammer is working towards a start in the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 at the Spa, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6.

“He's an honest workhorse but the more we're around him it seems he's really good at just clicking off those 12s,” said Pletcher. “We'll put a couple more good works into him and have him ready for the Whitney.”

Pletcher said Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm, and Rock Ridge Racing's Promise Keeper, a sophomore son of Curlin, will target either the $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 31 at Saratoga or the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby on August 7 at Mountaineer.

Shadwell Stable's Malathaat worked a half-mile in :49.96 on the dirt training track in company with Dynamic One on Saturday in preparation for the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies on July 24 at Saratoga

“She went great. I'm really pleased with the way she's doing,” said Pletcher. “She worked well with a big, strong gallop out. We'll probably have one breeze at Saratoga and she'll be ready to go.”

Undefeated in five starts, Malathaat won the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks last out on April 30 on the heels of a head score in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland.

Out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, Malathaat has worked consistently with Dynamic One, runner-up in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April, who finished 18th last out in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

“They've been workmates coming off similar schedules from the Oaks and Derby. They make good mates. She doesn't have any trouble holding her own,” said Pletcher, who noted that Dynamic One is probable for the $120,000 Curlin on July 30 at Saratoga.

Pletcher said the connections had contemplated starting Malathaat against the boys in the 12-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in June, but that the filly has flourished with time between starts.

“We were strongly considering the Belmont, but my biggest concern was we had the two races back-to-back with the Ashland and the Oaks,” said Pletcher. “I was afraid a gut-wrenching mile and a half could set her back and it's paid off. She's gained some weight and trained very well. Hopefully, it sets her up for a good Saratoga. She's pretty special. We're blessed to have her. You don't come across many like her.”

Pletcher said if all goes well in the Coaching Club American Oaks, a start in the $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama on August 21 is likely.

Pletcher will saddle a pair of Shadwell Stable homebreds in Ajaaweed and Arham in a nine-furlong allowance event on the main track on Thursday, Opening Day of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course.

Slated for Race 7 on the 10-race card, Ajaaweed will exit post 12 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, while Arham will leave from post 4 under Luis Saez.

The multiple graded stakes-placed Ajaaweed worked a bullet half-mile over the Belmont turf in June, but Pletcher said he preferred to re-group on the main track after the colt's off-the-board effort last out in the Grade 2 Brooklyn.

“It didn't seem to me like he relished the turf even though the time seemed good,” said Pletcher. “He was kind of all-in I thought, so we'll give him another shot on the dirt and see how it goes. Dropping back into an allowance race should help him. I'm not crazy about the 12 post, but we'll do the best we can with it.”

Arham, a 4-year-old son of Union Rags, matched a career-best 91 Beyer last out with a runner-up effort in a 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance on June 19 at Belmont. He added blinkers for a bullet half-mile breeze in :48.62 on July 8 on the Belmont dirt training track.

“The horse is doing really well,” said Pletcher. “His last race was good and we're adding blinkers because he seemed a little unfocused. I thought he worked well with the blinkers and I expect him to take a step forward.”

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Santa Barbara Digs Deep, Surges Late To Win Belmont Oaks

In a race that looked like Con Lima might win wire-to-wire, Santa Barbara capitalized on the potential she showed as a 2-year-old and surged past Con Lima to steal the victory in the waning strides of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

After finishing second in her last race at the Curragh June 27, Santa Barbara came into the mile and a quarter Belmont Oaks winless in her previous starts of 2021. Aidan O'Brien had been high on the daughter of Camelot (GB) and sent her stateside for the G1 Belmont Oaks, with jockey Ryan Moore on board. At the break, it was all Con Lima, taking an easy lead and controlling the pace throughout the first nine furlongs. Behind her were Spanish Loveaffair, Nazuna, and Higher Truth, all biding their time for the stretch. Santa Barbara hung toward the back of the pack, and, as the field came into the final turn, Santa Barbara had a challenge ahead of her.

With a wall of horses in front of him, Moore tried to take Santa Barbara along the hedge on the turn, coming into the stretch searching for running room somewhere. With Con Lima still leading, Moore moved Santa Barbara toward the middle of the track, finally finding running room between horses with only a sixteenth of a mile to go. Santa Barbara accelerated, quickly shrinking the gap between her and Con Lima and flashing under the wire a half-length to the good. Con Lima just held on for second, with Higher Truth in third and Gam's Mission fourth. The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:03.76.

Bred in Ireland by Whisperview Trading Limited, Santa Barbara is by Camelot out of the Danehill mare Senta's Dream. The 3-year-old filly is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg. With her win in the Belmont Oaks, Santa Barbara improves to a record of two wins in five lifetime starts.

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Santa Barbara Headlines Belmont Oaks

Every year the GI Belmont Oaks and Derby attract an intriguing mix of European invaders and America's best sophomore turf horses and this year is no exception. The Coolmore contingent, Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore have a strong shot at taking their second renewal of this race with 'TDN Rising Star' Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who enters this race of a narrow runner-up in Group 1 company. A debut winner at the Curragh in September, the bay was fourth in the G1 QIPCO One Thousand Guineas May 2 at Newmarket. A well-beaten fifth in the June 4 G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom, Santa Barbara missed by just a neck in the G1 Pretty Polly S. back at the Curragh June 27.

“Every race she's had this year has been a Group 1 and she's been running very well in them,” said O'Brien's traveling assistant T.J. Comerford. “I suppose the ground was bad at Epsom when she ran in the Oaks. Quicker ground suited her better taking on the older fillies [in the Pretty Polly] and she ran well.”

Roger Varian also made the trip across the pond with a strong contender in Nazuna (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The bay was second in a Doncaster handicap Sept. 10 and completed the exacta in the G2 Rockfel S. 15 days later. Failing to fire in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 6, she was second last out in the Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom June 5. Varian called on Belmont expert John Velazquez to guide Nazuna here.

Rounding out the European trio is Group 3 winner Cirona (GB) (Maxios {GB}). Following an allowance win with runner-up efforts in the G3 Priz des Reservoirs and Criterium du Languedoc last term, the dark bay opened 2021 with a victory in the G3 Prix de la Grotte in April and missed by a head in the Prix Saint-Allary May 24. She enters off a non-factor 10th in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines June 20. Cirona will be saddled by Christophe Ferland here, but part-owner Pete Bradley indicated she would be transferred to Chad Brown after this race.

“A filly like this is right in Chad's wheelhouse,” said Bradley. “It doesn't look like there will be firm going up there. I don't think some cut in the ground ever hurts with 90% of European horses. I don't see where the turf will be problematic regardless of what it is this week.”

The top two from the local prep for this event, the GIII Wonder Again S., return here in Con Lima (Commissioner) and Plum Ali (First Samurai). Only off the board once in 11 starts, the dark bay scored a decisive victory in the Honey Ryder S. May 1 and followed suit with a half-length defeat of Plum Ali in the Wonder Again June 3. Winner of this venue's GII Miss Grillo S. last term, Plum Ali was third in the GII Appalachian S. prior to the Wonder Again.

“She shows up and runs well every time,” said Todd Pletcher. “She finished up the mile and an eighth really well last time and being a daughter of Commissioner, you'd think the mile and a quarter would be within her scope. We're happy with the way she's doing and looking forward to giving her a shot.”

The first two home in the GIII Regret S. also return here in Gam's Mission (Noble Missioon {GB}) and Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}). Gam's Mission has a lifetime record of three-for-four and stakes winner Spanish Loveaffair has been a consistent performer in graded company.

Rounding out the field is a horse making her first start in graded company, but who hails from a barn that can't be ignored in a turf stakes. The Chad Brown-trained Higher Truth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won a pair of 10-furlong events over this course Apr. 22 and June 10.

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