Souper Sensational Returns To The Spa For Prioress

Live Oak Plantation's graded stakes-winner Souper Sensational will look to build on a strong runner-up effort in a stakes sprint at Saratoga Race Course with a return engagement at the summer meet, headlining a six-horse field of 3-year-old fillies in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress contested at six furlongs at the Spa.

The 74th running of the Prioress, slated as Race 5 on the 12-race card, will be part of a packed day that includes the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold up for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/4 miles in a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar; the Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl for older fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles on the turf [“Win and You're In” for Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf; and the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. First post will be 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Souper Sensational notched her first graded stakes win with a 3 1/4-length score in the Grade 3 Victory Ride on July 10 at Belmont. Making her Saratoga debut, Souper Sensational stalked the pace before running second to Bella Sofia in the Grade 1 Longines Test contested at seven furlongs on August 7 over a fast track.

Returning three weeks later and shortened up in distance, the daughter of Hall of Famer Curlin will again team with jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., drawing the outermost post.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said Souper Sensational, a $725,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Sale, has been training forwardly at Saratoga since the Test, including a four-furlong breeze in 47.88 seconds on August 25 over the main track.

“She's doing well. She's a nice horse,” Casse said. “We've been proud of her efforts. She came out of the Test well and is doing everything right.”

Holly Hill Stables' Edie Meeny Miny Mo handled the step up in class last out, running second to Leader of the Band in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks on July 31.

Unraced as a juvenile, the Miguel Vera trainee dominated in her first two career starts at Monmouth, posting a 4 1/4-length debut win on April 23 at six furlongs before besting optional claimers going the same distance on June 13.

After making a strong account of herself against steeper competition, the Upstart filly will make her Saratoga debut with Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza, who rode her in the Monmouth Oaks, back in the irons from post 2.

“She's going to get to the race in perfect condition. I'm very happy with the way she's training,” Vera said. “I'm excited to see her run in New York. The last race, I was happy with how she ran. She didn't break sharp enough but then she did everything right. I'd be more confident if she can sit behind the speed, like we had planned it for that race, but there was no speed in there, so she had to go on the lead. I still think she did awesome for the first time in a graded stakes and going two turns.”

Edie Meeny Mino Mo was a $400,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Vera said returning to sprinting could also be a positive for his horse, who will add blinkers.

“I think she can be a good distance horse, but I she needs a little more experience,” Vera said.

D.J. Stable's Amendment Nineteen will elevate to stakes company for the first time after sandwiching a victory around runner-up efforts in her first three starts for reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox. The Constitution filly ran second in her debut in April sprinting six furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack and posted a maiden-breaking two-length score stretched out to a one-turn mile over a sloppy and sealed Belmont track on May 30.

After running second in a seven-furlong allowance sprint on July 24 at Saratoga, Amendment Nineteen will return to the same track, exiting post 5 with Jose Ortiz drawing the assignment.

Tee-N-Jay Farm's Oxana won her last two starts at Parx in dominating fashion and she makes her first stakes start. Trained by Timothy Hills, the Pennsylvania-bred Oxana ran a dull seventh on turf in her debut in June at Monmouth but has thrived since moving to dirt, drawing away for an 18-length score against a seven-horse field of fellow state breds going 6 1/2 furlongs on June 23. Oxana then posted another double-digit length win [10 1/4] competing at six furlongs against older, open company last out on July 20.

The daughter of Uptowncharlybrown will pick up the services of jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. from the inside post.

Joel Politi's Li'l Tootsie made her turf debut last out in the Galway, running ninth on August 15 at Saratoga, but will return to the main track for the Prioress. Trainer Tom Amoss tried the Tapiture filly on the grass for the first time after a ninth-place finish in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks in July and will see if she can show the form displayed when she started her sophomore campaign 2-for-2 with both wins at Fair Grounds.

Dylan Davis will have the call from post 3.

P.D. Ladner's Cilla enters her first Saratoga appearance off back-to-back stakes wins as she makes her first start for trainer Charlton Baker after previously being trained by Brett Brinkman. Cilla won the Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle in June at Evangeline before capturing the off-the-turf Blue Sparkler on July 10 at Monmouth Park.

Cilla, 4-0-2 in nine career starts, will have Tyler Gaffalione in the irons from post 4.

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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Jaxon Traveler, Alwaysinahurry Lead Nominations For Star De Naskra At Pimlico

Multiple stakes winner Jaxon Traveler, stakes winners Alwaysinahurry and Shackled Love, and graded-stakes placed Hemp head a list of 16 horses nominated to the $75,000 Star de Naskra Saturday, Aug. 21 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The Star de Naskra for 3-year-olds is among four $75,000 stakes restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses on the Maryland Pride Day program, joined by the Miss Disco for 3-year-old fillies, also sprinting six furlongs; 1 1/16-mile Find for 3-year-olds and up; and 1 1/16-mile All Brandy for fillies and mares 3 and older, both on the grass.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler was a 10-length debut winner last September at Pimlico and capped an undefeated 2-year-old season by defeating state-breds in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Winner of the April 24 Bachelor at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., he was second to stablemate Mighty Mischief in the Grade 3 Chick Lang May 15 at Pimlico and made his two most recent starts on synthetic and grass, running third in the July 15 Grade 3 Quick Call at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Dale Capuano trains Mopo Racing's Alwaysinahurry, who emerged from multiple stakes-winning stablemate Kenny Had a Notion's shadow with a commanding victory over Mighty Mischief in the July 4 Concern at Pimlico. Kenny Had a Notion, also nominated, was entered at Pimlico Sunday.

ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable's Shackled Love won the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms March 13 at Laurel but has finished sixth in three subsequent starts, the Federico Tesio, Chick Lang, and Bald Eagle Derby, the latter 1 ½ miles on the Pimlico turf July 24. Narrow Leaf Farm's Hemp ran third in the Chick Lang and exits a runner-up finish after setting the pace July 2 at Charles Town in Charles Town, W. Va.

Six-time stakes winner Street Lute and Grade 3-placed Edie Meeny Miny Mo are prominent among 15 nominees to the Miss Disco. Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute won five straight stakes last fall and winter at Laurel and captured an off-the-turf Stormy Blues June 13 at Pimlico. Most recently, she finished sixth, beaten 2 ½ lengths, in her first try on dirt and against older horses in the 5 ½-furlong M. Tyson Gilpin July 19 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va.

Holly Hill Stables' Edie Meeny Miny Mo is undefeated at Pimlico, capturing an April 23 waiver maiden claimer by 4 ½ lengths and romping by six in a June 13 optional claiming allowance, her first two career starts. Last out, the Miguel Vera trainee ran second as the favorite after setting the pace in the July 31 Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Most popular among horsemen was the Find, whose 29 nominees include 2019 Maryland Million Turf winner Mr. d'Angelo; 2020 Maryland Million Starter Handicap winner Beltway Bob; Cannon's Roar, second in the 2020 Maryland Million Turf and third in the West Virginia Speaker's Cup Aug. 7 at Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W. Va.; and dirt stakes winners Air Token, Alwaysmining, and Cordmaker.

The All Brandy attracted 27 nominations led by Danger Zone, 2-2-1 in seven starts since being moved to the turf this winter at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.; Dendrobia and Quiet Company, respectively second and third in the five-furlong Jameela July 4 at Pimlico; Fool Yourself, a winner of two straight for Preakness Meet leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez; and Artful Splatter, a multiple stakes winner on dirt.

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Leader of the Band Rallies Late To Win Monmouth Oaks

Stretching out from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles for the first time, Edie Meeny Miny Mo looked like she would have no trouble with the extra distance, but Leader of the Band made a big run down the stretch to catch the favorite and win the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks by two lengths at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Edie Meeny Miny Mo went into the G3 Monmouth Oaks with two wins in two lifetime starts, ready to try stakes company for the first time. Also in the field of nine for the G3 Monmouth Oaks was Leader of the Band, a last-out third behind Crazy Beautiful in the Delaware Oaks. Under jockey Frankie Pennington, Leader of the Band broke cleanly, running seventh behind early leader Coppelia entering the first turn. Edie Meeny Miny Mo took the lead before the first quarter, striding out to a two-length advantage over Midnight Obsession and Coppelia. Repelling a challenge from Midnight Obsession on the final turn, the favorite looked like she might get an easy win in her first race around two turns.

On the final turn, Pennington took Leader of the Band to the outside, the filly accelerating through the stretch to catch Edie Meeny Miny Mo in the race's final strides. Midnight Obsession held on for third. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.44.

Leader of the Band paid $22.60, $7.40, and $4.40. Edie Meeny Miny Mo paid $4.00 and $2.60. Midnight Obsession paid $2.80 to show.

Find this race's chart here.

“She ran great. Unfortunately, my other horse (third-place finisher Midnight Obsession) came out a little bit and bothered her at the start, so I thought she would be a little bit closer. But it might have worked out for the best. Paco Lopez had Midnight Obsession a little closer than I expected, because I knew Edie Meeny Mino Mo would probably have to show speed coming out of two sprints. But it all worked out in our favor,” Leader of the Band's trainer John Servis commented after G3 Monmouth Oaks.

“The last time she ran in the Delaware Oaks she didn't get off great. Today she made a great run late. When the pace was up ahead of me, she felt pretty good and I was sitting there and every time I nudged her she was giving me something so I felt pretty comfortable coming out of the three-eighths turn.” Frankie Pennington said post-race. “She clipped heels a little bit after the break and I was a little further back than I wanted to be but she is such a nice horse, she kept chugging and she got the job done.”

Bred in Pennsylvania by owner SMD Limited, Leader of the Band is by Bandbox out of the Sir Cat mare Catsuit. The win in the G3 Monmouth Oaks brings Leader of the Band to two wins in five starts in 2021 and a lifetime record of three wins in seven starts for career earnings of $264,540.

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