The GII Miss Grillo S., a pathway to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, brings together a cast of 12. Only Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Gala Brand (Violence) has graded experience. The chestnut filly delivered in her second start when she faced males and won the GIII With Anticipation S. Aug. 31 at Saratoga over next-out GI bet365 Summer S. hero Carson's Run (Cupid).

From the inside gates, Appellate (Constitution) from the Todd Pletcher barn and Hard to Justify (Justify) from Chad Brown's shedrow will tussle once again. The latter won on debut by a head over the former July 23 at Saratoga, but the Pletcher trainee made a start since Sept. 3 upstate and gained some valuable grass experience as a runner-up once again.

Meanwhile, Gainesway homebred Memorialize (Karakontie {Jpn}) for Graham Motion is looking to build on her own maiden victory, this one at second-asking, when the chestnut filly won confidently by three lengths Aug. 20 at Saratoga.

The boys get their chance later on the BAQ card when the GII Pilgrim S. goes off with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf implications at stake. Leading the way is 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road), who absolutely rolled from seemingly nowhere Sept. 2 at Saratoga to break his maiden by a neck at second asking.

“His last breeze was very good. He's training well and came out of his race in good order,” said the colt's trainer, Todd Pletcher. “He got a very wide trip, which maybe turned out to be a blessing with all that was going on at the eighth pole. Turning for home, I thought he had way too much to do, and he really kicked in late. He's had a little bit of experience, so hopefully that pays dividends.”

A pair of runners who might fly under the radar are Liam's Journey (Liam's Map) for Mike Maker and Fulmineo (Bolt d'Oro) for Arnaud Delacour.

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Drawn the fence in a field reduced to seven by the scratching of British Sea (English Channel), the flashy chestnut was content to try to save her best for last, as Market Street (Street Sense) took the With Anticipation field along through pedestrian fractions of :25.02 and :51.61. The latter continued to lead after six furlongs in a very moderate 1:16.42, but Gala Blend took her cue at the head of the stretch, dueled heads apart into the final eighth of a mile with fellow debut winner Carson's Run and won the sprint to the wire by three-parts of a length while in receipt of three pounds from her male counterpart.

“The main thing first time going long was to keep her in good rhythm and just let her be and that's what I did,” said winning jockey Jose Ortiz. “I followed Dylan [Davis aboard No. 8, Carson's Run], I liked his horse. I saw him work the other day on the Oklahoma and he worked very well. I followed him every step of the way until we hit the quarter-pole. I went outside of him and it worked out. She was full of run, very nice filly.”

In addition to the winner, trainer Bill Mott also conditions Get Spooled (Hard Spun), who dead-heated for fourth with Nomos (Uncle Mo).

“I owe a lot to her [Megan Jones, managing partner of Arnmore Thoroughbreds]. She made sure she was nominated to both races [Wednesday's off-the-turf P. G. Johnson] and the plan was to enter in both. She was ready to scratch yesterday even before they came off the grass because she wanted the better turf course. As it turned out, there was no decision to make. Everything fell into place and then the other filly [the Mott-trained Magic Cross] won Wednesday.”

Gala Brand marked her debut facing state-bred rivals sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 3, and made short work of her division, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Runner up that day, Hidden Class (Catalina Cruiser returned to take a pricey allowance at Kentucky Downs Thursday.

Pedigree Notes:
Gala Brand is the 45th worldwide stakes winner and 17th group/graded winner for her Hill 'n' Dale-based Violence. She is out of Olorda, a group/graded winner in France and the US, as well as finishing third in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary. The German-bred mare is also responsible for a yearling filly by Liam's Map. She was bred to Oscar Performance this season.

“The color helped us buy her because I couldn't find any holes in her at the sale. She was a little rangy, I think it was the European in her. She looked pretty awkward [when she was] younger, the white covered more than it does now. She almost kind of grew into her color as she went. I think it helped us in the long term.

“Her personality actually fits her color. She has a lot of charisma and confidence. As soon as I saw her under tack and got to know her, I was like, 'That's just right for her.' She was born to be that color.”

Thursday, Saratoga
WITH ANTICIPATION S.-GIII, $175,000, Saratoga, 8-31, 2yo,
1 1/16mT, 1:45.93, gd.
1–GALA BRAND, 119, f, 2, by Violence
1st Dam: Olorda (Ger) (GSW & G1SP-Fr, MGSW-USA,
              $331,947), by Lord of England (Ger)
2nd Dam: Oligarchica (Ger), by Desert King (Ire)
3rd Dam: Ostwahlerin (Ger), by Waajib (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($30,000 Ylg
'22 KEESEP). O-Arnmore Thoroughbreds, LLC and Even Keel
Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Desmond Ryan & Martin Schwartz (KY);
T-William I. Mott; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $96,250. Lifetime Record:
2-2-0-0, $141,900.
2–Carson's Run, 122, c, 2, Cupid–Hot N Hectic, by Henny
Hughes. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($35,000
Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $67,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL; $170,000 2yo '23
OBSAPR). O-West Point Thoroughbreds and Bouchey, Steven;
B-Frankfort Park Farm (KY); T-Christophe Clement. $35,000.
3–Spirit Prince, 118, c, 2, Cairo Prince–Dottie's Spirit, by Curlin.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($110,000 Ylg '22
KEESEP). O-Oakwood Stables (Daniel J. Burke), Krase, Scott D.,
Donarra Thoroughbreds, LLC, Beitz, Kenneth G. and Beitz, Gail
P.; B-Ben and Rebekah Henley & Jim Gray (KY); T-Christophe
Clement. $21,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 2.90, 2.55, 3.55.
Also Ran: Get Spooled-(DH), Nomos-(DH), Wine Collector, Market Street. Scratched: British Sea.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

2YO GALA BRAND beats the boys! The daughter of @HillnDaleFarm stallion Violence, takes the Grade 3 With Anticipation under @jose93_ortiz! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/kh0HfKvoDS

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 31, 2023

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