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Spectator-Free Saratoga Meet Kicks Off Thursday With Peter Pan Stakes, Offering Kentucky Derby Points

Pam and Martin Wygod's Grade 2-winner Modernist will headline the 66th renewal of the Grade 3, $100,000 Peter Pan, a nine-furlong test for sophomores slated for Thursday, Opening Day of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The 2020 Saratoga summer meet will begin on Thursday, July 16, and run through Labor Day, Monday, September 7. Following the four-day opening weekend, live racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays.

Under current New York State guidelines, Saratoga will open without spectators in attendance. The 40-day meet will be highlighted by the 151st renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on Saturday, August 8 and the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney on Saturday, August 1.

Last out, with jockey Junior Alvarado up, Modernist was brushed at the start and failed to fire when off-the-board in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

“A mile and an eighth is a good distance for him, but I think last time only going one turn he was a little confused and he was switching his leads back and forth in the race,” said Alvarado. “I think that threw him off his game. Going back to two turns and a little bit of an easier group this time, he should be very competitive.”

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Modernist graduated in January at the Big A and followed up with a prominent score from the inside post in a division of the Grade 2 Risen Star in February at Fair Grounds. The dark bay Uncle Mo colt, a Kentucky homebred, exited the outside post in the 14-horse Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds en route to a solid third.

Modernist breezed a half-mile in 49.34 seconds on July 5 on Belmont's dirt training track in preparation for the Peter Pan, which is traditionally run at Belmont as a key prep race for the Belmont Stakes.

Alvarado said a return to a more prominent running style that was effective at Fair Grounds is likely in the cards on Thursday for Modernist.

“I think he likes when you're aggressive with him and he gets to sit one-two and be more of a game horse,” said Alvarado. “He gives you more of a fight when he's near the lead. I'm hoping we can get him back in the form he showed at Fair Grounds.”

This year's renewal of the Peter Pan will offer 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers. Modernist is currently sixth on the leaderboard with 70 points.

Alvarado will guide Modernist from post 3.

Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide, a Ghostzapper chestnut out of multiple Group 1-winner Music Note, will make his stakes debut for trainer Mike Stidham.

Mystic Guide made his first two starts at Fair Grounds, including a debut third in a six-furlong sprint in February ahead of a five-length maiden score when travelling 1 1/16-miles on March 21.

He finished a closing second last out in a June 4 Belmont allowance contest at 1 1/16-miles won by Tap It to Win, who exited that effort to run fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Stidham said the lightly raced colt, who earned a career-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure at Belmont, will appreciate the stretch out in distance in his first start at Saratoga.

“We knew going in we were at a little disadvantage. Our horse is more of a two-turn, mile and an eighth type horse than a one-turn horse,” said Stidham. “The horse that won stole away on the lead and we kicked in late. We were making up ground at the end and he galloped out real big.

“We were pleased with his effort given that a one-turn mile and a sixteenth isn't really his cup of tea,” added Stidham. “I think the extra distance gives him a better chance. He doesn't come from too far back, but he has a good run when he kicks into gear and I think the Saratoga course will suit him well finishing how he does.”

The improving colt breezed a half-mile solo in 48.80 on the Fair Hill dirt Saturday in preparation for his second start off the layoff.

“The track was wet but he got over it well and handled it well,” said Stidham. “He went real comfortable with a good gallop out. I was very pleased with the work.”

Jose Ortiz will ride Mystic Guide for the first time from post 6.

“Jose rides Saratoga well and we we're looking to have a top rider that knows the course,” said Stidham.

Todd Pletcher will saddle Mathis Stable's Candy Tycoon as the bay son of Twirling Candy makes a return to graded-stakes action. Last out, Candy Tycoon finished second in a May 2 optional-claiming tilt at Oaklawn Park won by Rushie, who came back to finish third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby with a 97 Beyer.

A maiden winner in January at Gulfstream Park, Candy Tycoon was second in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in February and a troubled sixth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, both at the Hallandale oval.

Candy Tycoon will exit post 5 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, a two-time Peter Pan winner.

Imperial Racing's Celtic Striker, a bay son of Congrats purchased for $100,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, will aim for a first graded-stakes win.

Trained by Ray Handal and bred in Kentucky by Stoneview Farm and Craig D. Upham, Celtic Striker was a frontrunning 19 3/4-length winner last out on June 25 at Belmont in the 1 1/16-mile Easy Goer, which was reduced via scratches to a match race with Sonneman.

Manny Franco will retain the mount on the three-time winner from post 4.

Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing's Caracaro earned a lofty 92 Beyer when graduating at second asking on January 11 in a Gulfstream Park maiden. Trained by Gustavo Delgado, the Uncle Mo bay was a $95,000 purchase at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

He has trained at Gulfstream Park West for his return to action and will be piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano from post 7.

Paul Pompa, Jr.'s Country Grammer, a Tonalist bay trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, graduated at second asking in a nine-furlong maiden tilt at the Big A. Country Grammer lost his footing at the start of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth where he made a wide bid for fifth. Last out, off a more than three-month layoff, he finished third behind Tapit It to Win and Peter Pan-rival Mystic Guide in the June 4 allowance tilt at Belmont.

Country Grammer will emerge from post 2 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Rounding out the field are Mo Hawk, a $925,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase trained by Rodolphe Brissett and to be piloted by Joel Rosario from the inside post ; New York-bred Chestertown, a $2 million purchase at the March 2019 OBS 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, will exit post 8 under Ricardo Santana, Jr.; and Katazarelli, a two-time winner, will leave post 9 under Dylan Davis for trainer Tom Amoss.

The Peter Pan is slated as Race 9 on Thursday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. 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, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Cedillo To Sub For Luis Saez Aboard Maximum Security In San Diego Handicap

Abel Cedillo has been named to ride Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 18 when the 2019 champion 3-year-old makes his first start since being transferred to trainer Bob Baffert.

The New Year's Day colt was previously trained by Jason Servis, who in March was indicted on criminal charges of misbranding drugs and conspiracy resulting from an FBI probe into the illegal doping of racehorses.

Maximum Security's regular rider, Luis Saez, tested positive earlier this week for coronavirus and required to go into quarantine.

Baffert said Saez would regain the mount when he returns.

“I thought he might fit the horse,” Baffert said of Cedillo. “Cedillo has won some races for me, including that stake on the Wests' filly, Fighting Mad (the G2 Santa Maria on May 30 at Santa Anita).”

Cedillo, formerly based in Northern California, is completing his first full year in Southern California. At the recently completed Santa Anita meet, Cedillo finished second behind Flavien Prat in the rider standings.

Maximum Security has been assigned 127 pounds under the handicap conditions of the 1 1/16-mile San Diego, five more than Higher Power (winner of the G1 Pacific Classic in 2019) and Midcourt (G2 San Pasqual winner in 2020). No horse since Native Diver toted 131 pounds in 1965 has carried more weight in winning the San Diego Handicap. California Chrome won under 126 pounds in 2016 in his first start since winning the G1 Dubai World Cup.

First across the wire but disqualified for interference in the G1 Kentucky Derby last year, Maximum Security won eight of 10 races, most recently taking the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia. The organizers of that event withheld the winner's purse after the federal indictment of Servis, trainer Jorge Navarro and two dozen others.

Baffert conceded Maximum Security may need a race after being off nearly five months since the Saudi Cup.

“I feel I've done as much with him as I can for this,” Baffert said on Sunday. “I've been working him in company. He's a lazy horse in the morning and I can see now why they may ran him for $16,000 (maiden claiming) first out. He's a really smart horse; a lot of class, and a really intelligent horse.”

Maximum Security finished his serious preparations for the San Diego with a five-furlong breeze on Saturday in :59.60.

Equibase past performances of San Diego Handicap nominees

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Laoban Colt Earns Furlong Bullet at OBS Under-Tack Finale

A colt by Laoban work the co-fastest furlong of the week Sunday during the sixth and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale under-tack show. The session, originally scheduled for Saturday, was delayed a day after lightning damaged the track’s timing equipment.

From the first crop of GII Jim Dandy S. winner Laoban (Uncle Mo), hip 983 was the second juvenile to work the furlong in :9 4/5 during the under-tack show. Out of One Look (Henny Hughes), the bay is consigned by Jesse Hoppel’s Coastal Equine.

“This track has played really weird all week,” Hoppel said. “But the way he prepped, we thought he’d be a :10 flat type horse. If you think they are in one spot, you get lucky and they go a little bit faster and, if you have some bad luck, sometimes they go a little bit slower. But he was really spot on today. He did really good.”

A full 27 juveniles worked the furlong in :10 flat during the week. Hip 983 and hip 640, a daughter of Not This Time, were the only of the week to work in under :10.

“I think it will highlight him for sure,” Hoppel said of the bullet. “But if the horse made a good video-which I think he did, he’s got a really good way of moving–then he will be just fine. I don’t think you have to necessarily be the bullet to sell a horse well. As long as the horse has good action and they go fast the right way, that’s the thing, they have to go fast the right way. Sometimes you get a horse that goes really fast and they look like something is about to fly off. And that’s no good. But I think he did it the right way, so they’ll appreciate it.”

Hoppel is consigning the colt on behalf of a group of friends who partnered to buy the youngster for $3,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale. Luis Franco signed the ticket in Lexington last fall.

“He is a robust, strong, aggressive colt,” Hoppel said of the juvenile. “He is a horse that doesn’t not show up. Some of these colts sometimes they get a little lazy or they start thinking about other things. He’s a very game individual.”

Hoppel sent out 11 juveniles to work during the week at OBS–including the bullet quarter-mile worker on the first day of the under-tack show–and the consignor said the track shifted from session to session as conditions went from hotter to cooler temperatures and was hit by several major rainstorms.

“I think the biggest part of the track is that it’s heat sensitive,” Hoppel said. “And dealing with July in the state of Florida, heat is an issue. That track gets to be a softer, slower playing track the more heat that is on it. When it is cold, the track is hard and fast. So this week, we had rain, we had heat, it just depends on was it a cold rain that cooled the track off or not. We had some days that were faster than other days. I had enough horses here that I had a good sampling throughout the week and I know where these horses are amongst themselves. So I know some days were different than other days. And those good agents, they know this track plays different day to day, so they will measure these horses on a per-day basis.”

A filly by Bahamian Squall (hip 1030) turned in Sunday’s fastest quarter-mile work when covering the distance in :20 3/5. Consigned by McKathan Brothers Sales, the dark bay filly was supplemented to the July Sale. She is out of Up for Grabs (First Samurai) and was purchased by Fernando Velasquez for $1,000 at last year’s OBS October Yearling Sale.

A colt from the first crop of multiple graded stakes winner Protonico (Giant’s Causeway) equaled the fastest three-furlong work of the week when covering the distance in :33 flat Sunday for Whitman Sales. Out of Mongolian Changa (Brilliant Speed), the dark bay was purchased by Christy Whitman for $1,000 at the OBS Winter Sale.

The once-raced 3-year-old filly Chambers Creek (Goldencents) (hip 992), consigned by Bobby Dodd, also worked in :33 flat Sunday.

The July sale will be held Tuesday through Thursday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

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‘Frozen Pizza And A Cold Beer’: Drury Celebrates Blue Grass Win In Style

Bruce Lunsford's homebred Bernardini colt Art Collector returned to his home base at Skylight Training Center in Goshen, Ky., on Saturday night following his 31/2-length victory under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland.

The victory gave trainer Tom Drury Jr. his first graded stakes triumph.

“It was a pretty special day,” Drury said Sunday morning, noting there was not much time for celebration. “You know how we horse trainers are. I had to get him back to Skylight last night and I had to be at Churchill Downs at 5:30 (this morning) for the first set. I wound up having a frozen pizza and a cold beer.”

With the Toyota Blue Grass victory, Art Collector picked up 100 qualifying points toward the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) to be run Sept. 5. That total is good for fourth place on the Derby leaderboard with only six points races remaining for the classic, which is limited to the top 20 point earners that pass the entry box.

“I am going to get with Bruce in the next couple of days and figure out what we will do,” Drury said about the eight weeks remaining before the Derby. “Art Collector will stay at Skylight for a little while because it is quieter there and then like we have done before, two weeks or so before he runs we will bring him back to Churchill.

“If we do anything, it likely would be Ellis (the Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9).”

On Saturday evening, trainer Kenny McPeek tweeted that Peter Callahan's Toyota Blue Grass runner-up, Swiss Skydiver, “came back in good order. Very proud of her race today. We will likely point towards the Kentucky Oaks.”

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