Ready to Make New Memories at the Spa

John C. Oxley homebred Beautiful Memories (Hard Spun) headlines a field of eight juvenile fillies set for Thursday’s co-featured GIII Schuylerville S. at the Spa.

Trained by Mark Casse, the chestnut aired by 10 lengths for ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors on debut at Churchill Downs May 28. She’s registered a pair of bullet workouts in Louisville since, including a five-furlong spin in :59 1/5 (1/34) July 4.

Beautiful Memories’ third dam is champion older mare Beautiful Pleasure, who carried Oxley’s gold-and-blue silks to six top-level victories, led by a win in the 1999 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“We broke her and had her down at the training center all winter and she seemed special,” Casse said. “I told Mr. Oxley when I breezed her that she gave me chills and that doesn’t happen often.”

Casse continued, “You always want to see more than just one time. She’s come back and trained well and her last two works have been really good. We’re hoping for a similar performance, but we’ll let her do the talking.”

Hopeful Princess (Not This Time) makes her first start for Stonestreet Stables and Steve Asmussen. She became the first winner for her in-demand freshman sire graduating on debut for Jackie Huckaby, Imaginary Stables and Donna G. Hancock and trainer John A. Hancock with a hard-fought victory beneath the Twin Spires May 21.

Like Beautiful Memories, Hopeful Princess earned a field-best 75 Beyer Speed Figure on debut.

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Saratoga Meet Kicks off with Shifted Peter Pan

A field of nine sophomores, including the field’s lone graded winner Modernist (Uncle Mo), will line up for Thursday’s GIII Peter Pan S. on Saratoga’s opening day program.

Traditionally run as a prep downstate for the GI Belmont S., the Peter Pan was moved to Saratoga as a potential prep for this summer’s GI Runhappy Travers S. The Peter Pan carries 85 qualifying points (50-20-10-5) toward the GI Kentucky Derby.

Modernist, a 12-1 upset winner of the split-division GII Risen Star S. Feb. 15, followed a third-place finish in the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby Mar. 21 with a seventh-place finish in the GI Belmont S. June 20.

Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) earned ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors in an impressive maiden breaker going two turns at second asking at Fair Grounds Mar. 21, then was second behind Tap It to Win (Tapit) in a quickly run optional claimer going a one-turn 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park last time June 4.

Fellow ‘Rising Star’ Caracaro (Uncle Mo) returns in this ambitious spot while making his first start since a six-length graduation going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Jan. 11.

Candy Tycoon (Twirling Candy), a well-beaten second in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Feb. 29, was a late-running second behind subsequent GII Toyota Blue Grass S. third Rushie (Liam’s Map) in an optional claimer last time at Oaklawn May 2.

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