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‘She Can Run All Day’: Civil Union Gets Up In Time To Win Glens Falls Stakes

A well-spotted charge by jockey Joel Rosario got Civil Union to the wire when she needed it to prevail in Saturday's Grade 2 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga.

The 5-year-old War Front mare stayed tucked in on the rail from the inside post, while Beau Belle took command early on from her immediate outside, followed by Lovely Lucky. Luis Saez kept a tight hold on Beau Belle as the field entered the stretch for the first time in an opening quarter-mile of :26.76 seconds.

The three horses that led the pack heading into the stretch remained in the same positions heading out of it, with Beau Belle continuing to maintain an unhurried pace after they cleared a half-mile in :53.22 seconds. Rosario continued to keep Civil Union within striking distance in the pocket behind the two leaders, and he continued to wait patiently as the field entered the final turn through a mile in 1:44.61.

Beau Belle and Lovely Lucky began to put some separation on the rest of the field in the final bend, with Lovely Lucky and Jose Lezcano beginning to lodge her own challenge in earnest. Those two drew even heading into the straightaway, which left the space behind them open for Rosario to take Civil Union off the rail and three-wide.

While Beau Belle and Lovely battled up front in the final eighth of a mile, Civil Union gradually gained ground on the outside, while a pair of French-bred Peter Brant-owned horses began to stage threats of their own – Eliade on the rail and post time favorite My Sister Nat on the far outside. After setting all of the pace, the lead duo could not withstand the momentum of the late movers, and Civil Union took command within the final sixteenth, drawing clear a few strides before the wire to win by a length.

My Sister Nat joined Civil Union's outside momentum to finish second, while Beau Belle hung on bravely to finish third, ahead of fellow front-runner Lovely Lucky in fourth.

Civil Union completed the 1 3/8-mile turf race in 2:19.80 over Saratoga's firm inner turf course. She paid $6.50 to win as the field's second choice, and the win marked her first paring with Rosario in the saddle.

The winner raced as a homebred for Joseph Allen, and she was trained by Shug McGaughey.

Civil Union is a generational home-grown winner for Allen, who bred her dam, the unraced Unbridled's Song mare Photograph, campaigned second dam Black Speck as a homebred, and raced her third dam the Grade 1 winner Andover Way.

On the sire's side, War Front also raced as an Allen homebred, and has developed into one of North America's top commercial sires. He also campaigned War Front's dam, Starry Dreamer.

With Saturday's victory, Civil Union improved her lifetime record to four wins in seven career starts, with earnings of $451,672. This is her first career graded stakes victory, and her second overall stakes win, having come into a race off a victory in the listed River Memories Stakes at Belmont Park.

To view the race's chart, click here.

G2 Glens Falls Quotes – Courtesy of the NYRA Press Office

Shug McGaughey, winning trainer of Civil Union (No. 1, $6.50): “I think she can run all day. When she won the River Memories [July 12 at Belmont], she really punched hard from the eighth pole to the wire and she did the same thing today. It looks like when you ask her to go on and finish, she has it in her.

“I liked where we were behind the slow pace. I have a lot of confidence in Joel and I knew he knew where he was.

“She's trained very well since the end of Belmont and I thought she'd run well today. I was a little worried about the turf, but [it worked out]. I had a filly a few years ago named Apple Betty and she won the River Memories and I ran her back in the Waya and she finished fourth, so I said I wasn't going to do that with this filly. She's trained very well the whole time we've been up here.

Joel Rosario, winning jockey aboard Civil Union (No. 1): “She was moving really well but she took a little time coming out of the last turn and getting a hold of the turf. But as soon as I straightened her out, she was moving forward and from that point I was really confident.

“It was a slow pace but I was right there and just trying to keep my position. I knew the horses in front were going very easy and I thought with the slow pace they might keep going, but I was there. My horse was right there and she made everything easy for me.”

Jose Ortiz, jockey aboard runner-up My Sister Nat (No. 4): “She's got no speed at all. She broke a little weird and there was nothing I could do. The pace was very slow. I knew Tommy's [trainer Albertrani] horses [No. 2, Beau Belle; and No. 3. Lovely Lucky] both had speed. I couldn't really make a middle move, so I saved as much ground as I could and she gave me a great run turning for home.”

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Trio Of Fillies Take On The Boys In Del Mar Derby

Over the 76 years the race has been run, no more than a handful of fillies have stepped up to take on the boys in the Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Derby. That was until 2020 – the year that has turned everything and everyone sideways.

This year's edition of the “Derby” will have not one, not two, but three fillies ready to rock 'n roll with the guys. The 1 1/8 miles out of the track's diagonal turf chute looks more like a European heat, where the girls take on the boys all the time. It also adds a delicious dimension to a test that is the conclusion of the track's three-race grass series for sophs, led off by the RunHappy Oceanside Stakes and followed up by the La Jolla Handicap.

Sunday's three fillies – all with serious shots to win the race – are Barber or Wachtel Stable's California Kook, Benowitz Family Trust and Madaket Stables' Guitty and Ben and Sally Warren's Warren's Showtime.

The possible favorite in the race, though, appears to be the shipper Pixelate, a colt by City Zip who is in from the east coast to tackle the west coasters and making an appearance at his seventh racetrack in what will be his 11th lifetime start. Pixelate is owned by the powerhouse outfit Godolphin and is trained by the veteran Michael Stidham. He's run in seven straight grass stakes and has finished in the top three in all of them. Having leading rider Umberto Rispoli in the boot Sunday won't hurt his chances.

Here's the full field for the Del Mar Derby from the rail out with riders and morning line odds: BKB Stables or Sherman's American Farmer (Ricky Gonzalez, 20-1); California Kook (Flavien Prat, 5-1); Guitty (Evan Flores, 8-1); Pixelate (3-1); Todd or Shawn Hansen's No Slo Mo (Giovanni Franco, 30-1); Wertheimer & Frere's Kanderel (Juan Hernandez, 12-1); Warren's Showtime (Jose Velez, 6-1); John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye (Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1); Paula Capestro's Dominant Soul (Edwin Maldonado, 20-1); Hronis Racing's Heywoods Beach (Jose Valdivis, Jr., 12-1); Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy (Tiago Pereira, 12-1), and Karl Pergola's K P All Systems Go (Abel Cedillo, 6-1).

California Kook, a daughter of Boisterous, most recently ran second in the G1I Del Mar Oaks locally on August 22. She's been first or second in five of her eight starts for trainer Peter Miller.

Guitty, a French-bred, was a close-up second in the San Clemente on the grass earlier in the meet. The late-running miss works under the watchful eye of the French trainer Leonard Powell.

Warren's Showtime, bred by his owners, has won five of 12 starts and has banked more than $460,000. She's a daughter of Clubhouse Ride, who was trained by Craig Lewis, the man who now trains Warren's Showtime.

The Del Mar Derby will be race No. 10 on the 11-race Sunday program and one of three stakes on the afternoon. First post Sunday is at 1 p.m.

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Pletcher ‘Excited’ About Likely Hopeful Favorite Mutasaabeq

Seven juvenile colts will face off in a quest to garner their first respective Grade 1 victories in the 116th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Runhappy Hopeful on Closing Day Monday, September 7 going seven furlongs over the main track at Saratoga Race Course.

The historic test is the first Grade 1 event for juvenile colts on the East Coast and has been used as a stepping stone to Hall of Fame worthy campaigns for all time greats Regret (1914), Man o' War (1919), Whirlaway (1940), Native Dancer (1952), Nashua (1954), Needles (1955), Buckpasser (1965), Secretariat (1972), Foolish Pleasure (1974), and Affirmed (1978), while solidifying Eclipse Award honors for Champion 2-Year-Olds Chief's Crown (1984), Dehere (1993), Favorite Trick (1997), and Shanghai Bobby (2012).

Shadwell Stables' Mutasaabeq arrives at the Hopeful off a stylish maiden special weight victory on August 8 at Saratoga, where he drew off in the stretch to win by 4 ½ lengths on debut, garnering an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled Circular Quay (2006), Shanghai Bobby (2012) and Competitive Edge (2014) to Hopeful triumphs, said that has been particularly impressed by the son of Into Mischief's works from the gate. Prior to his maiden win, he worked a half-mile in a swift 46.53 seconds over the Saratoga main track.

“He had trained extremely well leading into that race,” Pletcher said. “His gate works were very impressive although his first step is not lightning quick. After that, he really gets going. I'm happy with everything he did prior to his debut, we were excited about the way he ran, we've been pointing for the Hopeful since then. He's trained accordingly.”

Pletcher said that Mutasaabeq's natural speed allows him to recover quickly.

“Once he got going, he put in an impressive run around the turn and it seemed like he had a lot in reserve,” Pletcher said. “This will be a step up in class and a stretch out in distance. There are some quality horses in there as one would imagine in a race like this, but we're excited about giving him the opportunity.

“Hopefully he jumps a little better second time out, but we'll play it by ear,” Pletcher added. “I liked the way he finished the other day, so seven-eighths should be within his range.”

Bred in Kentucky by BlackRidge Stables, Mutasaabeq is out of the Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario and was purchased for $425,000 from the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Jockey Luis Saez, who rode 2017 Hopeful winner Sporting Chance, will ride from post 3.

After saddling last year's winner Basin, Steve Asmussen will send out J. Kirk Robison's Jackie's Warrior as he attempts to become the first trainer to score back-to-back Hopeful wins since fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas sent out High Yield (1999) and Yonaguska (2000).

The son of Maclean's Music was an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite on August 7, which garnered an 88 Beyer. He will look to become the first horse to sweep the Saratoga Special-Hopeful double since City Zip won the 2000 Saratoga Special before dead-heating for victory with Yonaguska that year.

Following a victory on debut at Churchill Downs over impressive next out winner Therideofalifetime, Jackie's Warrior bested the same foe once more in the Saratoga Special in wire-to-wire fashion, crossing the wire under a hand ride by Joel Rosario.

“It's good timing back, and he's had a race over the track,” said Asmussen's chief assistant Scott Blasi. “He's done everything right for us in the mornings and we're looking forward to running him. Seven-eighths of a mile is not going to be an issue for him.”

Rosario, the leading rider in stakes victories this meet, will return to the saddle from post 6.

Trainer Chad Brown sent out Practical Joke to a victory in the Hopeful for Klaravich Stables, who also won the 2011 Hopeful with Currency Swap. This year Brown and Klaravich will team up with Reinvestment Risk.

The son of freshman stallion Upstart won on debut and was geared down at the wire to a 7 ¾-length victory on August 1 at Saratoga, where he registered a 90 Beyer.

Bred in Kentucky by Aschinger Bloodstock Holdings, Reinvestment Risk was purchased for $280,000 from the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he was consigned by DeMeric Sales. He is out of the Candy Ride mare Ridingwiththedevil.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be back aboard Reinvestment Risk from post 5.
Rounding out the field are Fearless Fly [post 1, Dylan Davis], Papetu [post 2, Jose Ortiz], Nutsie [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche], and Ampersand [post 7, Jose Lezcano].

The Runhappy Hopeful is slated as Race 13 on Monday's Closing Day 14-race card, which will feature a mandatory payout of the Empire 6 beginning in Race 8 at 3:39 p.m. ET. The program also will feature the $85,000 Lure for older horses going 1 1/16 miles over the Mellon turf.

Monday's card offers a first post of 11:30 a.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.

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Pricey Princess Noor Leads Field For Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante

Zedan Racing Stables' Princess Noor, a $1.35 million purchase at auction earlier this year, appears a solid choice at Del Mar Sunday when she heads a lineup of six juvenile fillies in the 70th edition of the Grade 1, $250,000 Del Mar Debutante.

Princess Noor “won for fun” in her straight maiden debut at the shore oval on Aug. 22 under Victor Espinoza and is wheeled back 15 days later in quest of her first chunk of black type. The rider put his charge on the lead out of the gate, then never asked her late in her bow and she just cruised away from six rivals that day to tally by two and a half lengths. She's worked twice since for conditioner Bob Baffert and the daughter of the Giant's Causeway sire Not This Time could take a lot of catching on Sunday.

Here's the full field for the seven furlong headliner from the rail out with riders and morning line odds: Reddam Racing's Get On the Bus (Mario Gutierrez, 8-1); Dale F Taylor Racing, Taylor, et al's Roll Up Mo Money (Drayden Van Dyke, 12-1); Erich G. Brehm's My Girl Red (Flavien Prat, 3-1); Princess Noor (8/5); Bolton, Leidel or Lipman, et al's Illumination (Abel Cedillo, 4-1), and Phoenix Thoroughbred's Forest Caraway (Ricky Gonzalez, 7/2).

Princess Noor's chief rival appears to be the Texas Red filly My Girl Red, who trains out of the barn of J. Keith Desormeaux. The bay miss has raced twice and won both, most recently in the G2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 7. Desormeaux and owner/breeder Brehm raced My Girl Red's daddy, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with him, several other major stakes and more than $1.6 million.

Get On the Bus began her career in the Sorrento and was a good second to My Girl Red that day. The Uncle Mo filly, a $340,000 purchase at a 2-year-old in training sale in March, has trained well for Doug O'Neill since that start and should move forward from her racing experience.

Forest Caraway was a winner of her lone outing, a straight maiden sprint at Del Mar on Aug. 15. The bay daughter of Bodemeister races out of the Peter Miller barn.

Roll Up Mo Money, also an Uncle Mo offspring, won her debut at Del Mar on Aug. 2, capturing a five-furlong dash by a length and a quarter. She's put in four solid works for trainer Jeff Mullins since.

Illumination chased home Forest Caraway in her first attempt at afternoon racing. The Medaglia d'Oro miss was a $900,000 yearling purchase and she also is under the training care of Hall of Fame conditioner Baffert.

The Del Mar Debutante, one of three stakes Sunday, goes as the ninth race on an 11-race card. First post on Sunday is 1 p.m.

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