Selflessly | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sands of ‘Summer’

Sophomore fillies take center stage in the GII Sands Point S. at Belmont Saturday and among leading contenders in the eight-furlong event is Waterford Stable’s Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front). Victorious in last fall’s Chelsey Flower S. at the Big A, she kicked off 2020 with a fourth-place finish in Belmont’s Wonder Again S. in June before realizing a head score in Saratoga’s GII Lake Placid S. July 19. Rank in the early going of the Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. at 9 1/2 furlongs Aug. 16, the Christophe Clement trainee finished fourth behind Antoinette (Hard Spun) and cuts back in this return. Joel Rosario, aboard for her three latest starts, gets the call in the Sands Point.

“The filly is doing great. She’s working well and looks well. I’m excited to see her run,” said Clement. “I think she’s very versatile from a mile to a mile and a quarter. I don’t see the distance as a negative, I think she’s perfectly OK with it.”

Klaravich Stables’ Selflessly (More Than Ready) attempts to add her third graded tally Saturday for trainer Chad Brown.

A winner in last season’s 8 1/2-furlong GII Miss Grillo S., she closed out the year with a fifth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Filling that same position in her 2020 return in the GIII Wonder Again S. in June, the Maryland-bred was given some time off before resuming with a nose score in Saratoga’s

GIII Lake George S. Aug. 28. Jose Ortiz, winning at 25% at the Belmont meet, accompanies the filly for the first time.

“Selflessly is doing really well coming off a nice win last time out,” said Brown.

Brown is also represented by Tamahere (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), making her U.S. debut following a listed score at La Teste De Buch in France in June. The French-bred will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

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Brown-Trained Duo Selflessly, Tamahere Headline Saturday’s Sands Point Stakes

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of contenders led by multiple graded-stakes winner Selflessly and French-bred Tamahere as the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner looks to secure his fourth win in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Sands Point, a one-mile Widener turf test for sophomore fillies at Belmont Park.

Saturday's blockbuster card includes four Grade 1, Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” challenge races led by the $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 ¼-mile test for 3-year-olds and up offering a berth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic; the $300,000 Champagne at one-mile for 2-year-olds providing a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile; the $250,000 Flower Bowl at 10-furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up with a berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on the line; and the $250,000 Frizette, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Klaravich Stables' Selflessly, a dark bay daughter of More Than Ready purchased for $190,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, graduated in style at second asking in the 2019 Grade 2 Miss Grillo on the Belmont turf ahead of a fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf to close out her campaign.

Selflessly stumbled at the start of her seasonal debut when fifth in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 20 at Belmont, but returned to form last out when a nose winner of the one-mile Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga on Aug. 28, when besting multiple graded-stakes winner Sweet Melania.

Selflessly has breezed four times on the Oklahoma training turf following the Lake George, including a five-eighths effort in 1:02.85 on Oct. 3.

“Selflessly is doing really well coming off a nice win last time out,” said Brown.

Bred in Maryland by George Louis Doetsch, Jr, Selflessly is out of the Grand Slam mare Uniformly Yours and is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Enchanted Ghost.

Swift Thoroughbreds' Tamahere, by Wootton Bassett and out of the Giant's Causeway mare Alatasarai, posted a record of 6-2-2-1 in her native France for former conditioner Francois Rohaut.

She captured the Prix la Sorellina on June 18 at La Teste Buche last out over one mile of soft going before shipping to Brown's stable at Saratoga for a trio of works. The French-bred bay has posted her last two works on the inner turf at Belmont, including a five-eighths effort in 1:01.40 on Sunday.

Jose Ortiz will pilot Selflessly from post 3, while Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call aboard Tamahere from the inside post as Brown looks to add to a Sands Point winner's ledger that includes Ball Dancing [2014], Uni [2017] and New and Improved [2019.]

Waterford Stable's Speaktomeofsummer will turn back in distance following a Saratoga summer campaign that saw the Summer Front bay capture the nine-furlong Grade 2 Lake Placid on July 19 ahead of a fourth in the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Oaks Invitational on Aug. 16.

Speaktomeofsummer has posted a trio of works at Belmont following the Saratoga Oaks, including a half-mile effort on the inner turf in 50.60 on Sunday.

“The filly is doing great. She's working well and looks well. I'm excited to see her run,” said Clement.

A maiden winner at second asking on the Monmouth Park turf in September 2019, Speaktomeofsummer rallied for a two-length win in the one-mile Chelsey Flower in November on the Big A turf.

Clement said the turnback in distance won't bother his filly.

“I think she's very versatile from a mile to a mile and a quarter. I don't see the distance as a negative, I think she's perfectly OK with it,” said Clement.

Out of the graded-stakes winning Harlan's Holiday mare Silver Reunion, Speaktomeofsummer was purchased for $135,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 2.

Maxis Stable, Madaket Stables and Wonder Stables' Miss J McKay will look to make the grade for trainer Cathal Lynch. The Hangover Kid bay, who boasts a record of 8-2-4-2 with purse earnings of $208,553, crossed the wire first at second asking in the five-furlong 2019 Colleen at Monmouth but was disqualified and placed third for interference. The talented filly made amends next out in the 5 1/2-furlong Ann Arundel County when surging to a five-length score over next-out winners Queen of Shades and Bella Aurora.

Bred in Maryland by Linda Oliff Rohleder, Miss J McKay has posted a perfect in-the-money record in three sophomore stakes sprints including a third in the six-furlong Lady Shipman in June at Belmont; a second in the 5 1/2-furlong Coronation Cup in July at Saratoga; and a second last out in the 6 ½-furlong Music City on Sept. 15 at Kentucky Downs.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the call aboard Miss J McKay from post 5 as she stretches out in distance for the first time.

Rounding out the field are New York-bred allowance winner Giacosa [post 4, Luis Saez] for trainer H. James Bond; Positive Power [post 6, Manny Franco], a veteran of 17 career starts for trainer John McAllen; Pure Wow [post 7, Jose Lezcano], a maiden winner for trainer John Terranova; and the stakes-placed Drop a Hint [post 8, Junior Alvarado] for trainer Antonio Arriaga.

The Grade 2 Sands Point is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race program, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Selflessly Turns Tables On Sweet Melania In Lake George

Klaravich Stables' Selflessly finished well back of Sweet Melania when running fifth in the Grade 3 Wonder Again in June the previous time the two faced each other. But Friday, the Chad Brown trainee got the better of her rival, overtaking her in the final jumps for a victory by a nose in the Grade 3, $100,000 Lake George for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

After that effort in the one-mile Wonder Again at Belmont Park, Selflessly returned to the same distance at the Spa a fresh horse two months later. With David Cohen picking up the mount as Irad Ortiz, Jr. recovers from an injury, Selflessly tracked in fifth position as Windracer led the 10-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.92 seconds and the half in 48.48 on the inner turf course labeled good.

Sweet Melania, the 3-5 favorite conditioned by Todd Pletcher, powered through an opening along the rail out of the final turn and was urged home by jockey Jose Ortiz. But the two-time graded stakes winner couldn't repel Selflessly, who Cohen angled out slightly to Sweet Melania's outside, gaining ground in the final sixteenth before getting up just ahead of hitting the wire in a final time of 1:36.06.

“We were happy to get a good trip behind the horse [Sweet Melania] I thought would take us the whole way,” said Cohen, who won his first graded stakes since 2018 and first at Saratoga since the 2012 Travers when he piloted Golden Ticket to a dead heat for first with Alpha. “You never really want to get stuck behind a horse that's going to back up into you. My filly really finished up strong and showed a lot of heart.

“Chad and I had the same idea,” Cohen added. “We thought there would be two or three to go and we really wanted to get her out aggressively and not get shuffled back into the first turn and played it by ear. If Sweet Melania was on the lead and I was fortunate to get behind her then great she would take me the rest of the way and if not just figure it out from there. We went to Plan B and Plan C real quick. Everything got bottled up into that first turn and as Chad requested, if we didn't send her out of there strong, we would have been shuffled seven eight back and probably never have the chance to get up for the win.”

The stretch drive featured a duel between the charges of the top-two leading trainers of the summer meet. With the win, Brown tied Pletcher for the top mark with 24 victories apiece. The 40-day meet has eight days remaining before closing on Labor Day, September 7.

Selflessly won her second graded stakes and first since capturing the Grade 2 Miss Grillo in September at Belmont. That preceded her fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita to cap her 2-year-old year. After a seven-month break, the More Than Ready filly made her sophomore bow in the Wonder Again before returning to Saratoga for the first time since her runner-up debut effort a year to the date of the Lake George.

“The first race of the year I was a little disappointed watching the race unfold and when we got her back to the barn, she had some cuts on the backs of her legs. She missed some training after that race to heal up, so she probably had an excuse in there,” Brown said. “My team at Belmont has had this horse all meet getting her ready and they really did a great job. David stepped in today when Irad couldn't ride and I'm really proud of him. He rode a great race and we were happy to put him on the horse. I use him occasionally and we certainly ride against him a lot. He rides particularly well on the turf saving ground.”

Off at 14-1, Selflessly returned $30.60 on a $2 win wager. She improved her career earnings to $219,000.

“Some loyal Chad Brown fans made money today, for sure,” Brown said about winning with a rare longshot at the Spa.

Sweet Melania, owned by Robert and Lawana Low, finished a half-length in front of Witez for second. The daughter of 2015 Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah has never finished off the board in eight starts, moving to 3-2-3.

“Todd handicapped the race really well and he thought the two outside horses had more speed than we did,” Ortiz said. “In my mind, I was going to save when I break and those two went fast at the break, so it was easy for me to sit there. I sat very controlled the whole way around and had a good spot on the rail. She gave me a good run. The last couple of jumps, the other horse came to me, but she dug in and fought hard. It was a good race. Tough beat.”

Micheline, Sugar Fix, American Giant, My Sassy Sarah, Windracer, Velvet Crush and Cat's Pajamas completed the order of finish. Miss Peppina, entered for the main track only, was scratched.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with an action packed 11-race card which will feature four graded stakes races, including the Grade 1, $300,000 Forego presented by America's Best Racing at seven furlongs over the main track, the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer going 1 ½ miles over the inner turf, the Grade 3, $100,000 Saranac for 3-year-olds going one mile over the inner turf and the Grade 2, $150,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-olds going six furlongs over the main track. First post is 1:10 p.m.

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Selflessly Pips Sweet Melania in Lake George

For the considerable success he’s achieved on the New York circuit and particularly on the turf, it wasn’t until 2015 that trainer Chad Brown unsaddled the winner of the GIII Lake George S. for the first time (Mrs McDougal {Medaglia d’Oro}).

The stable’s lone chance in Friday’s renewal, Selflessly (More Than Ready), was pegged as a 6-1 chance on David Aragona’s morning line, but the tote read a remarkable 14-1 at post time and those who ignored her paid dearly, as the Maryland-bred was up in the final jump to upset 7-10 Sweet Melania (American Pharoah). The future Hall of Fame conditioner has now won the Lake George in four of the last six years.

“Some loyal Chad Brown fans made money today, for sure,” Brown deadpanned after the victory.

Sweet Melania, who enjoyed a very soft time of things on the engine when taking her seasonal debut in the GIII Wonder Again S. at Belmont June 20, was beaten for speed by outposted longshots Windracer (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and Sugar Fix (Treasure Beach {GB}), but used her rail draw to best advantage to secure the box seat while traveling comfortably beneath jockey Jose Ortiz. David Cohen, pinch-hitting for the sidelined Irad Ortiz, Jr. had selflessly in a ground-saving position in the slipstream of the long odds-on choice down the backstretch. Waited with behind the top two nearing the stretch, Sweet Melania was asked to sprint and she gamely went underneath Windrush to grab control a furlong from home. But Cohen kept busy on Selflessly and grabbed Sweet Melania under whipless encouragement in the shadow of the wire.

“We were happy to get a good trip behind the horse [Sweet Melania] I thought would take us the whole way,” said Cohen, winning his first graded race at Saratoga since dead-heating in the 2012 GI Travers S. aboard Golden Ticket (Speightstown). “You never really want to get stuck behind a horse that’s going to back up into you. My filly really finished up strong and showed a lot of heart.”

A fast-finishing second sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over this course one year ago to the day, Selflessly broke her maiden in the GII Miss Grillo S. Sept. 29 and was a creditable fifth, two spots behind Sweet Melania, in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf Nov. 1. An 11-4 chance in the Wonder Again, she went to her knees at the start, suffering some superficial cuts, according to Brown, and finished a too-bad-to-be-true fifth.

Pedigree Notes:

One of 203 black-type winners and 91 graded/group winners for her enormously successful dual-hemisphere sire, Selflessly is out of an unplaced half-sister to Sans Souci Island (Chester House), the dam of MGSW River Seven (Johannesburg) and SP Henry’s Island (Stormy Atlantic). Uniformly Yours is responsible for the 2-year-old filly Honor Yours (Honor Code), a yearling colt by Kitten’s Joy and a colt foal by the Hill ‘n’ Dale sire. She was most recently bred back to 23-year-old More Than Ready.

Friday, Saratoga
LAKE GEORGE S.-GIII, $100,000, Saratoga, 8-28, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.06, gd.
1–SELFLESSLY, 122, f, 3, by More Than Ready
                1st Dam: Uniformly Yours, by Grand Slam
                2nd Dam: Faux Pas (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells
                3rd Dam: Negligence (GB), by Roan Rocket (GB)
($190,000 Wlg ’17 KEENOV). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-George Louis Doetsch (MD); T-Chad C. Brown; J-David
Cohen. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-0, $219,000. *1/2 to
Enchanted Ghost (Ghostzapper), MSW, $271,182. Werk Nick
   Rating: Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sweet Melania, 124, f, 3, American Pharoah–Sweet N
Discreet, by Discreet Cat. ($600,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Low,
Lawana L. and Robert E.; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $20,000.
3–Witez, 118, f, 3, More Than Ready–Glamour N Glory, by
Gulch. O/B-Mary Ann Charlston (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $12,000.
Margins: NO, HF, 3/4. Odds: 14.30, 0.70, 9.60.
Also Ran: Micheline, Sugar Fix, American Giant, My Sassy Sarah, Windracer (Ire), Velvet Crush, Cat’s Pajamas. Scratched: Miss Peppina. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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