No Nay Mets Headlines Skidmore

Coming in off a gate-to-wire victory in the Tyro S. on July 30, No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) looks to extend his record to three-for-four in Friday's Skidmore S. at Saratoga. Trainer George Weaver was so impressed with his juvenile pupil's recent performance at Monmouth Park that he decided to send the two-time stakes winner to another start less than three weeks after seeing the winner's circle.

“It's hard early on with these 2-year-old races to know exactly what you're running against, but when you win by five lengths, that's a pretty big margin sprinting on the grass,” Weaver said of the Tyro win. “He just sprinted away from those guys in the stretch. He's always had a bunch of quality.”

A Coolmore-bred colt out the Group 3 winner Etoile (War Front)–whose family includes GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) under the second dam–No Nay Mets was originally slated as a pinhook prospect for Houston Astros All-Star Alex Bregman when he was purchased for €180,000 at the 2022 Arqana August Yearling Sale. Although the juvenile posted a :20 4/5 breeze at the OBS Spring Sale, bidding stalled at $335,000.

Retained by his original buyer, No Nay Mets was sent to Weaver, who was tasked with preparing him for the Royal Palm Juvenile S. just a few weeks after the sale.

“He went straight from the sale to me and he's been straightforward and a very smart colt from day one,” said Weaver. “We never really had to rush him with his gate work. We shipped him to Gulfstream to work out of the gate. We shipped him to run at Gulfstream. We shipped him to England. Nothing fazed him.”

No Nay Mets was a frontrunning 3 1/2-length winner at Gulfstream, where he earned an automatic berth to compete at Royal Ascot, but the colt did not fare as well as his stablemate Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) at the prestigious meet. After failing to get the same speedy start he had shown on debut, he settled for ninth in the G2 Norfolk S.

“He didn't get away and wasn't able to cut the pace that day,” said his conditioner. “I think his speed is his asset. He came back at Monmouth and we used his speed and it just worked out a lot better.”

Owners Bregman Family Racing and Ivan Carbrera are hoping that their star can come back with a similar performance at Saratoga, but a rainy forecast Friday morning could put a damper on their plans.

“I would prefer not to run him under unfavorable circumstances,” admitted Weaver. “He's been so good to us and he just won. We're coming back on a short rest, but I'll just have to talk with Alex and we'll do what we think is best.”

For now, morning-line favorite No Nay Mets is slated to race from the seven position in a 10-horse Skidmore. The field also includes Mike Maker's Ship Cadet (Midshipman), who was second to No Nay Mets in the Tyro. Stonestreet Stables' Fandom (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was impressive in his debut at Keeneland this spring, but he finished a disappointing 11th in the G2 Coventry S. at Ascot. The MyRacehorse colorbearer Seize the Grey (Arrogate) will make his turf debut coming off a maiden win in the slop for D. Wayne Lukas on July 29 at Saratoga.

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Golden Pal To Target Breeders’ Cup After Easy Skidmore Victory

Ranlo Investments' Golden Pal surged to the front and drew away in the stretch, posting an impressive 3 ½-length score in a gate-to-wire victory in Friday's $85,000 Skidmore for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course.

After a runner-up effort by a neck in his turf debut last out in the Group 2 Norfolk on June 19 at England's Royal Ascot, Golden Pal shipped back to the United States and entered the sixth running of the Skidmore off three strong breezes at Saratoga. That momentum carried over into the afternoon, where Golden Pal broke sharp from the outermost post 6 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, leading the field through an opening quarter-mile in 21.99 seconds and the half in 44.37 on the Mellon turf course labeled firm.

Out of the turn, Golden Pal opened up even more while never seriously challenged, completing 5 ½ furlongs in a final time of 1:00.88 [challenging the track record of 1:00.21 set by Carotari in August 2019].

“He's a really cool horse,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “It's special when you get on horses like that. I'm so happy to be able to get on him. Hopefully he stays sound and healthy and he can keep doing what he did today.”

Golden Pal, the 2-5 favorite, returned $2.90 on a $2 win wager and improved his career earnings to $73,056. Trainer Wesley Ward said the effort could set up the Uncle Mo colt for a spot in the Grade 2, $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint going 5 ½ furlongs on November 6 at Keeneland, where Ward is primarily stabled.

“He's something special, this guy. I think we just got a little peek at it,” Ward said. “From everything we've seen here, they're coming into his homecourt like Michael Jordan in the United Center in the Breeders' Cup this year. He's a very, very nice colt. I'm very thankful for the owner.

Bred in Florida by Randall E. Lowe, who operates under the nom de course Ranlo Investments, Golden Pal made his career debut on April 17 over Gulfstream Park's main track, running second to Gatsby before traveling to the prestigious Royal Ascot meet two months later, where he led the field before The Lir Jet won in the final jumps. He is out of 11-time stakes-winning turf sprinter Lady Shipman, who was also bred and campaigned by Lowe.

“[The owner] afforded me the time that myself and my team has needed, and this horse had some issues and my team has really worked hard on this guy,” Ward said. “He's so fast and he's so gifted. To get him to this point is special.”

Ward trained the exacta, with Fauci finishing four lengths clear of Sky's Not Falling for second. Sunny Isles Beach, also trained by Ward, ran fourth, followed by Kentucky Knight and Baytown Bear.

“My horse broke good but the other horse [Golden Pal] had more speed, so I wasn't going to go up there and battle head and head,” said Fauci jockey Tyler Gaffalione. “He settled nicely and put in a nice run down the lane, but the other horse was much the best today.

“He's [Golden Pal] pretty quick. He's a nice horse,” Gaffalione added. “I rode him in his first start and he's a really fast horse, but it seems like he's starting to get the mental side of it now.”

Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with a 10-race card that includes the Grade 1, $400,000 Fourstardave for 3-years-old and up going one mile on the inner turf in Race 9 at 5:46 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:10 p.m.

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