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NY-Bred Fingal’s Cave Puts Unbeaten Mark on Line in Raven Run

New York-bred Fingal's Cave (Carpe Diem), perfect in four career starts in the Big Apple, takes on graded stakes company for the first time in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland.

The bay cuts back in distance to seven furlongs after capturing her stakes debut in Saratoga's Fleet Indian S. versus state-breds going 1 1/8 miles in the mud Aug. 26.

“At some point, we will challenge her and this seems to be a good spot,” trainer David Donk said. “The Raven Run is for straight 3-year-olds, it's graded and it is a good spot to see where we stand.”

He added, “I am not sure what her best distance is. She ran so well sprinting in her first two starts, and she has been training really well the past few weeks.”

Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) puts a three-race winning streak on the line following a narrow score in Saratoga's GII Prioress S. with the rail-drawn Union Lake (Speightster) back in third.

Smash Ticket (Midnight Lute) is two-for-two since joining the Rob Atras barn, including a big-figure 6 1/4-length tally in Pimlico's Weather Vane S. Sept. 24. She is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Shamrock Rose (First Dude) used the 2018 Raven Run as a springboard to a 25-1 upset in that term's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

The 10-race Belmont at the Big A card, meanwhile, will feature a wide-open renewal of the GII Hill Prince S. for sophomore turfers; and the grassy GIII Noble Damsel S. for fillies and mares. Saturday's graded action is rounded out by Woodbine's GIII Ontario Matron S.

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Sophomore Fillies Star on Final Friday Card at Saratoga

Sophomore filly sprinters get their time to shine on the final Friday of the Saratoga meet in the GII Prioress S. Hot Peppers (Khozan) seeks redemption after being run down late and forced to settle for second last out in the Aug. 6 GI Test S. at this venue. She captured her first two starts for the Rudy Rodriguez barn in the June 12 Jersey Girl S. and July 9 GIII Victory Ride S.

“She's doing everything we ask her. We're just lucky they picked us and give us the opportunity,” said Rodriguez. “We just have to keep her happy and she's a runner. I think the trainer before [Ronald Spatz] did a very good job.”

Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) looks to add yet another accomplishment to her sensational sire's constantly improving resume. Winner of the GII Adirondack S. at this venue last year, the gray enters off back-to-back stakes triumphs at Churchill Downs.

A pair of native New Yorkers are also worth a look here in Test fourth-place finisher and Bouwerie S. winner Sterling Silver (Cupid) and track-and-trip, NY-bred union Avenue H. winner Bank On Anna (Central Banker). Also worth a look is Smash Ticket (Midnight Lute), who wired an optional claimer going six panels at the Spa July 20, good for an 89 Beyer Speedy Figure, and ran a field best Beyer of 92 in her previous start at Lone Star.

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Big Field Set for Sorrento

A wide-open field of 11 juvenile fillies have been entered for Friday evening's GII Sorrento S. at Del Mar.

Smash Ticket (Midnight Lute) is the 9-5 morning-line favorite off the heels of a field-best 78 Beyer Speed Figure earned in a five-length maiden score at second asking for trainer Todd Fincher at Del Mar July 17. She impressively dueled clear that day after breaking poorly. The dark bay was previously a debut second in the Lone Star mud June 5.

“It was a pretty big ask for her to jump on a plane, fly across country, step off and win,” Fincher said. “But she had shown a lot in her first race, so we had high expectations that she could. We think she's got a really bright future.”

Eda (Munnings), a $550,000 OBS March graduate, earned her diploma at first asking via disqualification after crossing the line a nose short for Bob Baffert at Santa Anita June 19. The unlucky Ko Olina (Stanford) returned to graduate versus Cal-breds in her next start.

Elm Drive (Mohaymen) kicked off her career with a blowout, eight-length decision on debut over four rivals at Los Alamitos June 26. The runner-up that day We All Agree (Unified) won next out in a $50,000 maiden claimer July 23.

Unbeaten Fasig-Tipton Debutante S. heroine At the Spa (Outwork), and sharp Cal-bred debut winner It's Simple (Nyquist), opted instead for Thursday's CTBA S. at Del Mar.

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Smash Ticket Leads 11 Juvenile Fillies Postward in Del Mar’s Sorrento Stakes

Eleven promising juvenile fillies will face the starter Friday at Del Mar and run six furlongs in the 53rd edition of the Sorrento Stakes. The Grade 2, $200,000 headliner will be the featured attraction on an eight-race card that has a traditional Four O'Clock Friday start at the seaside track north of San Diego, Calif.

Nine of the 11 2-year-olds have already won a race and one of them – King, Kirby or Kirby's Smash Ticket – did so in impressive fashion at Del Mar on July 17 in a straight maiden affair, drawing out to tally by five lengths in good time under Umberto Rispoli for New Mexico-based conditioner Todd Fincher. That dash, along with a second-place finish she turned in earlier in June at Lone Star Park in Texas, was enough for morning line maker Jon White to hang her the 9-5 favorite in the Sorrento.

Others in the field who have drawn White's eye are Little Red Feather Racing's Elm Drive, who trains out of the barn of Phil D'Amato and won her initial start at Los Alamitos on June 26 by eight lengths under Juan Hernandez. The rider returns Friday and they've drawn the role of second-favorite at 5-2. Listed at 4-1 is Baoma Corp's Eda, who missed by a whisker at Santa Anita on June 19, but was made the winner for a bumping incident with the filly Ko Olina. Bob Baffert trains Eda and once again will have Abel Cedillo in the boot.

Here's the full field for the Sorrento from the rail out with riders and morning line odds:

Marc Ricker's She's So Shiny (Ricky Gonzalez, 8-1); Smash Ticket; Eda; Donworthy or Ennis' Shesgotattitude (Trevor McCarthy, 8-1); Alydom Racing, Barragan or Lerner's Loveherheart (Drayden Van Dyke, 15-1); Reddam Racing's It's Simple (Mario Gutierrez, 6-1); Agave Racing Stables or Schera's Sax (Joe Bravo, 10-1); Binder and Associates, Anderson, et al's First Promise (apprentice Jessica Pyfer, 20-1); Elm Drive; Tricar Stables' Roses for Suzzett (apprentice Emily Ellingwood, 20-1), and Lovingier, Beckerle or Carrillo's At the Spa (Tyler Baze, 5-1).

The Sorrento is the stepping stone for young fillies with an eye toward the track's premier race for juvenile misses – the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante, run at seven furlongs on Sunday, Sept. 5.

Trainer Baffert holds the record for most Sorrento winners with seven. He has also won nine Debutantes.

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