Flashy Maiden Winners Take on Saratoga Stakes Winners in Loaded Spinaway

'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke), one of the more impressive maiden winners this summer at Saratoga, will square off with unbeaten GIII Adirondack S. heroine Brightwork (Outwork) in a deep renewal of Sunday's GI Spinaway S. at the Spa.

Ways and Means, a homebred for Klaravich Stables, earned a field-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure for her geared-down 12 3/4-length debut victory going six furlongs Aug. 6. She'll take on an additional furlong in the Spinaway.

“She's had two easy works since, and she looks fine,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I'm excited to see her run again. We've been training easy.”

Brightwork made it three-for-three for trainer John Ortiz with an impressive win of her own in the 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack Aug. 6. The re-opposing GIII Schuylerville S. winner Becky's Joker (Practical Joke) was a distant seventh that day.

“The thing about her works is that she's only getting better and better,” Ortiz said of Brightwork. “Her heart rate is showing that she's asking for more distance and so we're going in there as confident as can be.”

The field of 10 also includes: Astoria S. winner and Schuylerville third Closing Act (Munnings); the Bill Mott-trained six-length debut winner on opening day Sugar Hi (Twirling Candy); and Alys Beach (Omaha Beach), who defeated next-out runaway winner Life Talk (Gun Runner) by a head on debut July 30.

Sunday's graded stakes action also includes: the GII Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby and the GIII National Thoroughbred League Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs.

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Twirling Candy’s Sugar Hi Graduates In Style At Saratoga

2nd-Saratoga, $105,945, Msw, 7-13, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:05.14, ft, 6 lengths.
SUGAR HI (f, 2, Twirling Candy–Laughing Matters, by Medaglia d'Oro) tipped her hand for trainer Bill Mott early off a series of quick drills and was subsequently slammed down from her 8-1 morning line into the 2-1 favorite's role for the first 2-year-old maiden race of the 2023 Saratoga meet. Picked up for just $180,000 out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, the bay broke with intent from her outside draw and was up to press the pace outside of second-time starter Lady Moscato (Quality Road). Ridden to come alongside that rival off the turn, Sugar Hi stuck a head in front with a furlong to run and sprinted away with her ears pricked on the wire, defeating Lady Moscato by a geared-down six lengths.

“With the mare, we needed the characteristics that Twirling Candy gives us which is the opportunity to get a race horse,” said winning co-breeder Fred Hertrich. “The mare needed a little push to get something that would stand out. We own shares in him (Twirling Candy) and he's been very good to us about helping mares provide runners.”

From the extended female family of champion 2-year-old filly Dreaming of Anna (Rahy), GSW Dreamologist, and GISP Fast Anna (Medaglia d'Oro), Sugar Hi has a yearling More Than Ready half brother while her dam unfortunately aborted her 2023 Street Sense foal. Sales History: $180,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-CJ Thoroughbreds; B-Fred W. Hertrich lll & John D. Fielding (KY); T-William I. Mott.

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