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Liam’s Map’s Beau Liam Brilliant Again at the Spa

8th-Saratoga, $105,000, Alw (NW2$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 8-29, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:15.05, ft, 6 lengths.
BEAU LIAM (c, 3, Liam's Map–Belle of Perintown {GSW, $265,465}, by Dehere) showed Sunday just how well-stocked the Steve Asmussen barn is with top sprinters, as he zipped away to his third win from as many tries as day after stablemates Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) and Yaupon (Uncle Mo) annexed the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. and GI Forego S., respectively. A shoe-in for 'TDN Rising Star'-dom off a 7 1/2-length debut drubbing at Churchill May 29, the bay was even-money in one of the toughest first-level allowances here in recent memory July 17, and out-nosed promising Chad Brown pupil Witsel (Nyquist) to earn a gaudy 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Looking like lock on paper here, the 2-5 favorite was pursued by Night Time (Majesticperfection) through swift splits of :22.14 and :44.92. Asked to quicken after straightening for home, Beau Liam hit another gear and quickly scampered away from his competition to air by six lengths. The victory was the third straight on the card for Ricardo Santana, Jr., who also rode both of Asmussen's Grade I winners Saturday, along with his GI Runhappy Travers S. runner-up Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow). Asmussen trained Liam's Map's first two Grade I winners, Basin and Wicked Whisper, and was represented on Friday at Monmouth by the very impressive debut-winning turf sprinter Cheeky Chaps (Liam's Map). The winner is half to Tomlin (Distorted Humor), MSW & MGSP, $251,895; and Strike It Rich (Unbridled's Song), GSW, $193,966, plus unraced 2-year-old filly Ari Oakley (Gun Runner) and a yearling filly by Good Magic. Strike It Rich's New York-bred son Sea Foam (Medaglia d'Oro) took the Evan Shipman H. here by five lengths earlier this month. Sales history: $385,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $171,888. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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Team Asmussen Celebrates Big Day

While Steve Asmussen was on the road to the Texas yearling sales Sunday morning, his team was still celebrating a pair of Grade I victories at Saratoga Saturday. Yaupon (Uncle Mo) captured the GI Forego S. in a dramatic stretch run shortly before stablemate Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) battled to a determined victory in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Asmussen also saddled Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) to a runner-up effort in the GI Runhappy Travers S.

“I was so proud of how our horses ran yesterday. It was a great day of racing,” said Scott Blasi, Asmussen's longtime assistant. “To win two Grade Is in a row at Saratoga on Travers Day is a great feeling. There are certain days of the year that are incredibly competitive. There's Derby Day, Preakness Day, Belmont Day, Travers Day, Breeders' Cup. With that level of quality racing, it's the best of the best. On those kinds of days to do well, it's a special feeling.”

As Yaupon, under Ricardo Santana, Jr., battled in deep stretch, Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) bared his teeth, turned his head to the left, and tried to savage his rival with no fewer than seven attempts. Afterward, Asmussen said that Firenze Fire was even trying to grab Santana.

“[Yaupon] came out of it unscathed,” Blasi said Sunday. “No marks or anything. Luckily, Ricardo was able to continue to encourage him, although he was getting pretty close to the inside rail, which I was more worried about than the horse getting bit. I think it was a really hard thing for him [Jose Ortiz, up on Firenze Fire] to correct. The thing about it is those guys are riding hard, so they were going forward and it's not like you have the bit in their mouth. They're trying to persevere, and that's a hard to thing to correct when you're in that position. I've seen pictures of horses being savaged, and I've seen horses savage, or try to bite, but I've never seen any horse do it for that long. I've never seen it go on for that long.”

Blasi continued, “Yaupon is a special horse. It was a great win for him. Jackie's Warrior gave another game effort. He's a special talent. The horse he beat [Life is Good] is as well. You saw how they separated themselves from the rest of the field, and that just goes to show you the class and the quality of those two horses. It was a great race. Jackie is so consistent. At one turn he's back to doing what he wants to do.”

Midnight Bourbon came back from a near-fall in the GI Haskell S. to just miss to champion Essential Quality (Tapit) in the Travers.

“It was by far the best race of his career,” Blasi said. “We were a little bit unlucky to lose, but that horse [Essential Quality] is a champion. Once that horse gets by you, he's not going to let anybody pass him, and he proved that time and time again. Hats off to the winner, but our horse is definitely improving. I think with the time that they ran and how they came home in the last quarter, you have to have quality to be able to do that.”

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Half to McCracken Impresses in Ellis Unveiling

6th-Ellis, $50,220, Msw, 8-29, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:21.96, ft, 8 lengths.
MILLIKEN (c, 3, Into Mischief–Ivory Empress {GSP, $189,402}, by Seeking the Gold), a half to 'TDN Rising Stars' McCraken (Ghostzapper), MGSW & GISP, $869,728; and Four Graces (Majesticperfection), MGSW, $261,246, got off to a belated but auspicious start to his own career here at 5-2 odds. Showing good tactical speed to draft behind the top flight while savig ground, the bay was guided through a wide-open rail around the bend and all of a sudden had the lead after a :45.16 half. He still plenty left in the tank from there, and widened at will to crush his overmatched competition by eight lengths. Crump (Into Mischief) was a clear second, completing the exacta for his super star sire. Milliken is also half to Bondurant (War Front), MGSP, $290,334; and With Dignity (Declaration of War), GSP, $177,381. His dam produced a Ghostzapper filly in 2020 and Uncle Mo filly this term before being bred back to Street Sense. The aforementioned McCracken, who stands at Airdrie, has first yearlings this year. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
O-Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes.

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Essential Quality Fine After Travers Win

Godolphin's Essential Quality (Tapit) exited his win in Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S. in fine shape, and, while his next start is up in the air, his ultimate target will be the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Classic, trainer Brad Cox confirmed Sunday.

“He looked great this morning. He's in good shape,” Cox said. “[Godolphin USA President] Jimmy Bell and I spoke about [his next start] this morning, there's no pressure to make a decision right now. We'll just let the dust settle and enjoy this victory for a little bit. I think that's the right thing to do. We'll make a decision in a week or two weeks. The most important thing is watching him and how he trains.”

Also looking ahead after a Grade I win at Saratoga Saturday are the connections of Gufo (Declaration of War), who captured the GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. for Otter Bend stables.

“He came out of his race in very good shape and I was very proud of him. He looks very good this morning,” trainer Christophe Clement said.

Clement said the colt would now be pointed towards the Oct. 9 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park.

Trainer Chad Brown reported that GII Ballston Spa S. winner Viadera (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) will likely make her next start in the Oct. 9 GI First Lady S. at Keeneland.

Also Saturday at Saratoga, Brown saddled Jack Christopher (Munnings), who was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 8 3/4-length debut victory.

“I was very pleased,” Brown said of the effort. “The word was out. He had worked well and he ran to his works, which is always a relief for a trainer.”

Brown said Jack Christopher will point to the Oct. 2 GI Champagne S. at Belmont, a one-turn mile offering a “Win and You're In” berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

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