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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