Year 15 • No. 9

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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

American Pharoah rules Haskell, spurs Travers talk

Next Move?

aratogaT he

Saratoga’s Daily Newspaper on Thoroughbred Racing

• Arlington shipper tries Shine Again• Stopchargingmaria captures Shuvee

• Strong Whitney field takes shape

2 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

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3Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

BY THE NUMBERS20: Years old for first-year intern Annise Monplaisir today. Happy birthday.

44: High Peaks remaining for Joe and Nolan Clancy (and Katie the Labrador) to become “46ers” after they hiked Cascade Mountain Monday.

2,288: Hours Bob Ewell spent away from the backstretch painting images of the backstretch. His work is on display at the Visitors Center through August.

7,500: Dollars paid for American Pharoah halter at Old Friends’ benefit Monday night at Siro’s.

10.8: Seconds it once took jockey Angel Cruz to run 100 yards. No wonder he won the PDJF jockeys’ foot race.

25: Gallons of water consumed at The Special office through Tuesday.

8.64: Average field size at the meet through 10 days of racing (up 9.2 percent over last year).

19: Percent increase (to more than $3.9 million) of on-track handle through 10 days of the meet.

NAMES OF THE DAYEighty Three, fifth race. What else would Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker name a horse?

Cash Control, eighth race. Bertram and Richard Klein bred this daughter of Hidden Assets. Now, that’s one way to control cash.

here&there... at Saratoga

Connie BushWater Way. It takes balance to water the plants on the Saratoga backside.

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Street’s gangFRIDAY

Gangster earns Rising Star statusrunning a 94 Beyer at the Spa.

SATURDAYHoly Boss wins the G2

Amsterdam, his third straight Stakes victory.

ALMOST EVERY DAYAnother classy Street Boss winner

– he’s the best winner-getter of his sire crop.

DAR8572 Saratoga Special Street-Boss 5 AUG15 04/08/2015 12:51 Page 1

4 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

WORTH REPEATING“I had the advantage because of the post, the key to winning the race was the post.”

Jockey Javier Castellano, who broke to the outside of Untapable which allowed him to stalk aboard Stopchargingmaria

“Every year it gets better.”George Weaver, to the annual question of how he and his wife Cindy are getting along

“He’s starting to figure it out.”Cindy Weaver

“I started to be a hero, then he got a little fresh, the City Zip started coming out of him.”George Weaver, after he opted to let the outrider

catch his loose horse Monday morning

“I had a ton of horse.”Exercise rider McLane Hendriks, after working Slimshady

the morning after finishing 10th in an optional claimer

“You’re like Batman around here.”Parking attendant to The Special’s Tom Law after he emerged

from the trees in the owners and trainers parking area Saturday

“He said it was so quiet there that day.” John Shirreffs on what Arnold Zetcher told him

after Zardana beat Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds in 2010

here&there... at Saratoga

800-523-8143

“When the overnight came out. My agent doesn’t tell me anything.”Jockey Javier Castellano, when asked when he knew

he was riding Stopchargingmaria in the Shuvee

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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NAME OF THE DAYWoke Up Tired, first race.

Appropriate for Monday morning of sales week. That’s us.

Water Hole, ninth race. Will Farish’s filly is by Oasis Dream.

Connie BushDusty Bend. A Thoroughbred practices its paces in a round pen.

5Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

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6 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

The aratoga

Raising and Selling Racehorses

Visit Headley and Price online …millridge.com or nicoma.com

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Mill Ridge MomentsMill Ridge MomentsMill Ridge Moments John Stephen Hockensmith ©

Editors/PublishersSean Clancy: (302) 545-7713. sean@thisishorseracing.comJoe Clancy: (302) 545-4424. joe @thisishorseracing.com

Managing EditorTom Law: (859) 396-9407. tom@thisishorseracing.com

Circulation/Advertising Sales/Etc.: Jack Clancy, Nolan Clancy.

Writers/Handicappers: Charles Bedard, Billy Blake, Gaile Fitzgerald, Teresa Genaro, Annise Montplaisir, John Shapazian, Chad Summers, Brandon Valvo.

Photographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush.

Layout/Design: Kaitlyn Vishneowski.

112 Spring Street, Suite 205Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

www.thisishorseracing.comPublished Wednesday through Sunday

during the racing season. Every day of Sales Week Aug. 9-16.

The Saratoga Special, thisishorseracing.comThoroughbred Racing Calendar, The Best of The Saratoga Special.

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here&there... at SaratogaWORTH REPEATING“It was a slog.”

The Special’s Sean Clancy describing his Monday afternoon run

“My owner wanted anything. He got anything.”Trainer, about an ill-advised purchase

“Thanks very much for the paper box at Moby Rick’s. Although I would walk a mile to get my Saratoga Special, it’s nice that I don’t have to.”

Longtime reader and advertiser Lisa Beige

“Some of the people in our partnership have never raced horses in their life. What a thrill for them. Man, do you know how many hundred racehorses I got killed on? They love it, now they’re addicted. God knows what’s going to happen to them. Now they want to buy more.”

Dr. Gene Voss, co-owner of Jim Dandy winner Texas Red “Hello, wife.”

Jockey Kent Desormeaux, after a fan asked him to say hello to his wife

“I’ll tell you, I’ve been all over the world and this is the best racing in the world.”Desormeaux, after winning the Jim Dandy with Texas Red

“They’re nice and young, let’s see if they’ll give us a lead.”Exercise rider Lena Lorieul, while trying to follow

Jack Doyle and Gus Dahl onto the turf course Monday morning

“I walked in and rode out.”Josh Newman, on purchasing a bike at Walmart Connie Bush

Flag Day. Even the mops are patriotic on the backside.

7Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

The location of Ian Wilkes’ barn at the far end of Clare Court might be one of the best on the grounds. The barn sits in a quiet spot on the corner, with Nelson Avenue to the west and the Greentree property to the south.

There’s no through traffic, unless you count horses zipping past on the Clare Court track. The only visitors are the kind one would expect – jock-eys and their agents, veterinarians, reporters. Wilkes, based at Churchill Downs for most of the year, keeps a string in New York in the spring and fall and his Saratoga group often in-cludes the best prospects from both.

The native of Australia who came to the U.S. to work for Carl Nafzger in 1990, doesn’t hype his horses but likes his group for 2015.

“I’ve got some nice horses,” said Wilkes, who will double his number of starters at the current meet if the three he’s entered start in a maiden and the Shine Again Stakes today.

The group includes Free As A Bird, who won the Caress and Smart N Fancy last year and finished second in her Caress title defense Sunday, multiple graded stakes winner Neck ’n Neck, stakes winner Viva Major-ca and the promising and multiple graded stakes-placed 3-year-old fillies Sweetgrass and Silverpocketsfull.

“I’ve got some good fillies,” he said. “I don’t know what the deal is with that. I guess I’m talking to them nicely.”

Two horses trained by Wilkes’ for-mer boss, Shuvee third Tiz Windy and starter-allowance filly Defoe Street, are also bedded down in Barn 6.

Tuesday morning with all the sets trained and relaxing, Wilkes sat in the golf cart he never drives to the main track to watch his horses train and talked about the group with The Spe-cial’s Tom Law.

Free As A Bird: “She came out of the Caress fine. She’s a tough filly as you know, but fun. She’s quite a character but she’s very tough. Ultra-consistent mare. Couldn’t ask for a 6-year-old mare to be any more consistent. I’ll run her back in the Smart N Fancy. I was hoping to win the Caress, too, since I won that last year. Jimmy Toner spoiled the party. He didn’t get the memo.”

Sweetgrass: She was second in the Indiana Oaks. She’s come a long way in a short time. She didn’t run until January and she’s Grade 2 stakes-placed, third in the Iowa Oaks, second in the Indiana Oaks. She ran down (when seventh) in the Black-Eyed Susan. That’s the only bad race she’s run. I’m going to nominate her to the Alabama as well. See how she trains up to it.”

Gorgeous Bird: “He’s in the Hall of Fame. I’m going to try him on the turf. Tough spot. That’s unusual saying that up here isn’t it? He worked good on the turf, solid work. He’s just not finishing off

his races on the dirt so I want to try him on the turf. If there had been a two-other-than you’d have to make a decision, do you run in that against older boys, op-tional claiming $62,500? They’re tough old knockers. Do you go to a stakes? That’s not easy either.”

Silverpocketsfull: She’s a 3-year-old filly, finished third in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland. I gave her a break, then she came back and ran fifth in the Indiana Oaks. Nice filly, going to be a really nice 4-year-old. I’m going to nominate her to the Alabama, see how she does.”

The Great Whiteway: “He’s by No-biz Like Shobiz. He ran once, finished fifth (July 4 at Belmont Park). He’s a home-bred for Mrs. Elizabeth Valando. He’s a lit-tle horse, a 2-year-old, and hopefully he’ll come back and run a little better for us.”

Dunk A Din: “He’s by Dunkirk (out of Caged Glory, by Honour and Glory). Nice, big, good-looking colt. Tough colt. He’s one for Marylou Whitney.”

Neck ’N Neck: “I’ve got the old boy here. He’s going to run Sunday in the Al-ydar. He was fourth in the Suburban. He’s doing well, starting to round back in. He had a couple subpar races but now he’s coming back into form. Where we go af-ter that will depend on how he runs.”

Ready For You: “He’s an unraced 3-year-old by More Than Ready and ready to run. The race never filled the other day for him. I wanted to run him on the turf, short. He’ll go long, but for me, my style, get a race into him, get a good education and then we move forward from there.”

Tiz Town: “He’s a 3-year-old by Tiznow (out of Bird Town) for Marylou. I scratched him the other day. He had a lit-tle bit of a cough but he’s doing well now. We’ll come back in an a-other-than.”

Bird Sense: “She’s run three times. Two thirds and a second. She’s a Street Sense and a half-sister to Bird Maker (who runs in today’s Shine Again). It’s funny how you’ll end up on the same day with sisters and brothers. It’s amazing.”

Windradyne: “My wife named him, so blame her. He’s by Warrior’s Reward and Bob Manfuso and Tracey own him to-gether. He’s a big, good-looking gelding who hasn’t raced yet. He’s 3 and came up with some shins so he’s going to be a little bit longer now. We foal-shared, I had the Warrior’s Reward breeding right. Warrior’s Reward is doing well, he just needs a big horse.”

Stable Tour:SARATOGA STABLE TOUR. Meet the people & horses who make Saratoga GO!

T H E S A R A T O G A S A L E A U G U S T 1 0 - 1 1

with Ian Wilkes

Every day at Saratoga, The Special (with help from sponsor Fasig-Tipton)

presents an exclusive Stable Tour with a Saratoga trainer. For more, see: thisishorseracing.com/stabletours

8 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

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“My dad used to do more with less money than anybody I had ever seen in my lifetime. I can remember, even when I was a teenager, we had a whole house rented in East Islip, Long Island, for $45 a month. Imagine that. My dad was always nice to people and they always owed him favors. Tom White had polo ponies when he was in high school, Pop had his polo ponies, he’d take care of them, and later in life, he took care of Pop. He worked for a man for 21 years. It was like that movie Sabrina, the people who worked for the rich people had a good time, they had their whole own clan. Pop used to take care of the horses, everybody would be like, ‘The boss is coming this weekend.’ Then they would get everything ready.”

– Trainer Allen Jerkens1929-2015

The Chief . . . Day 9

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9Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

10 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

BY TOM LAWDavid Hinsley spent the first few

hours of his first trip to Saratoga Springs since the 1970s getting reac-quainted with the city and the areas in and around the racetrack. To say the place has changed since those days, when Hinsley trekked from Finger Lakes when he could snag some free time from his job as an exercise rider and later as an assistant to Jinks Fires, would be quite an understatement.

One thing that hasn’t changed, or at least hasn’t changed as much, is the quality of the stakes competition. Hinsley will find out just how tough it can be today when he saddles You

Bought Her, a mare he co-owns with Richard Perkins, in the $100,000 Shine Again Stakes.

“She looks competitive in there,” Hinsley said. “We decided to come here because it’s seven-eighths and she seems to like seven-eighths. Wheth-er she’ll like the racetrack or not we don’t know. She didn’t seem to like Churchill. She liked Gulfstream and she liked Tampa and hopefully she likes it here.”

Tod MarksA Grade 2 winner here last year, Stonetastic is favored in today’s Shine Again.

SHINE AGAIN PREVIEW

Hinsley takes mare on roadYou Bought Her seeks Saratoga win

See SHINE AGAIN page 12

11Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

12 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

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Hinsley trailered the 5-year-old Graeme Hall mare to Saratoga himself, leaving his spring-summer base at Arlington Park just out-side Chicago Monday and venturing about 600 miles to a “horse hotel just outside Rochester” to stay overnight. They finished the trip Tuesday morning and were bedded down in the receiving barn just across Nelson Avenue by lunchtime.

“I haven’t been here since the ’70s so I’m just getting the lay of the land,” Hinsley said. “I was at Finger Lakes for years. I galloped horses there a long, long time ago. I freelanced there then I branched out and went to Kentucky. When I went there I worked for Jinks Fires and was an assistant for him for 10 years. We brought a horse over to Finger Lakes in the ’80s, ran it and then brought it over to Saratoga.

“I drove the van over, flew back when Jinks came in, and didn’t stay for the race. When I was younger though we used to come up here from Finger Lakes all the time, when we were kids. We’d come here, go down to Belmont. We’d go over to the trotting track, that sort of thing, just goofing around.”

You Bought Her brings a strong record into the 7-furlong Shine Again. She’s been first or second in five of her seven starts this year, the only two off-the-board finishes were graded

stakes at Churchill, and a 4-for-8 mark at the distance.

She was second in the 6-furlong Saylerville Stakes June 26 at Prairie Meadows in her last start, beaten a half-length by Ghost Locket in a roughly run race. Ghost Locket bumped third-place finisher, Haveyougoneaway, around the turn and forced You Bought Her wide. Five wide into the lane, You Bought Her still finished will-ingly and just missed adding another stakes win to a win in the Minaret at Tampa Bay Downs.

“She likes the extra distance. She should have won at Iowa, the winner came out and bumped the third horse and that stopped us,” Hinsley said. “We had to come back on after taking up and only got beat a half length. They debated it for 10 minutes and then they didn’t do any-thing. That was a $40,000 swing, that was the only bad thing about it.”

Ten others entered the Shine Again, includ-ing last year’s Grade 2 Prioress winner and 5-2 morning-line favorite Stonetastic and recent Princess Rooney fourth and 7-2 second choice Sweet Basil.

Charlton Baker, who won the John Mor-rissey earlier in the meet with Moonlight Song, bids for another stakes with Expression. He owns and trains the 6-year-old Invasor mare, who he claimed for $35,000 in her second start in January 2012.

Expression won her first stakes in Aqueduct’s

Shine Again – Continued from page 10

Tod MarksTaketheodds seeks her second stakes win of 2015. See SHINE AGAIN page 13

13Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

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Garland Of Roses in her final start of 2014 in December and placed in four straight stakes since. She was third be-hind Dame Dorothy and Street Story last time out in the Grade 3 Bed O’ Roses June 20 at Belmont Park.

“It’s a little bit of a drop in class, maybe, coming from a graded stakes,” Baker said as he watched a set train Tuesday morning on the Oklahoma Training Track. “Those were two nice horses that finished ahead of her.”

Expression will need to improve on her previous two starts at Saratoga – a fifth in an allowance during the 2012 meet and a fourth in an allowance-op-tional as the favorite in 2013.

“She hasn’t run her best race here,” Baker said. “Once she was favored and I thought she would run better, but the track was off. She’s come back and run well on an off track though. She’s been pretty decent in her training here so far. She runs well but she’s never really dominated the top choices. She always tries.”

Ian Wilkes entered two in the Shine Again – Marylou Whitney’s Bird Mak-er and Robert Manfuso’s Taketheodds. Bird Maker was fifth in the Saylerville last time out and Wilkes hopes to add to the resume of the 4-year-old filly by Empire Maker from the family of Bird-stone and Bird Town.

“She’s Grade 2 stakes placed al-ready,” he said. “I need to get a stakes win on her, with that pedigree. She’s made $162,000, but would like to get her a stakes win for the owners.”

Taketheodds finished fifth in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga and an allowance-op-tional in 2014 at Saratoga before Wil-kes returned the Street Sense filly to shorter distances. She won the Sugar Maple Stakes at 7 furlongs and around two turns at Charles Town Races two starts back and was sixth in the Skipat at Pimlico for Katy Voss. She’s been back with Wilkes since late spring and breezed four times at Saratoga.

The Shine Again field also includes Wavell Avenue, third in a turf sprint stakes at Woodbine last time out; and Unbridled Forever, who hasn’t raced since she was fifth in last year’s Breed-ers’ Cup Distaff. Storied Lady, Flatter-ing Bea and Sugar Shock complete the field.

Shine Again – Continued from page 12

14 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

Wednesday, August 5.1ST (1:00PM). $65,000, AOC $30,000, 4 YO’S & UP, 2 1/16M (HURDLE)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Fog Island ...................... R. Walsh .......................... R. Valentine .................. 7-21a .... 2 ............Powerofone .................... K. Norris .......................... J. Sheppard .................. 7-22 ..... 3 ............Manacor (IRE) ................ P. Young .......................... J. Day ........................... 8-13 ..... 4 ............Sporty ............................ D. Nagle ........................... J. Gomena .................... 3-14 ..... 5 ............So Outspoken ................ M. Watts .......................... J. Napravnik ............... 15-15 ..... 6 ............All Together .................... S. McDermott .................. J. Fisher ....................... 2-16 ..... 7 ............Northern Bay .................. R. Geraghty ..................... T. Wyatt ...................... 15-17 ..... 8 ............Gimme Five (GB) ............ J. Doyle ........................... C. Murphy .................... 5-1

2ND (1:33PM). $25,000, CLM $12,500, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/8MExacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 5, Daily Double1 ..... 4 ............Bambisfrostyracer .......... A. Arroyo ......................... P. Serpe ........................ 6-51a .... 8 ............Wealth to Me .................. C. Velasquez .................... D. Jacobson ................. 6-52 ..... 1 ............Chairman Now ............... J. Castellano .................... C. Englehart ................ 12-13 ..... 2 ............My Adonis ...................... J. Ortiz ............................. L. Rice .......................... 8-14 ..... 3 ............Playing a Joke ................ F. Jara .............................. S. Klesaris .................... 6-15 ..... 5 ............Petrocelli ........................ J. Rosario ........................ G. DiPrima .................. 10-16 ..... 6 ............Bedouin Now .................. E. Trujillo ......................... E. Reiff ....................... 30-17 ..... 7 ............Forty Nine Watts ............ I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ L. Rivelli ....................... 5-18 ..... 9 ............Grandpa Len .................. J. Lezcano ....................... B. Brown ...................... 6-1

3RD (2:06PM). $45,000, MCL $40,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 4, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Got Winged .................... J. Lezcano ....................... M. Dini ....................... 10-12 ..... 2 ............Wind Warning ................ C. Velasquez .................... L. Rice .......................... 3-13 ..... 3 ............River Knight ................... S. Bridgmohan ................ E. Pringle ...................... 7-24 ..... 4 ............Longisland Express ........ S. Russell ........................ R. Handal ..................... 6-15 ..... 5 ............Solid Future .................... L. Perez ........................... D. Conway, Jr. ............ 20-16 ..... 6 ............Junger ............................ K. Carmouche .................. J. Hertler .................... 15-17 ..... 7 ............Said No One Ever ........... A. Arroyo ......................... J. Antonucci ............... 20-18 ..... 8 ............Colonel Jessup ............... C. Sullivan ....................... M. Shevy .................... 50-19 ..... 9 ............Enchanted Forest ........... F. Jara .............................. K. LeBlanc .................. 30-110..... 10 ..........Spark to Ignite ............... R. Silvera ......................... L. O’Brien ..................... 8-111..... 11 ..........Leatherhead Lurie .......... E. Cancel .......................... G. DiPrima .................. 10-112..... 12 ..........Remote Access .............. J. Castellano .................... P. Reynolds .................. 5-113..... MTO ......Rich Dalone .................... . ...................................... B. Levine ...................... 4-114..... MTO ......Norm the Giant ............... . ...................................... M. Pino ........................ 2-1

4TH (2:39PM). $73,000, MSW, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/8MExacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Mascarello ..................... J. Ortiz ............................. H. Bond ...................... 12-11a .... 5 ............Tommaso ....................... E. Cancel .......................... H. Bond ...................... 12-12 ..... 2 ............Super Psyche ................. J. Alvarado ...................... W. Mott ........................ 8-13 ..... 3 ............Chief of State ................. C. Velasquez .................... P. Quick ........................ 6-14 ..... 4 ............Send It In ....................... J. Castellano .................... T. Pletcher .................... 9-55 ..... 6 ............Overawe ......................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ C. Brown ...................... 2-16 ..... 7 ............Jacob’s Here .................. F. Jara .............................. P. Quick ...................... 30-17 ..... 8 ............Hirschbein ...................... J. Rosario ........................ C. Clement.................... 5-1

5TH (3:12PM). $47,000, CLM $40,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 6, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Dendrite ......................... A. Cruz ............................. C. Martin .................... 20-12 ..... 2 ............Triple Play ...................... K. Carmouche .................. B. Levine ...................... 6-13 ..... 3 ............Greeley Pack .................. R. Silvera ......................... K. Feron ...................... 30-14 ..... 4 ............Sourcesandmethods ...... J. Ortiz ............................. R. Violette, Jr. ............... 4-15 ..... 5 ............Out of Your Mind............ E. Trujillo ......................... G. Sciacca .................. 50-16 ..... 6 ............One Eyed Ray ................. C. Velasquez .................... M. Trombetta .............. 10-17 ..... 7 ............Prophet’s Cat.................. L. Saez ............................. G. Sciacca .................. 15-18 ..... 8 ............Eighty Three ................... R. Hernandez ................... W. Ward ....................... 5-29 ..... 9 ............Dynamite Stick ............... M. Franco ........................ M. Lauer ..................... 20-110..... 10 ..........Decent ............................ J. Castellano .................... E. Kenneally .................. 7-211..... 11 ..........Downgoesfrazier ............ J. Rosario ........................ C. Domino .................. 12-112..... 12 ..........On a Star ........................ J. Velazquez ..................... B. Perkins, Jr. ............. 12-113..... MTO ......Deputy Busterstone ........ J. Castellano .................... C. Domino .................. 12-114..... MTO ......Sidearm ......................... . ...................................... G. Gullo ........................ 7-2

6TH (3:45PM). $67,000, CLM $50,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 1M (INNER TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Honor the Kitten ............. J. Castellano .................... M. Maker ...................... 7-22 ..... 2 ............Street Shark ................... A. Cruz ............................. J. Parker ..................... 15-13 ..... 3 ............Bowman’s Beast ............. P. Hernandez Ortega ........ P. Farro ....................... 12-14 ..... 4 ............Bigger Picture ................ C. Velasquez .................... L. Rice .......................... 4-15 ..... 5 ............Abtaal ............................. L. Saez ............................. K. McLaughlin .............. 9-26 ..... 6 ............Banzai Charge ................ P. Lopez ........................... G. Delgado ................... 5-17 ..... 7 ............Bim Bam ........................ C. Lanerie ........................ R. Moquett ................. 20-18 ..... MTO ......Finding Candy ................ J. Castellano .................... D. Gargan ..................... 3-19 ..... 9 ............McIlroy ........................... J. Ortiz ............................. R. Rodriguez ................ 6-110..... MTO ......Seve ............................... C. Lanerie ........................ D. Romans ................... 7-211..... 11 ..........Upgrade ......................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ S. Klesaris .................... 8-112..... 12 ..........Rapscallion .................... K. Carmouche .................. D. Gargan ................... 12-1

7TH (4:18PM). $83,000, MSW, 3 YO’S & UP, F & M , 6FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 4, Daily Double1 ..... 9 ............Where’s Poppa ............... J. Leparoux ...................... G. Contessa ................ 20-11a .... 10 ..........Aimone ........................... J. Leparoux ...................... G. Contessa ................ 20-12 ..... 1 ............Excuse My French .......... J. Castellano .................... C. Brown ...................... 7-23 ..... 2 ............Vacation Spot ................. J. Rosario ........................ M. Maker .................... 12-14 ..... 3 ............Shes a True Beauty......... S. Bridgmohan ................ D. Stewart .................... 6-15 ..... 4 ............Prospector’s Moon ......... J. Alvarado ...................... J. Jerkens ..................... 5-16 ..... 5 ............Bird Sense ...................... L. Saez ............................. I. Wilkes ....................... 9-27 ..... 6 ............Sanctifica ....................... E. Cancel .......................... C. Clement.................... 4-18 ..... 7 ............Zealous Wildcat .............. J. Ortiz ............................. M. Nevin ..................... 20-19 ..... 8 ............Istiraaha ......................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ K. McLaughlin .............. 6-1

8TH (4:52PM). $93,000, AOC $80,000, 3 YO’S & UP, F & M , 1 1/16M (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Unbelievable Dream ....... A. Cruz ............................. B. Tagg ....................... 20-12 ..... 2 ............Cash Control .................. S. Bridgmohan ................ B. Cox ........................ 15-13 ..... 3 ............Speed Seeker ................. J. Velazquez ..................... J. Scott ....................... 10-14 ..... 4 ............Granny Mc’s Kitten ......... J. Castellano .................... C. Brown ...................... 4-15 ..... 5 ............Patsy’s Holiday ............... L. Saez ............................. T. Pletcher .................... 7-26 ..... 6 ............La Madrina ..................... J. Rosario ........................ C. McGaughey III ......... 6-17 ..... MTO ......Holiday’s Jewel .............. E. Cancel .......................... M. Friedman ................. 8-18 ..... 8 ............Crisolles (FR) ................. J. Leparoux ...................... C. Clement.................... 3-19 ..... 9 ............Water Hole (IRE) ............ I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ C. Brown .................... 12-110..... 10 ..........Distorted Beauty ............ J. Ortiz ............................. B. Levine ...................... 5-1

9TH (5:26PM). $100,000, STK - THE SHINE AGAIN, 4 YO’S & UP, F & M , 7FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Storied Lady ................... J. Ortiz ............................. J. Hertler .................... 30-12 ..... 2 ............Sweet Basil .................... C. Lanerie ........................ R. Nicks ........................ 7-23 ..... 3 ............Stonetastic ..................... P. Lopez ........................... K. Breen ....................... 5-24 ..... 4 ............Flattering Bea ................. K. Carmouche .................. C. Pickett .................... 30-15 ..... 5 ............Unbridled Forever .......... J. Velazquez ..................... D. Stewart .................... 5-16 ..... 6 ............Wavell Avenue ................ J. Rosario ........................ C. Brown ...................... 4-17 ..... 7 ............Expression ..................... M. Franco ........................ C. Baker ...................... 12-18 ..... 8 ............Bird Maker ..................... R. Hernandez ................... I. Wilkes ..................... 15-19 ..... 9 ............You Bought Her .............. J. Lezcano ....................... D. Hinsley ..................... 8-110..... 10 ..........Taketheodds ................... J. Leparoux ...................... I. Wilkes ..................... 15-111..... 11 ..........Sugar Shock .................. S. Bridgmohan ................ B. Cox ........................ 20-1

10TH (6:00PM). $32,000, CLM $16,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 6FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta1 ..... 1 ............Little Rocco .................... A. Cruz ............................. E. Barker .................... 20-12 ..... 2 ............Cosmo Storm ................. E. Cancel .......................... G. Contessa ................ 15-13 ..... 3 ............Sounds of Saratoga ....... A. Arroyo ......................... C. Martin .................... 15-14 ..... 4 ............Roaring Seasons ............ A. Worrie ......................... O. Rojas ..................... 10-15 ..... 5 ............Francis Freud ................. C. Sullivan ....................... R. Metivier .................. 20-16 ..... 6 ............Aleander ......................... E. Trujillo ......................... G. Gullo ........................ 7-27 ..... 7 ............David Rocks ................... K. Carmouche .................. B. Levine ...................... 8-18 ..... 8 ............Richiebythelinks ............. I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ L. Rivelli ....................... 6-19 ..... 9 ............Lyrical Miracle ................ S. Bridgmohan ................ W. Turner, Jr. .............. 15-110..... 10 ..........Pin and Win ................... J. Castellano .................... P. Serpe ........................ 5-111..... 11 ..........Who’s Z Daddy ............... R. Silvera ......................... D. Jacobson ................. 3-112..... 12 ..........Tottie Royer .................... F. Jara .............................. D. Adel ....................... 30-1

Copyright 2015 EQUIBASE Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

SARATOGA ENTRIES

15Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

grid

the Power

Race #

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

All TogetherGimme FivePape Entry

Wealth To MeForty Nine WattsPlaying a JokeWind WarningRemote Access

River KnightSend It InOverawe

HirschbeinEighty Three

DecentOn a Star

Honor the KittenBanzai ChargeBigger Picture

Excuse My FrenchSanctificaIstiraaha

Granny Mc’s KittenCrisolles

Patsy’s HolidayWavell Avenue

StonetasticUnbridled Forever

Who’s Z DaddyPin And Win

Aleander

TomLaw

GaileFitzgerald

CharlesBedard

JohnShapazian

Chad Summers

All TogetherGimme Five

ManacorMy Adonis

Chairman NowGrandpa Len

Wind WarningRemote Access

River KnightSend It In

Super PsycheOveraweDecent

Triple PlayEighty Three

Honor The KittenAbtaal

Bigger PictureIstiraaha

Bird SenseSanctifica

Granny Mc’s KittenDistorted Beauty

La MadrinaUnbridled ForeverYou Bought Her

Sweet BasilPin And Win

RichiebythelinksAleander

All Together Gimme Five Fog Island

Drawing Away entry Playing A Joke Chairman Now Norm The Giant

River Knight Remote Access

Send It In Hirschbein Overawe

Eighty Three Decent

Downgoesfrazier Finding Candy

Honor The Kitten Abtaal

Bird Sense Excuse My French

Istiraaha Granny Mc’s Kitten

Patsy’s Holiday Crisolles

Wavell Avenue Unbridled Forever

Sweet Basil Who’s Z Daddy

Pin And Win Aleander

All Together Manacor

Pape entry Wealth To Me Grandpa Len

Forty Nine Watts Rich Dalone River Knight

Wind Warning Send It In

Jacob’s Here Overawe Sidearm Decent

Prophet’s Cat Finding Candy Bigger Picture Banzai Charge

Sanctifa Bird Sense

She’s A True Beauty Crisolles

Water Hole Granny Mc’s Kitten

You Bought Her Sweet Basil Stonetastic Aleander

Who’s Z Daddy Pin And Win

Gimme FivePape entryAll Together

Playing A JokePetrocelli

Jacobson Entry Wind WarningRiver Knight

Remote AccessOverawe

Hirschbein Super Psyche

DecentTriple Play

Eighty ThreeAbtaal

Honor The KittenRapscallion SanctificaBird SenseIsitraaha

La Madrina Cash ControlSpeed SeekerWavell Avenue

Stonetastic Unbridled ForeverRichiebythelinks

Little RoccoAleander

2015 Records: 26/102 18/102 28/102 20/102 29/102

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16 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

Sunrise Stallions – Standing dual classic winner and champion Big Brown and Heavy Breathing at Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains, N.Y.; and Frost Giant at Keane Stud in Amenia, N.Y.

Eric Bishop | Eric@SunriseStallions.com | 516-606-9768

Big Brown • Frost Giant • Heavy BreathingBig Brown • Frost Giant • Heavy Breathing

Sunrise Stallions Sheets Sunrise Stallions Sheets

BAMBISFROSTYRACER4YO colt by Frost Giant

Wednesday, Race 2Drawing Away Stable, Owner

Phil Serpe, TrainerSunset Stables, Breeder

LONGISLAND EXPRESS3YO colt by Frost Giant

Wednesday, Race 3Long Island Racing Stables, Owner

Ray Handal, TrainerRobert Castelli & Sunset Stables,

Breeders

REMOTE ACCESS3YO gelding by Big Brown

Wednesday, Race 3Paul Pompa, Owner & Breeder

Pat Reynolds, Trainerr

Good luck to everyone at Saratoga, but especially to the

connections of our PICKS OF THE DAY!

RICH DALONE3YO gelding by Frost Giant

Wednesday, Race 3Golden Goose Enterprises, Sunrise Stables

and Pucker Ridge Racing, OwnersBruce Levine, Trainer

Lois Engel & Frost Giant Partners, Breeders

NORM THE GIANT3YO colt by Frost Giant

Wednesday, Race 3Michael Pino,

Owner & TrainerSunrise Stables, Breeder

SEND IT IN 3YO gelding by Big Brown

Wednesday, Race 4Paul Pompa Jr., Owner &

BreederTodd Pletcher, Trainer

BY TOM LAW & TERESA GENARORacing’s ongoing game “yes he

will, no he won’t” continued this week about whether Triple Crown winner American Pharoah would ship back to the East Coast for the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Ahmed Zayat, never shy to take his plans to the press, said on a radio interview that he would like to run in the Travers Aug. 29. Zayat told Steve Byk, who later tweeted the same comment, that “my desire is to go to Saratoga. That is a natural” and “You know how Bob (Baffert) trains...If the

horse (American Pharoah) is ready, we’ll go to the Travers.”

That news blew up the Internet as it was reported on multiple outlets that Sunday’s Haskell Invitational winner would join Affirmed, Whirlaway and Gallant Fox as Triple Crown winners who competed in the Travers. Baffert reportedly said it was still too early to say if American Pharoah would run in the Travers, which received a signifi-cant purse boost to $1.6 million if the Pioneerof the Nile colt starts.

Zayat took to social media again later in the day, tweeting that “I must have unleashed a scud missile today. Ridiculous. About AP and Travers only accurate information is with my interview with @Steve_Byk.”

American Pharoah ran his record to 6-for-6 in 2015 and 8-for-9 overall with his effortless 2 ¼-length win in the $1.75 million Haskell.

See NOTEBOOK page 17

Dave HarmonSaratoga may get a glimpse of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah for the Travers.

On again,off again

Speculation swirls on whether American Pharoah will try Travers

SARATOGA NOTEBOOK

17Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

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• Don Little Jr. likes what he sees in Wicked Strong leading up to Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney Invitational.

“He’s holding his weight well,” Little, president of the Centennial Farms partnership that cam-paigns the colt, said. “His muscle tone is good. He seems to do very well up here.”

In the Whitney, Wicked Strong will return to the track where he won last summer’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy before a tough nose defeat to stablemate V. E. Day in the Grade 1 Travers.

Wicked Strong will meet V. E. Day again in the Whitney, along with a strong field entered Tuesday night at an outdoor party at Sperry’s in downtown Saratoga Springs. The Whitney field, from the rail out, is Honor Code, Tonalist, Noble Bird, Liam’s Map, Moreno, V. E. Day, Lea, Coach Inge, Wicked Strong and Normandy Invasion.

As a 3-year-old, Wicked Strong won the Grade 1 Wood Memorial before finishing fourth in the Ken-tucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. After a scary incident in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont, in which he was cut off and jockey Rajiv Mara-gh was thrown, Wicked Strong got some time off at Centennial’s farm in Middleburg, Va., before

Notebook – Continued from page 16

Sean ClancyWhitney contender Wicked Strong puts in a workout at Saratoga last week.See NOTEBOOK page 18

18 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

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returning to the races at Gulfstream Park.

“It took him a little while to come back after being at the farm for two months,” Little said. “He was really let down.”

The son of Hard Spun failed to hit the board in three starts on dirt this year, then finished second to multiple graded stakes winner King Kreesa in a turf stakes in July at Belmont.

“I wanted to get a race into him be-fore the Whitney and I wanted to see if he liked the turf at the same time,” said trainer Jimmy Jerkens. “He ran good. I don’t know if he ran good enough to think he’s a turf horse, but he got a nice check in the race and it might have sharpened him up for this race.”

Luis Saez will ride Wicked Strong, replacing the injured Maragh.

“Rajiv would have been back up on him,” Little said. “We were look-ing forward to having him back on.”

Wicked Strong schooled in the gate Monday morning, after bad breaks in

several recent races.“This is where he thrived,” Little

said. “Hopefully we can repeat our performance efforts from last year.”

• Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Sta-bles enjoyed a banner weekend, earn-ing graded stakes wins as an owner and breeder and celebrating a partic-ularly special maiden win.

The team celebrated the first Grade 1 win for its $250,000 yearling pur-chase Rock Fall, named for a wine produced at Banke’s home vineyard in California, after Saturday’s Alfred G. Vanderbilt. A few races later, the Stonestreet-bred Texas Red earned his second graded stakes victory and first since winning last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park.

As she stood in the winner’s circle for the Vanderbilt, Banke had to step away from interviews to watch her Tapit colt Iron Fist finish fourth in the West Virginia Derby on a smartphone.

The emotional high point of the weekend came Sunday when the 2-year-old daughter of Stonestreet’s Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra made a stunning debut, racing wide after getting off slow to win by 2 lengths.

Notebook – Continued from page 17

Tod MarksLiam’s Map was entered in Saturday’s Whitney.

19Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

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Owner Sheila Rosenblum hugs jockey Jose Ortiz after Lady Sheila Stable’s LA VERDAD won the appropriately named Honorable Miss H.-G2.

© T

OD M

ARKS

PHO

TO

“She’s very, very special, and she’s always been a favorite,” Banke said of Rachel’s Valentina. “She’s the nic-est filly in the world.”

The bay filly is the second, and quite possibly last, offspring of the 2009 Horse of the Year. Rachel Alex-andra was hospitalized for a month and nearly died from complications foaling the filly.

The filly’s myriad of fans need to be rather careful when doing searches for her name, which comes perilous-ly close to that of an actress whose work doesn’t quite fit the guidelines of a PG-13 publication.

The farm’s original choice was close to the actress’ name, and had Stonestreet wanted to use that name, the farm would have had to get the permission from the actress before submitting it to The Jockey Club.

“I’m just glad we checked it,” be-fore submitting it, said Banke.

Fortunately, the slight change re-tained the spirit of the filly’s name while, one can hope, reducing the

possibility of little racing fans every-where ending up on a website that is most assuredly not safe for work.

NOTES: Through the first 10 days of the meet, handle is up sig-nificantly from last year, as is field size. Total handle the first 10 days is $159,069,264, up 18.3 percent from $134,495,128 during the same period last year. Average field size is 8.64 for the 102 races, compared to 7.91 for 101 races in 2014 . . . Jock-ey John Velazquez is off to a smoking start, with 17 wins from 60 mounts, including three graded stakes wins in the Sanford, Diana and Coaching Club American Oaks . . . Owner and breeder Patricia Generazio, who cam-paigned Grade 1 winners Presious Passion and Discreet Marq, tops the owners’ standings with three wins from eight starts. One of those wins came with an impressive debut from Too Discreet, a full brother to Dis-creet Marq, in the opener Sunday.

Notebook – Continued from page 18

Saratoga LeadersJOCKEYS ...................... 1STJohn Velazquez ....................... 17Javier Castellano ..................... 11Irad Ortiz, Jr. ........................... 11Jose Ortiz .................................. 9Jose Lezcano ............................ 8Luis Saez ................................... 7Junior Alvarado ......................... 7Joel Rosario .............................. 6Shaun Bridgmohan ................... 4

TRAINERS ..................... 1STTodd Pletcher .......................... 15Bill Mott .................................... 7Chad Brown ............................. 5Christophe Clement ................... 5Shug McGaughey ...................... 3

Through Tuesday

thisishorseracing.com

20 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

BY TOM LAWRandall Lowe’s been in racing for nearly three

decades and he’s not about to let a filly like Lady Shipman slip through his hands, even for a big pile of cash.

Lowe, who bred Lady Shipman and races her in the name of Ranlo Investments, gets calls from time to time and offers to buy the daughter of Midship-man. Seven-figure offers come in for the filly who continued her strong run in the turf sprint ranks Monday with a victory in the $100,000 Corona-tion Cup Stakes at Saratoga. Lowe concedes the offers are substantial, but not enough to change his mind just yet.

“This is by far the best horse I’ve had,” said Lowe, who lives in Los Angeles. “The farms keep calling and keep trying to buy her. I keep saying no. They say, ‘you’ve got big you-know-whats to keep her.’ One offer was for $1.5 million before she

started winning like crazy. “Now I just tell them she’s not for sale. We’re

having too much fun with her and we’d like to see where we could go with her.”

The winner’s circle at Saratoga was a place Lowe never went before the Coronation Cup, which Lady Shipman won in near course-record time and by 3 1/4 lengths over Grade 2 winner Miss Ella. He’d come close when Sumthingtotalkabt, Lady Ship-man’s dam, finished third behind stakes winners Are We Dreamin and Boca Grande in an allow-ance-optional during the 2008 meet.

Kathleen O’Connell, who trains Lady Shipman out of her summertime base at Monmouth Park, won races at Saratoga in the past but never a stakes race until the Coronation Cup.

“I’ve won a race here before but a stake is spe-

cial,” O’Connell said. “There’s a lot of history, lot of great trainers, lot of great horses here.”

Lady Shipman’s performance Monday was right up there with the best of any so far at the meet. She broke like a shot under regular rider Eduardo Nunez and was quickly in front of her rivals.

Lady Shipman put up fast fractions - :21.36 and :43.63 – and was never seriously threatened. Not that O’Connell was all that worried that Lady Ship-man wouldn’t make the lead.

“She’s got good proven speed of her own,” she said. “She likes to be the dictator.”

Lady Shipman was authoritative around the turn and was 5 lengths in front with a furlong to run. Miss Ella was able to cut into the final margin slightly in the stretch but the outcome was already decided. Parx shipper Darling Sky was third and Ancient Goddess fourth.

Dave HarmonLady Shipman speeds to the wire with a victory in Monday’s Coronation Cup Stakes.

Lady Shipman charges home to win 3rd straight, just miss record

CORONATION CUP STAKES RECAP

Super Fast

See CORONATION page 21

21Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

Todd S. EngelEquine Lawyer

Saratoga Springs office at 120 West Avenue(518) 882-8633

tengel@engelatty.comwww.nyhorselawyer.com

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Lady Shipman won in 1:00.85, not far off Fiddlers Patriot’s record of 1:00.59 set in 2010.

Nunez said he wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Lady Shipman, who already posted victories in the OBS Sprint at the Ocala Training Center, Stormy Blues at Pimlico and Crank It Up and Klassy Briefcase at Monmouth Park before shipping north to Saratoga.

“It’s her first time to this place, there’s good horses,” he said. “You don’t know how good she’ll do, but like I said, she’s going to be a good filly. You’re going to hear more about her later.”

And if Lowe continues to rebuff any offers to purchase the filly she’ll do so in his maroon and white colors.

Lady Shipman is the second foal produced by Sumthingtotalkabt, a daughter of Mutakddim. Her first foal, the Midnight Lute gelding Sum Midnight Star, started his career in Southern California with Bob Baffert before moving to O’Connell’s care in

South Florida this spring. Lowe also has a 2-year-old full

sister to Lady Shipman named Just Talkin, who is still on the farm and probably won’t make it to the races until her 3-year-old season.

“I have six horses in training, bred them all,” Lowe said. “I’ve got the whole Lady Shipman family. We’re taking our time with the full sister, she’s still on the farm. Lady Shipman is the only one that got going from that family before her 3-year-old season.

“The thing about her that’s most exceptional is her mind. She under-stands everything, all kinds of stuff, almost like she’s human.”

Lowe provided proof of that belief from a visit to the filly Monday morn-ing and again in the paddock in the afternoon.

“I had on these expensive sun-glasses, I had them on and then I guess she didn’t like them,” he said. “I had them tucked into my shirt, she grabbed them and dropped them on the ground. That was this morning. So I just thought she didn’t like the sunglasses, maybe when she sees me later she’ll be fine. In the paddock she did the same thing again, so I just put them in my bag.”

Coronation – Continued from page 20

22 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

Thursday, when the skies dark-ened, the rain came and the Jonathan Kiser Memorial Novice Stakes was postponed until Monday, five trainers were frustrated. One was flummoxed.

Kate Dalton, drenched, turned from the paddock and followed Afri-can Oil back to his temporary home at the harness track. Dalton conferred with husband/jockey Bernie and made a decision – an unorthodox decision.

Dalton cut off African Oil’s run-down bandages, dried him off and slapped four shipping bandages on the 5-year-old French-bred. The Dal-tons and their horse hit the road. Not home to their Camden, S.C. base, but back to Janet Elliot’s farm in An-drew’s Bridge, Pa., arriving at 8:30 Thursday night.

That’s what you do when you have a mercurial horse.

The Daltons reunited African Oil with his pony, trained him for three days and were back on the road Sun-day.

African Oil was in the winner’s cir-cle Monday.

Owned by Gary Barber, African Oil toyed with six rivals, rallying from last to win the Kiser by 1 ¾-lengths over Selection Sunday and Mandola. Trained by Kate and ridden by Ber-nie, African Oil improved his career record over hurdles to 3-for-4.

He’s a long way from a horse who stopped, propped and bucked strides out of the gate in a $16,000 claimer at Golden Gate in January. Jumping has revolutionized the son of Royal Applause who stamped himself as the best first-year hurdler in the game.

“He’s such a talented horse, you never go into a race at Saratoga con-fidently and you most certainly don’t go into a race with an unconvention-al horse confidently, but I thought he should be competitive,” Kate Dalton said. “He gets more confident day by day, jumping, everything. He seems to be a real happy horse.”

The Daltons make sure he’s happy,

breaking up the trip from Camden to Saratoga with a two-day layover at Elliot’s farm.

“It was the right thing to do to postpone the race but I was worried about how to train him for the next race. Bernie and I hemmed and hawed about the pros and cons of staying at the track or going to Janet’s,” Kate Dalton said. “As we were driving back to Janet’s, Bernie looked at me and said, ‘We’ll know if we were right after the race.’ ”

Reunited with his pony, 3-year-old Purring Along (bought specifically to train with African Oil), they went for a hack through the woods and down to a stream Friday. They went for a strong gallop up Elliot’s hill Saturday. They hacked Sunday morning and was back in Saratoga Sunday after-noon.

“Unconventional training for an unconventional horse,” Kate Dal-ton said. “We spent the whole ride wondering if we were doing the right thing but at the end of the day you just have to do what you think is best for the horse.”

The Daltons and African Oil were back in Camden by Tuesday evening.

– Sean Clancy

• Den’s Legacy was something of an unknown quantity to the giveaway cooler-seeking fans that turned out Monday. Shipping in from Kentucky and dropping out of stakes compa-ny in Iowa for trainer Ron Moquett, Den’s Legacy was dismissed in the eighth race at 21-1 while others took the steam.

Unfazed by the odds, Moquett was confident in the 5-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro.

“If Todd (Pletcher) or Chad (Brown) were saddling him, he’d probably be 5-2,” Moquett joked af-ter Den’s Legacy won the 7-furlong

allowance-optional.Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. was

content to trail throughout most of the race before commencing a rally at the top of the stretch. Den’s Lega-cy got up in the final strides to defeat pacesetting Green Gratto by a neck.

Despite the impressive perfor-mance, Moquett, Santana, and own-ers Westrock Stables would have to sweat out the next several minutes as the judges flashed the inquiry sign and Corey Lanerie, the rider of third-place finisher Schivarelli, launched an objection alleging interference in the stretch.

After a tense few minutes between Santana and Lanerie in the winner’s circle, the sign finally came down with no change made to the order of finish.

“No, I knew he wasn’t in trouble,” Moquett said of the inquiry. “But un-til we take the picture, I’m supersti-tious.”

Moquett brought Den’s Legacy to Saratoga seeking a run over the 7-furlong trip. He was also dropping in class after three straight stakes ap-pearances.

“The distance and we know he’s a classy horse, he just has to have things go his way and he had things go his way today,” Moquett said. “You look at his PPs, he’s run against some of the best. And these are great horses, but, in fairness, they’re not any better than the ones he’s already run against.”

Moquett has no immediate plans

for Den’s Legacy’s next race. For now, he is simply enjoying the victory.

“We’ll take it easy and figure it out,” he said. “He owes us nothing. We’re just going to try to find him fun places to run. He was sitting on a big race and I’m glad he got rewarded.”

– Brandon Valvo

• The disqualification of Mag-na Light from the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes and more subsequent defeats were tough on trainer Rudy Rodri-guez, but he bounced back with a win in the third race with first-time starter Celestial Sighting.

“We brought this filly ready to run over here, and the way she was train-ing I was very confident that she can get the job done,” Rodriguez said.

Celestial Sighting broke slowly in the 5 ½-furlong turf race but worked her way through the pack under Irad Ortiz Jr. as they rounded the turn. Ce-lestial Sighting and Somerset Sandy battled to the wire, with the former pulling ahead late to win by 1 length.

“I know Saratoga’s very tough,” said Rodriguez, who trains the filly for Michael Dubb “She broke a lit-tle slow, but they went pretty fast in front, and that was good to see her close.”

Magna Light, co-owned by Dubb, Michael Imperio, Michael Caruso’s Bethlehem Stables and Elisabeth Al-

See MONDAY page 23

Dave HarmonAfrican Oil (left) bides his time early in Monday’s Kiser.

Striking GoldRookie steeplechaser African Oil relishes road trip(s) to win Kiser

MONDAY RACING RECAP

23Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

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exander, swerved to the right in the stretch run of the Sanford, after jock-ey Jose Ortiz whipped him three times left-handed. The stewards determined that the movement caused Percolator to steady when drifting to the inside in the final strides. Uncle Vinny was moved up to first.

“That’s very special,” Rodriguez said about his first win after the dis-qualification of Magna Light. “I know the DQ was hard and it’s still hard to swallow. But we continue on, and we’ve got to keep going and doing our job.”

– Annise Montplaisir

• An extra turn and a change of tactics helped Accelebrate break her maiden and give owner Anthony D’Amico his first win at Saratoga in the finale, a 1 1/8-mile maiden claimer on the grass.

“She always was clos-ing in sprints and to me she always seemed to need to settle down and make one run,” said winning trainer Michael Gorham. “Like she did today, she just settled and turning for home he

asked her to go and she made a big move.”

Accelebrate sat just off the pace early before making her move in the stretch. She powered home to prevail by a neck. The victory was the first of the meet for Gorham, who is based at Delaware Park.

“First winner of the meet,” Gor-ham said. “This is our third (runner), but our first winner. It’s always good to win at Saratoga.”

D’Amico was thrilled with the Northern Afleet filly’s effort and could hardly wait to start enjoying the win.

“It feels amazing,” he said. “We’re going to go celebrate.”

– Brandon Valvo

Monday – Continued from page 22

Dave HarmonDen’s Legacy (6) digs in late to win Monday’s eighth for trainer Ron Moquett.

Dave HarmonAccelebrate (11) edges to the win in Monday’s last race.

24 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

MONDAY SARATOGA RESULTSMonday August 3.

FIRST $75,000, JONATHON KISER NOVICE STEEPLECHASE, 4&UP, 2 1/16M1 African Oil (FR) B. Dalton $10.20 $4.40 $3.606 Selection Sunday S. McDermott $4.90 $3.703 Mandola K. Norris $3.60Dk B/ Br Gelding 2010, by Royal Applause (GB) - Ahdaaf by BahriOwner: Barber, Gary. Trainer: Kate Dalton. Breeder: S.C.A. La Perrigne (FR).Time: 3:49.40Exacta (1-6), $41.80; Superfecta (1-6-3-7), $206.40; Trifecta (1-6-3), $171.50

SECOND $32,000, CLAIMING $16,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 6F5 Cryptic Comet A. Cruz $22.40 $11.80 $7.802 Enduring Touch E. Cancel $13.20 $9.308 Samus J. Ortiz $5.60Ch Filly 2011, by Greeley’s Galaxy - High Falutin Gal (IRE) by Silver DeputyOwner: Curragh Stables. Trainer: John Terranova, II. Breeder: EKQ Stable & Patrick Meskell (NY).Claimed: Nejma claimed by Besecker, Joseph E. for $16,000, Under-themoonlight claimed by Valentine, Mark for $16,000Time: 1:12.23Daily Double (1-5), $154.00; Exacta (5-2), $195.50; Quinella (2-5), $108.50; Superfecta (5-2-8-6), $5,047.00; Trifecta (5-2-8), $1,664.00

THIRD $73,000, NY-BRED MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2 YO, 5 1/2F1 Celestial Sighting I. Ortiz, Jr. $7.80 $4.30 $3.308 Somerset Sandy J. Velazquez $2.90 $3.006 Miss Kew J. Castellano $4.60Ch Filly 2013, by Eskendereya - Afternoon Stroll by StrollOwner: Dubb, Michael. Trainer: Rudy Rodriguez. Breeder: Taylor Brothers Properties, LLC &Baysore Stables (NY).Late Scratches: Frequently, Louisville First, She’s All Ready, Surprise Cameo, Flower Kisser, Night Night Kitty, FirestarTime: 1:03.32Daily Double (5-1), $187.00; Exacta (1-8), $26.80; Superfecta (1-8-6-9), $864.00; Trifecta (1-8-6), $114.00; Pic 3 (1-5-1), $1,078.00

FOURTH $73,000, NY-BRED MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3 & UP, 6F1 Euros to Dollars J. Velazquez $4.80 $3.50 $2.505 Dettifoss R. Hernandez $8.80 $4.802 Lead by Example J. Ortiz $3.30Gr/ro Gelding 2012, by Exchange Rate - Miss Bodine by VindicationOwner: Newtown Anner Stud. Trainer: Brian Lynch. Breeder: Andy M Beadnell (NY).Late Scratches: Full of MineTime: 1:10.75Daily Double (1-1), $22.00; Exacta (1-5), $34.20; Quinella (1-5), $24.60; Superfecta (1-5-2-4), $350.00; Trifecta (1-5-2), $127.50; Pic 3 (5-1-1), $686.00

FIFTH $25,000, CLAIMING $12,500, 3 YO’S & UP, 6F1 Greek Life J. Castellano $7.40 $4.10 $3.4010 Henry’s Gal E. Trujillo $3.70 $3.003 Darling Bridezilla E. Cancel $5.00B Mare 2010, by Harlan’s Holiday - Vote Early by More Than ReadyOwner: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey. Trainer: Michael Maker. Breeder: Richard Klein, Bert Klein & Elaine Klein (KY).Late Scratches: Underhill DriveClaimed: Greek Life claimed by Rice, Linda for $12,500, Darnley Bay claimed by Ostrager, Barry R. for $12,500Time: 1:10.64Daily Double (1-1), $18.00; Exacta (1-10), $25.20; Superfecta (1-10-3-7), $555.00; Trifecta (1-10-3), $144.50; Pic 3 (1-1-1), $65.00

SIXTH $85,000, ALLOWANCE, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F1 Hinder S. Bridgmohan $16.40 $7.60 $5.008 Orient Harbor J. Rosario $4.70 $3.107 Scatcapade I. Ortiz, Jr. $3.50Dk B/ Br Filly 2011, by Stroll - Clash by ArchOwner: Claiborne Farm and Dilschneider, Adele B.. Trainer: Albert Stall, Jr.. Breeder: Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY).Late Scratches: Full of Sugar. Time: 1:01.99Daily Double (1-1), $69.00; Exacta (1-8), $89.50; Superfecta (1-8-7-10), $1,796.00; Trifecta (1-8-7), $405.50; Pic 3 (1-1-1), $114.00; Pic 4 (1-1/7-1-1), $540.00; Pic 5 (5-1-1/7-1-1), $27,477.00

SEVENTH $78,000, NY-BRED AOC $40,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/16M8 Goodtolook J. Alvarado $70.50 $26.60 $13.602 Runaway Posse J. Lezcano $4.10 $3.306 Iced Over L. Saez $7.10B Gelding 2010, by Disco Rico - Lookstoogood by Tiger RidgeOwner: Antonacci Racing and Corms Racing Stable. Time: 1:40.25Trainer: Danny Gargan. Breeder: Lucia Carroll (NY).Late Scratches: Sandyinthesun, Force, Hear the Footsteps, Change-willdoyagood, Barrel of LoveClaimed: Powerful Instinct claimed by Jacobson, David for $40,000, Storm claimed by Check Mark Stables LLC for $40,000Daily Double (1-8), $449.50; Exacta (8-2), $273.00; Superfecta (8-2-6-14), $9,784.00; Trifecta (8-2-6), $1,375.00; Pic 3 (1-1-8), $2,141.00

EIGHTH $93,000, AOC $80,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 7F6 Den’s Legacy R. Santana, Jr. $45.20 $13.60 $6.803 Green Gratto F. Jara $7.30 $6.302 Schivarelli C. Lanerie $4.10B Horse 2010, by Medaglia d’Oro - Sunshine Song by War ChantOwner: Westrock Stables LLC. Trainer: Ron Moquett. Breeder: Gaye Swartz (FL). Time: 1:23.02Daily Double (8-6), $1,243.00; Exacta (6-3), $278.50; Superfecta (6-3-2-1), $1,096.00; Trifecta (6-3-2), $798.00; Pic 3 (1-8-6), $8,592.00

NINTH $100,000, STAKES - CORONATION CUP S., 3 YO, 5 1/2F9 Lady Shipman E. Nunez $3.40 $2.70 $2.402 Miss Ella J. Rosario $4.50 $4.408 Darling Sky J. Ortiz $12.20Ch Filly 2012, by Midshipman - Sumthingtotalkabt by MutakddimOwner: Ranlo Investments LLC. Trainer: Kathleen O’Connell. Breeder: Randall E. Lowe (KY).Late Scratches: Ekati’s PhaetonTime: 1:00.85Daily Double (6-9), $131.50; Exacta (9-2), $17.60; Superfecta (9-2-8-4), $2,014.00; Trifecta (9-2-8), $305.50; Pic 3 (8-6-9), $4,865.00; Place Pix Nine (1/3/7/8-2/3/6/8/12/13/15/16-2/), $69.00

TENTH $45,000 MDN CL NY-BRED. 3&UP INNER TURF, 1 1/8 MILES. 11 Accelebrate I. Ortiz Jr. 12.20 6.00 4.401 Saratiago F. Jara 4.00 3.008 Confessa E. Cancel 6.30Ch. f., Northern Afleet-Tres Chaud, French Deputy. Breeder: First Class Thoroughbreds (NY).Owner: Anthony D’Amico. Trainer: Michael Gorham. Time: 1:50.60. Exacta (11-1), $47.60; Trifecta (11-1-8), $294.50; Superfecta (11-1-8-12), $2,765.00, Pic 3 (6-9-11) (3 Correct), $929.00, Pic 4 (8-6-7/9-11) (4 Correct): $34,828.00, Pic 6 (1-1-8-6-7/9-11) (5 Correct): $3,239.00, Daily Double (9-11): $24.00.

On Track Handle: $2,879,566. Inter-State Handle: $8,469,579.

Copyright 2015 EQUIBASE Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

25Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

SARATOGA RESULTS PHOTOS BY DAVE HARMON

1

4

32

5 6

7 8

10

Bona

Venture Stables

26 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

BY SEAN CLANCYJohn Velazquez and Steve Asmussen stood near

the number 4 tree in the paddock. Javier Castellano and Todd Pletcher stood near the saddling stalls. Jockeys and trainers discussed strategies for the Grade 3 Shuvee Handicap Sunday.

Velazquez, aboard champion Untapable for the fifth time, knew there wasn’t any speed on paper, he was thinking he might be it. Asmussen nodded.

Castellano, aboard two-time Grade 1 stakes winner Stopchargingmaria for the seventh time, said the same thing.

“I don’t see much speed, I’d like to put her on the lead.”

Pletcher nodded, “Go ahead.”Two fillies. One strategy. Favorite Untapable broke sharply from post 4

and Velazquez allowed her natural speed to clear

the slow-starting House Rules, French import Priv-et Hedge and longshot Imposing Grace. To Un-tapable’s outside, Castellano urged second-choice Stopchargingmaria like he had two oars in the rapids. The duo opened up quickly, establishing a 4-length margin on Grade 2 winner Tiz Windy. Midway around the first turn, Velazquez sat ada-mant, inside and in control. Castellano poked at his conviction, realized it was stone and eased Stop-chargingmaria away from Untapable.

“I thought I would be in front, the way I hand-icap the race, I didn’t see any speed,” Castellano said. “I hustled out of the gate, trying to dictate the pace, and Johnny chose to go to the lead, when he did, I tried to push a little bit but Johnny didn’t give up so I thought the smart thing to do was back up.

It worked out perfect.”Untapable, last year’s champion female, took

the field through a quarter in :23.54 and a half in :47.79. With Castellano easing back, Velazquez eased as well, jamming the field into a 3-length sandwich midway down the backstretch.

Into the far turn, Castellano asked Stopcharging-maria to put pressure on Untapable, as Velazquez tried to sneak away from his main rival.

“I don’t want to let him go too easy because he was the only horse to beat, I was a little more ag-gressive,” Castellano said. “She was the best horse, I didn’t think anything was coming from behind. From the three-eighths pole, I forgot about all the other horses, if I let her go easy, you’re not going to catch her, that was my strategy.”

Pletcher knows every move of Velazquez’s and felt

Tod MarksStopchargingmaria (left) takes over from Untapable near the stretch of Sunday’s Shuvee.

Stopchargingmaria overpowers champion Untapable for 4th Spa win

SHUVEE STAKES RECAP

Unstoppable

See SHUVEE page 27

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confident when he didn’t see his signa-ture as the fillies turned for home.

“When Javier started to turn up the pressure, you know Johnny’s going to try to sneak away, but he didn’t get away from her,” Pletcher said. “You know he’s going to give you one of those under-his-arm looks, if he looks under his arm, most of the time, he’s sitting on a lot of horse. I didn’t see him do that today.”

Velazquez didn’t need to look, he knew. By the quarter pole, Stopcharg-ingmaria pounced on Untapable and the duo squared up for their first clash. Untapable fought but couldn’t stave off a steady and determined Stopchargingmaria. They sparred evenly for a moment, but not for long as Stopchargingmaria gradu-ally stretched her advantage from a nose to a head to a neck to a half to 1 length at the wire. The daughter of Tale Of The Cat switched to her left lead late while finishing 9 furlongs in 1:49.37.

Castellano and Velazquez have swapped through 12 of Stopcharg-

ingmaria’s races. Before the Shuvee, Velazquez had won three races on her – her debut win, the Grade 1 Al-abama and her most recent start in the Allaire du Pont Distaff at Pimli-co. Castellano won two stakes on her when she was 2 and won the Black-Eyed Susan and Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks last year.

Velazquez and his agent, Angel Cordero, had their choice in the Shu-vee.

“I said to Angel, what are you do-ing and he said Untable was supposed to run here, I guess he gave them the call for the year,” Pletcher said. “Look, the other filly is a champion, sometimes you make those commit-ments and it works out, he did win the Apple Blossom on her. I certainly offered it to him because he won on her last time.”

Tough call. On the day, Stopcharg-ingmaria was better but she had the advantage of breaking outside Un-tapable. Castellano and Pletcher agreed that was one of the keys to the win. The other key is how much Stop-chargingmaria has matured.

“She’s a lot different. She’s more focused, in the bridle, last year, turn-ing for home, she would look around and not want to pass horses. This

year, she’s more mature, more in the bridle, she can do whatever,” Cas-tellano said. “The way I hustled her, other horses would have taken off, and then they’d be hard to rate be-cause they’re in the bridle, but when I backed her up a little bit, she respond-ed so well. She laid back quick, she gave me good feedback and then I could go from there.”

Purchased privately by Town and Country Farm from Mike Repole shortly after she RNA’d for $3.15 million at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November, Stopchargingmaria va-cationed from the Grade 1 Beldame

at Belmont Park in late September to the Grade 1 Madison in early April at Keeneland. Pletcher knew she had progressed from 3 to 4 after a couple of breezes this winter.

“As we started to get her ready for her first start, you could see it. Of all the horses I’ve trained, she’s probably the easiest read,” Pletcher said. “When she breezes like she did the other day, in :47, and the rider is sitting against her the whole way and she gallops out full of fun, she always runs well. She’s an easy read, you’ve just got to talk yourself into listening to her.”

Shuvee – Continued from page 26

28 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

BY TOM LAWThieves Guild kept throwing Jimmy Toner and

Justin Nicholson for a loop.Every time the filly would get ready to run,

another issue would pop up and the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro would need more time. First it was bilateral stress fractures in both hind legs, which required more than a year away from the races. She was ready toward the end of the Gulfstream Park winter meet, but soreness kept her away. Toner thought he’d get Thieves Guild a race at Keeneland but the filly’s body had other plans.

“I had her ready when I was getting ready to leave Palm Meadows, to run at Gulfstream, then she came up with something else,” Toner said Sun-day at Saratoga Race Course. “Each time I got her close it would be something else, I’d have to stop, say, ‘ok, let’s regroup.’

“Finally, it’s funny because at Belmont when I

was getting ready Justin said, ‘can we just run her without having her work anymore?’ She had one five-eighths to go. Every time we’d get to the last breeze with her and something would come up, so we skipped the last breeze and ran her.”

Toner, who trains the filly for Nicholson and his Ninety North Racing Stable, ran her in a 6-fur-long allowance on the grass. The win set her up for Sunday’s $100,000 Caress Stakes and she won that, too, defeating four other fillies and mares with good credentials. She won the 5 ½-furlong turf sprint in 1:00.82, not far off Fiddlers Patriot record 1:00.59 set in 2010.

“This is Katie’s first trip to the Saratoga win-ner’s circle and my first one for a long time, so this was a nice one,” said Nicholson, celebrating with his wife and Ninety North’s chief operating officer,

Kathryn Sharp, after Thieves Guild beat last year’s Caress winner Free As A Bird by 1 ¼ lengths.

The 5 1/2-furlong Caress was only Thieves Guild’s fifth career start. She ran once at 2 and twice at 3, earning a win, a second and a fourth before suffering the stress fractures.

The injuries didn’t require surgery, just a lot of time off. She rehabbed at a farm near Fair Hill Training Center and then at that same facility in Elkton, Md., where Toner keeps some of his horses.

“She’s been a gamer the whole time,” Nich-olson said. “She’s not the most straight forward looking filly, but she runs through everything. She’s very, very tough. That’s probably how she got hurt, because she’s so tough and tries so hard. We took our time and I think we did right by her.”

Nicholson said that even though the injury re-quired a lot of time off he never considered retiring

Tod Marks

Thieves Guild sprints to second straight win after lengthy layoff

CARESS STAKES RECAP

See CARESS page 29

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29Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

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the filly, who is out of the multiple stakes-winning Gilded Time mare Gilded Gold.

“She was still young enough, so we waited,” he said. “The injury was not a surgery type thing. So we just sat there and gave her time. As hard as it is to take a nice horse and wait, you have to do it when you have to do it. Jim is so good with this kind of horse. If you have to wait, he’s the guy to do it.”

Thieves Guild was listed as not sold after a final bid of $47,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September year-ling sale. Nicholson said he got her for $50,000, a bargain considering her strong pedigree. Thieves Guild is the third foal out of Gilded Gold, whose four stakes victories included a course-record win in the 5-furlong Kattegat’s Pride in :55.70 in 2005 at

Laurel Park. Her other stakes victo-ries were all turf sprints.

“She’s a quality filly and she’s out of a good mare,” Toner said. “Alan Goldberg had her, she won a lot of sprint races. That’s why I always liked her and wanted to give her as much time as possible. I kept her short be-cause I was going by what the mother was. The way she’s built, she’s looks like a typical sprinter. I know she’s a Medaglia d’Oro, but I’m not wor-ried about how far they go. As long as they can run and find their niche that’s fine with me.”

Thieves Guild now has plenty of options, too, with the Smart N Fan-cy at the same 5 ½-furlong distance later in the meet and many other turf sprints around the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Her connections are going to savor this one for now.

“We didn’t look past this one,” Nicholson said. “With a horse that’s off 14 months, you don’t plan ahead. You just take them one at a time.”

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30 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

The buzz in the paddock before the second race Sunday at Saratoga Race Course was all about Ra-chel’s Valentina, the second foal out of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. Fans and critics alike won-dered if she would show any talent in her racing debut, and she answered that question by winning the 6-furlong maiden race in style.

“When one comes in out of a legendary mare like that, you want to do well,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains the homebred Bernardini filly for Bar-bara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables. “Honestly, all we did was prepare her to run. She did the rest on her own.”

Rachel’s Valentina broke slowly and raced in sixth until she found her stride coming around the far turn. John Velazquez kept her wide around the turn and she drew away in the stretch. Awesome Dame attempted a challenge but finished 2 lengths behind Rachel’s Valentina.

“Johnny and I talked about it a little bit,” Pletch-er said about the slow break. “He worked her from the gate, so he knew that she’s not super quick. I wanted to try to win and educate her a little at the

same time. When she was able to maneuver to the outside, it worked out.”

Many want to know if Rachel’s Valentina has similarities to her dam. Banke has already noticed some differences.

“I didn’t have Rachel Alexandra until after the Oaks, so I wasn’t really around her when she was 2,” Banke said. “And this one, she’s not a huge filly, but she makes up for it in speed and athleticism. She’s really sweet, and by the time Rachel got to us, Rachel was kind of cantankerous. She was a real diva, so this one is just the sweetest thing ever.

“We knew she was fast, and she’s just been get-ting better and better. It was really a good race,

good fillies. Some of the trainers really think these fillies are standouts, so look for a lot of them to do well after this.”

– Annise Montplaisir

• It might be too early to tell if Too Discreet mea-sures up to his Grade 1-winning full-sister Discreet Marq, but he’s off to a promising start.

Patricia Generazio’s homebred 2-year-old colt by Discreet Cat out of To Marquet, by Marquetry, got Sunday’s card off to a quick start with his debut vic-tory in the first race going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf.

“We love the way he handled himself,” Patricia Generazio said. “He’s always been professional, just galloping. I was surprised because Christophe (Clement) thought he wanted to run longer and I was shocked when I saw him go for the lead. I didn’t realize how quick he was. Nice colt.”

Too Discreet broke well under Joel Rosario and found his way to the front of the pack. Coming into the stretch he drew away from the field, winning by 3 lengths.

Generazio and her husband Frank bred Discreet Marq and ran her under their name until she was purchased by Moyglare Stud Farm for $2.4 million at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November fall mixed sale.

Discreet Marq’s two starts in 2015 have includ-ed a win in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes and a third in the Grade 1 Longines Just A Game Stakes, both for Clement.

See SUNDAY page 31

Tod MarksRachel’s Valentina (left) graduates in a stylish debut for owner/breeder Stonestreet Stables.

Mama’sGirl

Two-year-old daughter of Rachel Alexandrawins debut for Pletcher

SUNDAY RACING RECAP

Tod MarksA full-brother to Grade 1 winner Discreet Marq, Too Discreet surges clear late in Sunday’s opener.

31Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

“If he could be as good as (Dis-creet Marq), he would be a wonder-ful horse to have,” Clement said. “He trained well, you know first time out. I think he’ll go further. I’m delighted.”

– Annise Montplaisir

• Beneath bright blue skies, trainer Adam Rice saddled 2-year-old firster Don’t Be So Salty in the storied Sara-toga paddock before the sixth race before giving a leg up to his sister Taylor Rice. They didn’t know it, but they were about to add a chapter of their own.

Adam Rice led Don’t Be So Salty onto the track as the gelding’s right eye glistened in the sunlight. It shined

cloudy and white, a remnant of a past injury.

“He’s got some scar tissue there, but it’s never bothered him,” Adam Rice said. “We call him ‘Pirate.’ He’s not blind. He can see in the greater part of the rear. He does have to see around it, but it hasn’t bothered him yet.”

Adam Rice, along with his grand-parents and his aunt and trainer Lin-da Rice, watched as Don’t Be So Salty won the 5 ½-furlong turf maiden by 1 length, bad eye and all.

The jubilant Rice clan filled the winner’s circle. Don’t Be So Salty was Adam Rice’s first Saratoga starter. To land in the winner’s circle on his first attempt in front of his entire family was gratifying for the Presque Isle Downs-based trainer.

“My grandparents, my aunt, my sister. We couldn’t be happier. It’s kind of a dream come true,” Rice said.

Adam Rice and Don’t Be So Salty were brought together by his assis-tant trainer and girlfriend, Kimberlee Wright.

“I was blessed with the opportu-nity from my lady,” Rice said. “She kind of trusted me and said I could have the horse and take the horse to train and run. She wanted to run him in Florida and I figured, ‘what about a debut in Saratoga?’ He’s kind of been one of my favorite horses, so I brought him up here to see what we could do and give my sister a shot so, it worked out.”

Taylor Rice, who recorded her first winner of the meet, echoed her broth-er’s sentiments.

“This is my baby brother,” she said. “My grandparents are here. I mean, it’s awesome.”

– Brandon Valvo

• After a half dozen starts for Six String Stables and trainer Carlos Martin, Space Oddity prevailed in the seventh race to break his maiden in the 1-mile turf maiden for state-breds.

Javier Castellano rode the 3-year-old gelding by Cosmonaut, who set-tled in fifth down the backstretch, tipped out for the stretch drive and ran down longshot Bugle Blues to win by 2 ¾ lengths.

“This horse was sitting on a big race,” said Martin, who picked up his first win of the meet. “Once he (Javi-er) got him in the clear, I thought he would be tough to beat.”

Bred by Michael Spielman, Space Oddity sold for $2,500 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. Martin was a fan of and familiar with the gelding’s pedigree. He purchased multiple graded stakes winner Cosmo-naut for $105,000 in 2003 and trained the son of Lemon Drop Kid early in his career for Flying Zee Stable.

“He turned out to be a great horse and he’s been a decent sire,” Martin said. “When I saw the breeding and saw the horse on the farm, I spoke to Mr. (Martin) Hellwig of Six String Stables, I said, ‘I think I found a horse for you.’ He pulled the trigger and the rest is history.”

– Billy Blake

• Trainer Charlton Baker and own-er Al Fried Jr. were all smiles as they watched Moonlight Song take the field gate-to-wire in the slop in last week’s John Morrissey Stakes. The eighth race Sunday turned out to be a slightly different story as Giantin-themoonlite, a full brother to Moon-light Song owned by Fried and trained by Bruce Brown, was reaching for the wire in the 6 ½-furlong allowance. So

Noted, trained by Baker, snuck up the rail to win by a nose.

Two friends involved in a photo finish. Someone had to win. Someone had to lose.

Baker enjoyed the win, even if it meant beating one of his main clients.

“He’s a good sport,” Baker said. “He knows the game.”

So Noted, a 3-year-old colt by Read The Footnotes, improved to 2-for-4 with a second and a third for owner Francis Paolangeli. Baker said he hoped to run So Noted again at the meet.

– Billy Blake

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Sunday – Continued from page 30

Tod MarksAdam and Taylor Rice head to the winner’s circle with Don’t Be So Salty.

32 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

SUNDAY SARATOGA RESULTSSunday August 2.FIRST $73,000, NY-BRED MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2 YO, 5 1/2F6 Too Discreet J. Rosario $4.10 $2.70 $2.401 Heated Verdict L. Saez $4.40 $3.304 Sax Change R. Hernandez $7.20Gr/ro Colt 2013, by Discreet Cat - To Marquet by MarquetryOwner: Generazio, Patricia, A.. Trainer: Christophe Clement. Breeder: Patricia Generazio (NY).Late Scratches: My Man Al, Willie’s Mojo, Guaranteed, Croke ParkTime: 1:03.06. Exacta (6-1), $18.20; Superfecta (6-1-4-10), $725.00; Trifecta (6-1-4), $156.50

SECOND $83,000, MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2 YO, 6F3 Rachel’s Valentina J. Velazquez $4.10 $3.10 $2.406 Awesome Dame J. Rosario $5.40 $3.301 Big World A. Cintron $2.80B Filly 2013, by Bernardini - Rachel Alexandra by Medaglia d’OroOwner: Stonestreet Stables LLC. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY).Time: 1:10.39Daily Double (6-3), $8.60; Exacta (3-6), $20.20; Quinella (3-6), $12.60; Superfecta (3-6-1-2), $148.50; Trifecta (3-6-1), $49.20

THIRD $100,000, STAKES - CARESS S., 4 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F5 Thieves Guild J. Lezcano $5.50 $3.00 $2.603 Free as a Bird J. Rosario $2.50 $2.102 Old Harbor A. Arroyo $3.10B Filly 2011, by Medaglia d’Oro - Gilded Gold by Gilded TimeOwner: Ninety North Racing Stable. Trainer: James Toner. Breeder: B. Flay Thoroughbreds, Barry Weisbord,Robert & Joan Mas-ter (KY). Time: 1:00.82Daily Double (3-5), $17.80; Exacta (5-3), $12.80; Superfecta (5-3-2-1), $58.00; Trifecta (5-3-2), $43.20; Pic 3 (6-3-5), $34.20

FOURTH $85,000, ALLOWANCE, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/16M6 Hope Cross (IRE) J. Castellano $7.90 $4.20 $2.505 Sumba Sunset L. Saez $4.80 $2.901 Lucknow J. Ortiz $2.60B Filly 2011, by Cape Cross (IRE) - Great Hope (IRE) by HallingOwner: Bryant, Magalen, O.. Trainer: Chad Brown. Breeder: P. A. Byrne (IRE). Late Scratches: Romantic Vision, Equilat-eral. Time: 1:40.64Daily Double (5-6), $34.60; Exacta (6-5), $37.20; Quinella (5-6), $18.80; Superfecta (6-5-1-4), $211.00; Trifecta (6-5-1), $79.50; Pic 3 (3-5-6), $76.50

FIFTH $51,000, CLAIMING $50,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 7F4 Flag On the Play J. Lezcano $7.30 $3.70 $2.901 Mack Miller J. Castellano $4.10 $2.903 Towering Moon I. Ortiz, Jr. $3.80B Gelding 2011, by Bernardini - Dubai Belle by Mr. ProspectorOwner: Meisner, Arthur. Trainer: Jason Servis. Breeder: Darley (KY).Claimed: Flag On the Play claimed by Duffryn Run Farm for $50,000, Be a Hero claimed by Rodriguez, Rudy R. for $50,000. Time: 1:23.02Daily Double (6-4), $35.40; Exacta (4-1), $35.40; Superfecta (4-1-3-5), $271.00; Trifecta (4-1-3), $132.00; Pic 3 (5-6-4), $102.50; Pic 4 (3-5-6-4), $258.50; Pic 5 (5,6,7,11,12/3/5/6/4), $741.00

SIXTH $83,000, MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2 YO, 5 1/2F4 Don’t Be So Salty T. Rice $20.20 $7.50 $4.809 Ian Smith J. Velazquez $3.60 $2.707 War Order A. Cintron $3.00B Gelding 2013, by Tiz Wonderful - Unbridled Salt by Unbridled’s SongOwner: Rice, Adam. Trainer: Adam Rice. Breeder: John A. DeVault III & Sue S. DeVault (FL).Late Scratches: Louise the Laser, Spicy Blonde. Time: 1:02.73Daily Double (4-4), $100.00; Exacta (4-9), $78.50; Superfecta (4-9-7-

8), $3,232.00; Trifecta (4-9-7), $266.50; Pic 3 (6-4-4), $418.50

SEVENTH $73,000, NY-BRED MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3 YO’S & UP, 1M2 Space Oddity J. Castellano $6.10 $4.00 $3.001 Bugle Blues A. Cruz $24.20 $9.6010 Talladega J. Alvarado $4.00B Gelding 2012, by Cosmonaut - Offhand Remark by Western Expres-sion. Owner: Six String Stables. Trainer: Carlos Martin. Breeder: Michael Spielman (NY). Time: 1:35.56Late Scratches: Mascarello, Grand Sky, My Tommy Boy, Port Au PrinceDaily Double (4-2), $91.00; Exacta (2-1), $98.50; Superfecta (2-1-10-4), $3,781.00; Trifecta (2-1-10), $434.50; Pic 3 (4-4-2), $343.50

EIGHTH $75,000, NY-BRED ALLOWANCE, 3 YO’S & UP, 6 1/2F6 So Noted J. Rosario $9.30 $5.20 $4.0010 Giantinthemoonlite S. Bridgmohan $4.90 $4.4012 Candid Desire E. Trujillo $14.40B Colt 2012, by Read the Footnotes - French Legion by French DeputyOwner: Paolangeli, Francis, J.. Trainer: Charlton Baker. Breeder: Tracy Egan (NY). Time: 1:16.84Daily Double (2-6), $40.80; Exacta (6-10), $54.00; Superfecta (6-10-12-8), $3,279.00; Trifecta (6-10-12), $803.00; Pic 3 (4-2-6), $468.00

NINTH $56,000, CLAIMING $32,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 6 1/2F7 Saturday’s Charm I. Ortiz, Jr. $10.00 $5.50 $3.709 Hillbilly Style R. Santana, Jr. $24.80 $11.2011 Congenial J. Lezcano $3.10Dk B/ Br Horse 2009, by Any Given Saturday - Pout by Deputy MinisterOwner: Final Turn Racing Stables, LLC. Trainer: David Jacobson. Breeder: Paragon Farms, LLC (KY).Late Scratches: Attractive Ride, FrazilClaimed: Congenial claimed by Panopoulos, Nicholaos for $32,000, Bad Hombre claimed by Fortune Farm (Richard Nicolai) for $32,000, Marriage Fever claimed by Flying P Racing Stable for $32,000Time: 1:15.70Daily Double (6-7), $51.00; Exacta (7-9), $258.00; Superfecta (7-9-11-3), $12,135.00; Trifecta (7-9-11), $941.00; Pic 3 (2-6-7), $196.00

TENTH $200,000, STAKES - SHUVEE H., 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/8M5 Stopchargingmaria J. Castellano $4.70 $2.40 $2.104 Untapable J. Velazquez $2.60 $2.106 Tiz Windy J. Leparoux $3.30Dk B/ Br Filly 2011, by Tale of the Cat - Exotic Bloom by MontbrookOwner: Town and Country Farms, Corp.. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Breeder: Harvey Clarke & Brookdale Farm LLC (KY). Time: 1:49.37Daily Double (7-5), $22.00; Exacta (5-4), $9.00; Superfecta (5-4-6-3), $64.50; Trifecta (5-4-6), $36.20; Pic 3 (6-7-5), $146.50; Place Pix Nine (1/2/10-6/10/12-7/9/11-5), $52.50

ELEVENTH. $50,000. CLM. 3&UP. 1 1/16 MILES TURF.12 Scrumpdilicious S. Bridgmohan 16.80 8.90 6.103 Neoclassic J. Ortiz 10.00 6.1010 Heat Flash I. Ortiz Jr. 5.30Ch. g. Northern Afleet-She’s Yummy, Greatness. Owner: John Wentworth. Trainer: Brad Cox. Breeder: Phillip S. Maas (KY). Time: 1:41.06.Exacta (12-3) $171.50. Trifecta (12-3-10) $1,043. Superfecta (12-3-10-7) $4,047. Daily Double (5-12) $40.40. Pic 3 (7-5-12) $207. Pic 4 (6-7-5-12) $1,762. Pick 6 (4/2,13,14,15,16/6/7/5/12) 5 correct: $2,745.

On Track Handle: $4,088,29. Inter-State Handle: $12,986,150.

Copyright 2015 EQUIBASE Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

33Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

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34 Wednesday, August 5, 2015The Saratoga Special

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Mike Luzzi stood outside George Weaver’s barn Monday morning. Wearing a helmet, flak jacket, stirrup-leather-worn jeans, Luzzi looked fit, healthy and ready. Nine months and a day from when it all nearly ended.

Luzzi broke his pelvis and his left leg when Tricky Zippy flipped over before the ninth race at Aqueduct in November. The filly has come back to win three times. Luzzi is working on his comeback.

In this game, things happen fast. Luzzi got a leg up and in a matter of seconds, his career, his life was hanging in the balance. Riders up, leg up, touch saddle, on the ground – pelvis broken in five places. Then the aftershock, Tricky Zippy fell over back-ward, landed on top of Luzzi – broken left tibia in two places.

X-rays showed the breaks, like darts through a poster. The internal bleeding wasn’t as easy to find. Luzzi had surgery on his pelvis and leg, that was routine – for a jockey. Fourteen blood transfusions wasn’t routine. A priest came to Luzzi’s hospital bed.

Finally, doctors found the bleeding and Su-per-Glued it shut.

Luzzi went home. Rest? Try three months in bed. Luzzi went from breezing horses in the morning

and riding races in the afternoon to being bedrid-den, being cared for by his wife Tania and watching TV. A lot of TV.

You name it, Luzzi watched it. “All that crap. I got hooked on…American Pick-

ers, Pawn Stars, I watched every episode. I did get to watch the hockey,” Luzzi said. “My wife was great, she was my nurse. We had a routine, we would watch the morning shows, I actually got into Kel-ly and Michael, it was terrible now I think about it. I tried to read, it was hard. I didn’t watch any racing.”

Jockeys thinking their careers are over don’t watch racing. Too hard. Too left undone. Too raw.

Luzzi thought his career was over. “For the first three months I’m thinking I’m never

riding again, then I got out of bed and went straight to the PT and I felt it, I said, ‘I can go ahead and ride again.’ Then my leg was slow to heal, we took the screws out and that helped it heal up,” Luzzi said. “I was on the Equicizer of course, then I started get-ting on horses. Dr. (Richard) Alfred said you can go ahead and get on the Equicizer, I said I’ve been on it for three months.”

Alfred laughed. After operating on Luzzi’s right leg in 2004 and his left shoulder in 2013, Alfred knows the drill and didn’t ask any questions.

And that is the question, why get back on an Equicizer, why want to come back and ride races? A rod in each leg, a reattached shoulder, a broken pelvis, Luzzi turns 46 in October. He’s won 3,420 races and his horses have earned over $108 million. His 18-year-old son, Lane, is galloping and breezing horses, readying to embark on his own career as a

jockey. And, still, Luzzi yearns to come back. “I feel like I never missed a beat, I feel fine. I’m

going to make a run at it, I want to prove I can still do it,” Luzzi said. “I wasn’t finished yet, there are things I haven’t done, I feel good. I see a lot of young kids riding and I feel like I can still compete with them.”

One of those kids might be Lane, who’s galloping horses for Kiaran McLaughlin at Saratoga this sum-mer. Luzzi, going back to a trainer who put him on the likes of Daaher to win the Cigar Mile in 2007, has been getting on horses for McLaughlin as well.

“I started getting on some horses over there and I was taking some of his rides, he’s leading me to the track. I remember that. I remember being in the winner’s circle with a horse I galloped and Mario Pino got to ride it,” Luzzi said. “Artie (Magnuson, McLaughlin’s assistant) said, ‘Luz, gallop this fil-ly. She’s nice.’ I back up on the main track, I turn around and I’m galloping the toughest horse I’ve ever galloped. The whole time I’m saying, ‘I can’t believe my son can gallop this horse.’ He wants to ride with me. Can you imagine?”

As for father, Luzzi hasn’t hired an agent, plans to ride at Saratoga if he gets the right opportunity and will aim at a proper fall return at Belmont Park.

While he was in the hospital, Luzzi learned he was nominated for the George Woolf Award. While he was in bed, he learned he won it. Voted by his peers, Luzzi appreciated the honor, given to jockeys “whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.” Luzzi and his family flew to Santa Anita to accept the award in April.

“It came at the right time, I needed it,” Luzzi said. “It was a great day, a great experience, we went for a week, it was the first time we went on a family vacation. It was my day.”

Luzzi is hoping there will be a few more.

cupofcoffee On the MendBY SEAN CLANCY

Tod MarksMike Luzzi is nearing a return from a broken pelvis and leg.

35Wednesday, August 5, 2015 The Saratoga Special

MRS MCDOUGAL Lake George Stakes (G2)

GRADED STAKES GLORY STARTS HERE

KEENELAND SEPTEMBER YEARLING SALEMONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Monday - Wednesday, Sept. 14-16, sessions begin at 11 a.m. ETFriday - Saturday, Sept. 18-19, sessions begin at 10 a.m. ETSunday - Saturday, Sept. 20-26, sessions begin at 10 a.m. ET

Book 1Book 2Books 3-6

000085-LE-General-All-Saratoga Special Sales FP-Aug 4.indd 1 8/4/15 4:58 PM