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Teaks North, Winchester highlight Sword Dancer
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| Teaks North will go for his third straight graded win in the Sword Dancer
(Deja Puglisi/Equi-Photo) |
Saturday's $500,000
Sword
Dancer Invitational (G1) will go against the Arlington Million (G1) on the
same afternoon, but the 1 1/2-mile turf affair at Saratoga still managed to
attract a strong field of eight that includes multiple Grade 1 winners TEAKS
NORTH (Northern Afleet) and WINCHESTER (Theatrical [Ire]).
Teaks North, who concluded last year with a third in the Cosmic Bob S. over
Aqueduct's inner track, has made great strides this season for trainer Justin
Sallusto, opening 2011 with a victory in the Gulfstream Park Turf H. (G1), and
the four-year-old will enter the Sword Dancer off his biggest career tally to
date, a half-length score in the July 2 United Nations S. (G1) at Monmouth Park.
The Florida-bred gelding has won two straight wins since adding the services of
Eddie Castro in the Monmouth S. (G3) on June 12, and Teaks North appears to be
training forwardly in preparation for his Saratoga debut, recording three
consecutive "bullet" works since the United Nations.
Teaks North will be spotting his rivals three-to-seven pounds as the
123-pound top weight.
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Winchester enjoyed a stellar 2010 campaign under the direction of Christophe
Clement, recording wins in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) and Manhattan (G1), and
placed in four graded stakes prior to a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1).
The six-year-old received six votes for champion turf male based on his
accomplishments last season, but he didn't make his 2011 bow until the
off-the-turf Stars and Stripes S. (G3) on July 23, recording a decent second
over the Polytrack at Arlington Park. Winchester is obviously a candidate for
further improvement off that tightener, and the classy horse will keep Cornelio
Velasquez in the saddle. He gets in with a 120-pound impost.
GRASSY (El Prado [Ire]) will look to make amends for a disappointing seventh
in the 2010 Sword Dancer. Also trained by Clement, the five-year-old gray went
on to post a win in the Red Smith H. (G2) and a third in the Joe Hirsch Turf
Classic last year, and he exits an encouraging neck second in the June 26
Singspiel S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine. Javier Castellano will pick up the mount.
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| Rahy's Attorney is still
going strong at age seven
(WEG/Michael Burns Photography) |
BOISTEROUS (Distorted Humor) is an intriguing contestant for Hall of Fame
trainer Shug McGaughey. The four-year-old colt reeled off two consecutive wins
on the turf this spring, including the May 22 Three Coins Up at Belmont Park in
his stakes debut, and recorded a solid third behind Cape Blanco (Ire) (Galileo
[Ire]) and Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) when making his first graded attempt in
the July 9 Man o' War (G1) last out. Boisterous broke his maiden over the turf
at Saratoga 12 months ago and rates as a dangerous challenger with
further improvement on Saturday. Regular rider John Velazquez will be up.
RAHY'S ATTORNEY (Crown Attorney), Canada's champion turf horse in 2008,
relishes longer distances on turf and is the likely Sword Dancer pacesetter. The
Ian Black gelding has shown no signs of slowing down at age seven, posting a
victory earlier this year in the Pan America (G3) at Gulfstream Park, and brings
commendable BRIS Speed ratings into the Sword Dancer. BIM BAM (Distorted
Humor) owns respectable form, finishing second in the Manhattan and Sussex S. in
his last two outings, and Grade 2 winner AL KHALI (Medaglia d'Oro), the 2010
Sword Dancer third-placer, will look to turn things around following three
consecutive unplaced finishes.
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DROSSELMEYER (Distorted Humor), the 2010 Belmont S. (G1) upsetter, rounds out
the field. Runner-up as the favorite in the 1 1/2-mile Brooklyn H. (G2) last
out, the Bill Mott-trained colt will make his first start on turf since a
runner-up versus maiden rivals in September 2009.
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