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SARATOGA NOTEBOOK SEPTEMBER 3, 2010 by Albie Johnson WEDNESDAY (8/25) State-breds were in the spotlight as a field of six sophomores went to the post in the $100,000 Albany S. at a distance of 1 1/8 miles. On paper the race came down to the heavily favored Ibboyee (Medallist), who was coming off a win in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes July 17, and the lightly-raced STORMY'S MAJESTY (Stormy Atlantic), who had a three race winning streak snapped earlier in the meet when he was soundly defeated in the Jim Dandy (G2) after attending the pace for five furlongs. The pace was set by Johannesburg Smile (Johannesburg) with Stormy's Majesty to his inside early, but Edgar Prado eased him back and eventually around that rival midway through the far turn taking a short lead turning for home. After opening-up a two length cushion, Stormy's Majesty had just enough left to hold off the late close of Ibboyee and a stubborn Johannesburg Smile, who battled back gamely. The final margin was a neck, with another three parts of a length back to third. A homebred from the Majesty Stud, the winning colt is is trained by Dominick Galluscio and was expertly ridden by Prado. Track conditions Fast and firm with both the main surface and the inner turf showing a tendency to favor speed as the meet grinds along, with the main turf really not favoring any style. Horses to Watch 1ST -- ARENA ELVIRA (Ghostzapper) ran too good to lose but came up a head short in her first start around two-turns. She tracked early and made what looked like a winning bid in the last sixteenth but was out-gamed on the wire. The $210,000 two-year-old should break her maiden next out. 6TH -- Making her first start, DRUMETTE (Henny Hughes) broke running, set a pressured pace, and after exchanging bumps down the lane with the second-place finisher held well for the show spot. Nice debut. THURSDAY (8/26) After a pair of late scratches, a field of three went to the post in the High Rock Springs overnight stakes for state-bred juveniles, with the Todd Pletcher-trained NEVER RIGHT JOEY (Tapit) the overwhelming 1-5 favorite. Colt was impressive in breaking his maiden here July 24 on a muddy track but had to run hard every step in this spot as Finger Lakes invader Freuds Ana Streak (Freud) challenged him from the get-go and stayed very close until the sixteenth-pole when the public choice finally proved best by three parts of a length. For the record, Private Rules (Peace Rules) checked in third, 4 1/2 lengths off the winner. Track conditions All three dirt races on this card went to wire-to-wire winners on fast main track with a mix proving successful on this day on the firm turf courses. Horses to Watch 4TH -- Making her first start around two-turns RAVINGABOUTKITTEN (Kitten's Joy) was wide through-out and could not muster enough late to be a factor. Juvenile filly finished fourth beaten a little over four lengths and lost more ground than that during the running. May like Belmont a bit more. FRIDAY (8/27) A field of seven older turf runners, headed by multiple graded stakes winner GET STORMY (Stormy Atlantic), went to the post in the Bernard Baruch (G2), and Get Stormy was the odds-on choice over a rather mediocre group for this level of competition. Pace was set by the lightly raced National Kid (Brz) (Dodge) with the favorite under a snug hold by rider Javier Castellano, who never let the front-runner open up more than two lengths on him. Get Stormy was sent in earnest after that rival turning for home and went by him by midstretch, drawing away to a 2 3/4-length win with National Kid holding down the place spot by a length over Radical Sabbatical (Harlan's Holiday). The winning four-year-old ran his turf mark to (16-8-2-1) under trainer Tom Bush's guidance and may be ready to tackle Grade 1 foes. Track conditions Fast and firm with speed doing well on all three of the surfaces . Horses to Watch 2ND -- The lightly raced RODERICK (Read the Footnotes) who was coming off a sharp maiden win earlier in the meet got caught up in a suicidal pace-duel in this state-bred entry-level allowance in his first facing winners. Sophomore was dead tired by the sixteenth-pole but still held for the show. Colt has a stalking gear and should revert to that next out. SATURDAY (8/28) Large crown and perfect weather as five graded stakes were on the menu and we'll take them in the order they were run. First up was The Ballston Spa H. (G2) for older fillies and mares run at a distance of 1 1/16 miles on the inner-turf. A talented field of 10 which were coming from all points on the East Coast, with the crowd centering on Phola (Johannesburg) as the post-time favorite. Pace was set by Silver Reunion (Harlan's Holiday), who was returning from a 10-month layoff, and she was pursued every step by DYNASLEW (Dynaformer), who would eventually pass her in the last sixteenth to prevail by a half-length over the stubborn pacesetter. Miss Keller (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) closed belatedly for the show on a course that had been favoring speed types for the past week. The winning filly had finished a close-up fourth last out in the Diana S. (G1) and has clearly come back this year at age four a better filly than she was last season. Bill Mott trains this Live Oak home-bred and Eibar Coa delivered a perfect ride. A field of seven sophomore fillies entered the gate a race later in the Victory Ride S. (G3) and the race was over early as RAPPORT (Songandaprayer) sprinted clear on the hard main track and never had an anxious moment as she was set down turning for jockey Marty Garcia, drawing away to a 3 1/2-length score. Longshot My Jen (Fusaichi Pegasus) held well for the place over Beyondallboundarys (Saint Liam), who chased while wide and had no chance with that trip on the speed-favoring track. The winning filly was a $475,000 yearling purchase back in 2008 and had been training very fast for trainer Bob Baffert before shipping east. Speed again proved successful in the Ballerina S. (G1) as New York-bred RIGHTLY SO (Read the Footnotes) broke running from her rail draw and after shaking off a mild bid by Warbling (Unbridled's Song) on the far turn, she drew away from that rival down the stretch to win by four widening lengths. Warbling won a multiple horse photo for the place, with Florida invader Jessica is Back (Put it Back) finishing third. The winning filly had been training fast locally for Rick Dutrow and was making her first start since beating open company in the Bed o' Roses S. (G3) at Belmont on July 5. Next up came the King's Bishop S. (G1) and once again the race was decided in the first quarter-mile as race favorite DISCREETLY MINE (Mineshaft) was put on the lead by John Velazquez. After putting away several challenges, he had enough left late to hold off the lightly-raced Bank Merger (Consolidator), who closed fast down the center of the track to secure the place spot over Latigo Shore (Malibu Moon), who also rallied from far back. The winning colt was coming off a career best effort when winning the Amsterdam S. (G2) earlier in the meet and give his trainer Pletcher credit for recognizing the intense speed bias that was in place all day on the main track. The highlight of the day, and for that matter the meet, the $1 million Travers S. (G1), attracted an excellent field of 11 sophomores in a wide-open contest, with the public finally landing on Trappe Shot (Tapit) as a lukewarm favorite at just under 4-1. As expected, Miner's Reserve (Mineshaft) was sent from his inside post and was intently tracked by First Dude (Stephen Got Even), with the fractions on the lightning fast strip a bit slower than expected. That pair would remain one-two until the early stretch when a trio from the back -- AFLEET EXPRESS (Afleet Alex), Fly Down (Mineshaft) and A Little Warm (Stormin Fever) -- all began to make strong moves toward the leaders. With the top pair faltering, it became evident by the eighth-pole that A Little Warm (who had raced wide through-out) was beginning to flounder while Afleet Express, who had swung off the rail turning for home, and Fly Down, who had made a strong wide rally on the far turn, would decide the issue. The two colts hit the wire as a team, with Afleet Express proving best by the narrowest of margins. The always-game First Dude finished another 6 3/4 lengths back in third. The winning colt came into this very lightly raced and had run well earlier in the meet in the Jim Dandy S. (G2), a race where he finished a close-up third despite being bumped at the start and racing wide through-out. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens had put a pair of solid drills into him since and he benefited from a very smart ride from Castellano. As the race was run, Fly Down was probably best as he was the only horse all day who was able to make a sweeping move on the turn and continue strongly to the wire. Track conditions Fast and firm with a huge inside speed bias on both the dirt and the inner-turf course. Horses to Watch 5TH -- The Pletcher-trained UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie) was reported to be something special and he did nothing to change those thoughts as he broke quickly, opened up a couple of lengths by the half and cruised home to a 14 1/4-length score while under a brisk hand ride. Will be interesting to see what they do with him next. SUNDAY (8/29) Another large crowd was on hand and all eyes were on reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) as she lined up against four rivals in the Personal Ensign S. (G1). Race was expected to be a virtual match race between her and the rapidly improving Life at Ten (Malibu Moon), who was seeking her seventh in a row. That scenario played out for most of the race with Rachel taking the lead and the rail right out of the gate with Life at Ten just of her flank to the outside. The fractions were reasonable and midway through the far turn Velazquez asked Life at Ten for her best and it became apparent just then that her day was done with Rachel putting her away and seemingly on her way to an easy win. But on this day that was not the case as the previously mediocre PERSISTENTLY (Smoke Glacken) began a sustained rally at the three-eighths pole that would eventually carry her to an improbable one-length win in a race that slowed to almost a crawl in the final furlongs. Winner is a homebred from the quality Phipps Stable and was saddled by their long-time contract trainer, Shug McGaughey. As for Rachel, she came up short in her first start at 10 furlongs, losing fair and square despite a great trip. Although still very good this year, she may have hit her zenith last September when she defeated males on this surface in the Woodward S. (G1). Leader Board Going into the final week, Pletcher has a 12-win margin (30 to 18) over last year's champ, Linda Rice. In the jockeys' race, John Velazquez holds a slim one-win lead (48 to 47) over Castellano, with Ramon Dominguez checking in third with 38. Upcoming stakes Friday will feature the With Anticipation S. (G3) for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, while the main attractions on Saturday will be the Woodward S. (G1) at nine furlongs and the seven-furlong Forego S. (G1), both for three-year-olds and up. Sunday will see juvenile fillies go seven furlongs in the Spinaway S. (G1) and sophomores try 1 3/16 grassy miles in the Saranac S. (G3) Juveniles will take center stage once again on Labor Day Monday in the seven-furlong Hopeful S. (G1), with the undercard feature being the Glens Falls S. (G3) for distaffers traveling 11 furlongs on the turf. Have a nice week!
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