Pletcher holds strong hand in Adirondack, Saratoga Special

"She trained exceptionally well here all summer," Pletcher said. "We were

excited to have her ready to run, were looking forward to it, and she exceeded

our expectations.

"Horses don't always come out of the two-year-old in training sales with that

type of mentality. We'll continue to see how she handles added distances. She's

very strong at the end of 5 1/2 (furlongs) and we're optimistic that with her

mind set, she'll be able to carry it further."

Rosie Napravnik retains the mount aboard the Malibu Moon filly, who will

break from post 3.

Only two others have raced over the track -- Fully Living and Sweet Shirley

Mae, the respective fourth and fifth from the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes.

Fully Living was beaten a grand total of 3 3/4 lengths after a wide trip in

the Schuylerville. Considering that she had previously beaten Schuylerville

runner-up Can't Explain in their mutual debut, it's arguable that Fully Living

didn't put her best foot forward in their rematch. The Ken McPeek trainee

notably gets first-time Lasix here. The well-bred daughter of Unbridled's Song,

a $425,000 Keeneland September yearling, is eligible to do better from a

ground-saving post 2 this time, and picks up the services of Jose Lezcano.

Sweet Shirley Mae was even more disappointing in the Schuylerville, fading to

fifth. Two starts back, the Wesley Ward filly had defeated Bern Identity, the

eventual winner of the Grade 2 Sanford, in a Belmont Park maiden. Sweet Shirley

Mae gets another chance in this spot and has landed the rail draw. John

Velazquez, who rode her to her maiden win, regains the mount.

Three invaders -- the 120-pound co-highweights Cayllano and Salamera as well

as Vitameta --  all seek to remain unbeaten in this 6 1/2-furlong test.

The Churchill Downs-based Cayllano has captured her two starts by a combined

17 1/2 lengths, good enough to lure Javier Castellano into the saddle. After

dominating an Indiana Downs maiden, the Tom Amoss pupil ran away with the July 4

White Clay Creek at Delaware Park.

Salamera ships in from the tough Calder juvenile scene, where she is

two-for-two. A 4 1/4-length debut winner for Rodolfo Garcia, the Successful

Appeal filly fought her way to a neck decision in the June 30 J J'sdream Stakes,

experience that could serve her well in this field. Angel Castillo will be back

aboard.

Ramon Dominguez takes the call on Vitameta, who graduated by a terrific seven

lengths at Calder. The daughter of Street Sense is in the capable hands of David

Fawkes.

While Pletcher has already won the Adirondack twice, with Octave (2006) and

Position Limit (2010), he is still seeking his first Saratoga Special, but

unleashes two prime contenders in the 107th renewal.

Shanghai Bobby is the most accomplished entrant, and 2-1 morning-line

favorite, in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special. After a four-length debut score

at Aqueduct on April 19, the precocious son of Harlan's Holiday coped with a

difficult trip to add the Track Barron Stakes to his resume at Belmont. The form

held up when Track Barron runner-up Handsome Jack finished second to Bern

Identity in the Sanford.

"Shanghai Bobby got started very early," Pletcher said. "We found over the

years that a lot of times, our most successful horses are the first ones ready.

I suppose it just speaks to their natural ability and talent level, their

professionalism, and those kinds of things that ultimately make a lot of them

good."

Napravnik hopes to go three-for-three aboard Shanghai Bobby, who is drawn in

post 6 in the seven-horse field. As the 122-pound highweight, Shanghai Bobby

will spot his rivals four pounds.

His uncoupled stablemate, Drum Roll, will break from the outer post with new

rider Velazquez. The Pennsylvania-bred was sent down to Monmouth for his

premiere and duly obliged, fending off pace pressure before opening up by

daylight.

A $300,000 OBS March two-year-old in training purchase by Coolmore, Drum Roll

is from the first crop of Majestic Warrior, who scored his signature win in the

Grade 1 Hopeful at the Spa in 2007. Majestic Warrior stands at Coolmore's North

American arm, Ashford Stud, so Drum Roll could hand his owners a double boost.

Rick Violette would have had a major threat in Carried Interest.

Unfortunately, that sharp debut winner has been sidelined, but Violette has an

able deputy in Spurious Precision. By High Cotton, the same sire as last year's

Hopeful hero Currency Swap, Spurious Precision dismissed a good-looking group of

Saratoga maidens on July 21 while blitzing 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03 2/5.

"It's a little bit quick back, not ideal, but he's doing very well," Violette

said. "Some of the horses in the race have beaten nice horses, and others, we

don't know what we've beaten. We have an opportunity to run here, and if the

stars align, look ahead to a race like the Champagne (Grade 1 on October 6 at

Belmont Park). Plans are great, but you've got to get to Square One, and Square

One is Sunday."

Alan Garcia will reunite with Spurious Precision, the 5-2 second choice, from

post 3.

Tony Dutrow, who won the Schuylerville with So Many Ways off a Parx maiden

win, employs the same strategy here with Southern Honor. Unlike his filly

stablemate, Southern Honor finished second in his premiere. The son of Yes It's

True moved forward

substantially next time out to wire the field by 7 3/4 lengths, setting a new 4

1/2-furlong track record in :50.75. Dominguez has

the riding assignment aboard the colt with a pedigree connection

to the Spa: his second dam is Shine Again, two-time heroine of the Grade 1

Ballerina Handicap.

Dan the Tin Man sallies forth from Woodbine. Fourth in his debut in the

Victoria Stakes, the Ricky Griffith trainee came back to crush maidens. Although

he has raced only on Polytrack so far, Dan the Tin Man has trained sharply on

Woodbine's dirt training track, and has Castellano in his corner.

The two remaining entrants are taking a bigger class hike than the other

maiden winners. In Harm's Way makes his first start outside of New York-bred

maiden company, and He's So Fine ventures outside of the maiden claiming ranks.

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