Saratoga Daily Notebook

SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2007

by John Mucciolo

Live Oak Plantation's homebred REVVED UP (Sultry Song) easily took the lead

in the stretch and was geared down late in a facile 1 1/2-length score in the

$82,450 John's Call S. at Saratoga on Sunday. The Christophe Clement charge was

well in hand in the early portion of the 1 5/8-mile contest, moved outside for

clear run approaching the final turn and cruised home under light urging by Kent

Desormeaux. The ageless nine-year-old completed the firm-turf feature in 2:42

3/5 as the even-money favorite.

General Jumbo (GB) (Dansili [GB]) was always prominent but had no answer for

the winner late, battling gamely inside the final sixteenth to retain the

runner-up spot. Bailador (Ire) (Alzao) found his best stride late to miss the

second spot by a nose.

The card on Sunday featured seven turf routes and a trio of dirt sprints, and

all of the grass winners made up ground to the get their pictures taken. The

dirt oval saw one winner leading at every call, with the other pair in striking

distance early.

Leading jockey Cornelio Velasquez added two winners on this day to boost his

total to 29. Desormeaux, who guided the winner home in the feature, is two

behind with 27, trailed by Edgar Prado with 19 and Javier Castellano, who

brought home two winners today, with 18.

Bill Mott still holds a comfortable edge in the trainers' race with 16 photo

takers. Gary Contessa, Todd Pletcher and Richard Dutrow all have nine, while Tom

Bush has saddled eight.

Horses to Watch

1ST – UNIVERSE (Pulpit) was a solid second in her turf debut, and the filly

shouldn't be a maiden for long. The Shug McGaughey trainee was wide for a good

portion of the contest and will be extra tough with a ground-saving trip in her

subsequent effort.

3RD – Another McGaughey pupil, COSMIC (El Prado [Ire]), who was making his

career bow on the turf, passed a lot of animals inside the final eighth and

should be a factor in his second effort. Out of champion Heavenly Prize (Seeking

the Gold), the impeccably bred colt was six wide in the lane and has every right

to improve in his next try.

Tomorrow's Outlook – Monday, August 20

Seven New York-bred fillies and mares will travel six furlongs in the $80,000

Union Avenue S. on Monday. Grade 2 heroine MAGNOLIA JACKSON (Cape Canaveral) has

faced stakes foes 13 consecutive times and is the class of this bunch. The Gary

Contessa trainee is the potential speed of the field and should get a nice trip

beneath Ramon Dominguez from her outside post.

PRECISE LADY (Precise End), winner of the Dancin Renee S. over this oval last

out, drew the rail for conditioner Patrick Kelly. The four-year-old has never

been worse than third over this surface in three career tries. STOLEN STAR (Cat

Thief), LOVELY DREAM (Freud) and BABY GRAY (Precise End) -- the respective 2-3-4

finishers from the Dancin Renee -- along with KARAKORUM STARLET (Skip Away) and

SCATKEY (Scatmandu), round out the field.

Monday's Best Plays

5TH – SAVASANA (Scatmandu) was a nice winner over a useful maiden special

weight group at Belmont last fall, and the sophomore should be a factor with a

similar effort in here. We're not too excited about the 2-1 morning line, but we

still think the bay has a big win chance under Desormeaux.

7TH – MISTER WHITE SOCKS (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) endured a frightful trip most

recently and could be a nice play at square odds in here. A positive jockey

switch to Eibar Coa, and the probability of an excellent stalking trip add to

the appeal.

8TH – Precise Lady has looked awesome late in her last pair, and there's no

reason to think that the filly can't make it a hat trick in this field. The

four-year-old should have some pace to run at and is well drawn on the rail.