Year 21 • No. 4 Saturday, July 24, 2021 The aratoga Saratoga’s Racing Newspaper since 2001 Sixth Sense? MALATHAAT seeks to EXTEND STREAK in CCA Oaks Tod Marks Tod ROBIN SPARKLES, CARAVEL CLASH IN CARESS v TOM AMOSS STABLE TOUR v ENTRIES & HANDICAPPING 2 THE SARATOGA SPECIAL SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 Easy Commute. An outrider heads to his post on the Oklahoma track early Thursday morning. Tod Marks Tod Here&There...in Saratoga NAMES OF THE DAY Freedomoftehpress, second race. Exact- ly. Thanks, Klaravich Stable. BY THE NUMBERS SET LIST Suffragette, second race. The 3-year-old Consecutive races on the past-performance chart of 8: The Wednesday morning paddock-schooling sound filly, owned by Joe Straus Jr. and Hugh Galway Kid won by him or Snap Decision. Until finishing track was a thing of beauty with classics Wonderful World, Fitzimons Jr., is by Constitution. fifth in Thursday’s A.P. Smithwick, the steeplechaser had by Sam Cooke (the one that goes, “Don’t know much won four of his last eight starts. Star hurdler Snap Decision about history . don’t know much biology . don’t know The Sicarii, third race. The 5-year-old gelding won the other four. much about a science book . don’t know much about – by Violence out of Moshe Diane – is named for a splinter group of the French I took . .,” plus The Girl from Ipanema, Rock- Jewish zealots (one of the earliest known organized assassination WORDPLAY et Man, Danke Schoen and others wafting over the track units) who attacked Romans and Roman sympathizers occupying speakers throughout the plant. Judea. Moshe Dayan (not quite Diane) was an Israeli military leader Congrats to the first “20 for 21” word challenge of the The soothing sounds prompted plenty of listeners in and politician. season, Victoria Garlanda, who identified a few uses of the backyard and belong to pause and sing along, sway or “hope” in Wednesday’s edition. Check out Wednesday’s just plain smile. Knockout Punch, fourth race. The 5-year-old gelding, bred in edition to see the full list of 20 words we plan to use in at The horses weren’t commenting, but one trainer of- Maryland and named by Sagamore Farm, is by First Defence out least one issue of The Special through closing weekend. of Dictate The Tempo. The words again, in case you missed them: admirable, fered an opinion. “I like this mellow music for paddock schooling,” said encroach, hope, incremental, integrity, languish, lollygag- Caravel, 10th race. Owner/breeder/trainer Lizzie Merryman named ging (you know what that makes you?), mellifluous (we’re George Weaver while pulling some tack out of a golf cart her multiple stakes winner – a daughter of Mizzen Mast – for a not even sure what that means), mirth, nadir, nonsensical, near the paddock entrance. “The horses are going to be so small, fast sailing ship used by the Portuguese to explore the West peak, peek, penultimate, pique, plethora, pragmatic, sa- chilled out. It’s a little different in the afternoon.” African coast and the Atlantic Ocean in the 15th century. shay, substantial. The Saratoga Editors/Publishers/Owners: Sean Clancy: (302) 545-7713. [email protected] Joe Clancy: (302) 545-4424. [email protected] Managing Editor: Tom Law: (859) 396-9407. [email protected] thisishorseracing.com Writers: Paul Halloran, Terry Hill, Mary Eddy. Marketing/Distribution: Samantha Loud, Olivia Johnson. Photographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush, 259 East Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Handicappers: Charles Bedard, Jessica Paquette, Susie Raisher, Michael Trombetta Jr. John Shapazian, Rob Whitlock. ST Publishing. 364 Fair Hill Drive, Ste. F, Elkton, MD 21921. (410) 392-5867. The Saratoga Special, thisishorseracing.com, Thoroughbred Racing Calendar, The Best of The Saratoga Special, 2021 publication dates: Wednesdays and Saturdays July 15-Sept 4. New York Thoroughbred Breeders work, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred and a whole lot more. Plus Opening Day & Sales Week Daily Aug. 6-11. Call us about your editorial needs. SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 THE SARATOGA SPECIAL 3 Here&There...in Saratoga WORTH REPEATING “Because that’s not my style.” Steeplechase horseman James Slater, on why he wasn’t wearing a bow tie like his son Will “When I went to the barn that morning and saw everything that went into it, I just was like ‘man, I want to do this’ I was lucky early on I knew what I wanted to do for a living.” Trainer Tom Amoss on his introduction to racing from friend Al Stall Jr. and his late father, Al Stall Sr. “I didn’t know the valets could sing.” The Special’s Sean Clancy, watching the Racing City Chorus (dressed in red shirts and khaki pants; also the uniform of NYRA’s valets) sing at the track Thursday “I told him it’s the lucky barn.” Trainer Pat Kelly, who ceded his former shady spot on the backstretch to Tom Amoss “She tortures them, but they have fun with her too.” Trainer Lizzie Merryman, about Caress Stakes contender Caravel and her road-trip companions Fenella O’Flynn and Maddie Rowland “This is it.” Security guard on a beautiful Thursday morning in Saratoga “It’s fun, I get to come out and see my friends and stay involved.” Former trainer and now jockey’s agent Kiaran McLaughlin Tod Marks Flying Horse. Steeplechaser Cite (with a well-sat Jamie Bargary) practices his “I used to watch one race a day. Now, I watch 10 races a day.” jumping while walking through Clare Court. McLaughlin on the difference between being a trainer and an agent Trainer H. Allen Jerkens, 1929-2015 The Chief Marks Tod “And how.” When asked if he remembered Frank Whiteley “I’m proud of her. I’m Made in Camden, South Carolina’s Thoroughbred Country proud of my lieutenants.” After Society Selection won the Test New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association nytha.com | 516.488.2337 ������� ������� ����� ����� ����� ������� ������ �� ������ ���� Chair, Equine & Racing Law Winter Memories 516-741-6565 | [email protected] 2011 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga “I gave her one push and she was flying after that, I pulled her up. She did it so easily. She accelerates like nothing, like a Porsche.” – Jockey Jose Lezcano �e�resen�n� o�ners, trainers, breeders, jockeys, (859) 312-3414 dri�ers and horse�en associa�ons in business transac�ons and �a�ers before the �e� �ork �tate �a�in� �o��ission kirkwoodstables.com and in the federal and state courts. Pinhooking Partnerships • 2-year-olds in training sales �����, ������, ������� � �����, �.�. I ��� ������� ������, ������ ����, �� 115�� I ���.����.��� Yearling to 2-year-old prep 4 THE SARATOGA SPECIAL SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 Here&There...in Saratoga WORTH REPEATING QUOTE OF THE DAY “I was never up here when they didn’t even have that pathway. People tell me that people would just walk up and pat horses on “My son asked, ‘What about his whiskers?’ ” the side as you walked by.” Trainer Bruce Brown, comparing Saratoga’s Trainer Bruce Brown, former free-for-all saddling areas about a tough-beat photo-finish loss to today’s somewhat more orderly setup by Alley Oop Johnny on Opening Day “I told them, ‘I had nothing to do with it, I just answered the questions.” Jockey Mike Luzzi after friends complimented him on his radio interview on HRRN’s “In the Room” “I’ll tell you in two minutes.” Exercise rider Simon Harris when asked how it was going as he guided one on the turf for a breeze Friday morning 800-523-8143 “It’s been an amazing journey. We used to race horses in the street in Panama and now we’re here in Saratoga.” “Man, I’m glad that’s over. That was pressure.” Jockey Luis Saez about growing up in Panama Godolphin’s Jimmy Bell, after manning the pedestrian-crossing chain coming out “Cornelio Velasquez...Laffit Pincay...Garrett Gomez.” of the paddock before the Diana last Saturday Saez when asked about his mentors Text from Jack Clancy to The Special: “To add another thing “He was yelling for Jose and I said, ‘Eli, Jose’s not riding our to your plate, you should run a medal count for the Olympics horse.’ ” in the paper.” Trainer Jeremiah Englehart, Reply from The Special: “You’re in charge.” Connie Bush about his son rooting for jockey Jose Ortiz Answer from Jack: “I did not say that.” Tough Entry. The attitude game is strong in this backstretch scene. Mischievous! Only one stallion can match Into Mischief’s total of Graded Stakes-winning juvenile colts on dirt since 2017. Street Sense, sire of G1 Whitney prospect Maxfield, and G1 Test hopeful Zaajel. Nine must-see yearlings sell at Saratoga. Go faster... SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 THE SARATOGA SPECIAL 5 STABLE TOUR Meet the people & horses who make Saratoga special! 859.255.1555 | fasigtipton.com AUGUST 9-10 6:30 PM Mommasgottarun: Another $110,000 yearling purchase by Politi last year, Ontario-bred daugh- With ter of Maclean’s Music cooled out in the shedrow during the tour and two days later turned in her first local breeze with 5-furlong work in 1:00.76 on Tom Amoss the main track. She breezed four times at Keene- land and four times at Churchill before shipping Tom Amoss started thinking about north. “Well-bred horse we should see in the entry Saratoga 2021 not long after Saratoga box in the next two weeks. She has prepared very 2020. well for us. If I was going to pick one horse that I “I’ve always had like 10 to 12 horses was going to put in the entry box that I have the up here,” Amoss said Tuesday morning, most confidence in it’s probably going to be Mom- driving in his SUV from the frontside to masgottarun.