Owner Mike Dubb Greets Classic Lady and Joel Rosario After Their Owner/Trainer Allison Fulmer, After New York-Bred Stakes Win at Saratoga July 29

Improbable makes it look easy in Whitney look it easy makes Improbable Power Trip

20 The aratoga Year 20•No.7Thursday, August6,2020

Tod Marks 2 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 No Way, Tom. Tom’s d’Etat (left) finds his feet after stumbling at the start of the Whitney Saturday. Tod Marks Tod WORTH REPEATING here&there...in racing “I’m not going to give you my strategy over the phone.” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert on how Presented by Shadwell Farm he sees the setup of Saturday’s Travers Stakes

BY THE NUMBERS NAMES OF THE DAY “I’d like to have one of those jumpers up here to run. I’d prob- 662: Yearlings cataloged by Fasig-Tipton for the Selected Overheated, second race. Dark Horse Racing Stable’s 5-year- ably be the first Mexican in history to do that.” Yearling Showcase scheduled for Sept. 9-10 in Lexington, in- old mare, bred by Alpha Delta Stable, is by Distorted Humor Trainer Horacio DePaz, hypothesizing cluding 164 New York-breds to start the sale. out of Hot Summer. about branching out into steeplechasing

35,796,435: Dollars in total handle for Saturday’s Whitney Fleet Admiral, fourth race. Owned by Gary Downey and Lisa “He knocked it out of me.” Day card, a record that topped last year’s mark of $31,835,863. Beige, the 6-year-old gelding is by Colonel John out of Double Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Dinghy. after waiting to answer questions from the press 1,098,943,728: Dollars wagered on U.S. races in July, with the winner’s circle bell ringing in his ear up 16.6 percent from the same month last year. Lollygag, fifth race.Somebody is a fan of Bull Durham, the classic baseball movie where “Skip” the manager blasts his “I have an old school groom. He does that more than my other 41.8: Percentage increase in average wagering per day on team in the locker room for not giving much effort in a recent groom. I’m trying to get them consistent and do it the same.” U.S. races in July 2020 ($2,761,165) compared to July 2019 game. “You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag DePaz when The Special’s Tom Law ($1,946,784). your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. noticed straw pillows outside his stalls You know what that makes you?” His capable assistant coach, 12.7: Percentage drop in U.S. purses in July ($90,224,084) Larry, of course answers “Lollygaggers.” Penny and Mike Lau- “I wish so.” compared to July 2019 ($103,342,574). er’s 2-year-old filly is out of Wrigley Ivy. Asmussen when asked if he had anything to do with picking out Echo Town

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] Writers/Copy Editors: Photography: Tod Marks. Handicappers: ST Publishing, Inc. 364 Fair Hill Drive, Suite F, Elkton, MD 21921. Paul Halloran, Terry Hill, Mary Eddy, Michael Trombetta Jr. Charles Bedard, John Shapazian, (410) 392-5867 Nolan Clancy, Ryan Clancy. Marketing: Samantha Loud. Rob Whitlock. thisishorseracing.com The Saratoga Special, thisishorseracing.com, Thoroughbred Racing Calendar, The Best of The Saratoga Special, 2020 publication dates: Wednesdays and Saturdays July 18-Sept. 5. New York Thoroughbred Breeders work, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred and a whole lot more. Plus Opening Day July 16 & Season Wrap-up Sept. 12. Call us about your editorial needs.

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 3 here&there...in racing Presented by Shadwell Farm WORTH REPEATING “I’m a little nervous, I’ve got three against one over here.” Trainer Jeremiah Englehart, watching last week’s John Morrissey from the end of the clubhouse with John Terranova, Tonja Terranova and Simon Harris in close proximity. The latter trio celebrated a victory by Funny Guy

“We always go back to this, at least we’re racing. It’s difficult, it’s aggravating, it’s inconvenient but hey, try to remain calm and just go with it. Go with it.” Trainer Bret Calhoun, a recent regular at Saratoga with a small string but only shipping in this season

“The pictures say a thousand words.” Trainer Al Stall Jr. looking at photos of Tom’s d’Etat’s start in the Whitney

“What are you writing, War and Peace?” Trainer Todd Pletcher to The Special’s Sean Clancy after a Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour went into overtime

“I think so.” Typist Miles Clancy, 11, when asked if he had saved the Summer Colony document for the Best of The Special

“Nolan is still riding that bike.” Ryan Clancy, after seeing a photo of the bike and him when working for Graham Motion seven years ago

Susie Raisher “I’m lucky to have him.” Classic Salute. Owner Mike Dubb greets Classic Lady and Joel Rosario after their Owner/trainer Allison Fulmer, after New York-bred stakes win at Saratoga July 29. The Happy Giant won over hurdles at Colonial Downs

“It’s not easy being this famous, but somehow I manage.” Shayna Tiller, former staff writer at The Special and director of sales at Mill Ridge, after being featured in the Thoroughbred Daily News Monday The Chief “Thank God for DQs. I’ll never bad mouth the stewards again … until next time of course.” “Caposella used to call 20-horse races from the Belmont chute, The Special’s top handicapper John Shapazian, who nearly avoided being blanked coming at you. He would show off and call all 20 of them. Boy, Whitney Day when Cross Border was elevated to first in the Grade 2 Bowling Green

those old-timers used to hide those 2-year-olds in those big “Hope we can just keep it up until November.” fields. They’d be 21st, beaten 4 lengths. The public would really Trainer Mike Maker on his run of success in graded stakes on the turf, like them now because they could see them on television.” including Cross Border’s win via DQ in the Grade 2 Bowling Green “This would have been my 40th year of spending at least two weeks at the Spa. I have yet to – Trainer H. Allen Jerkens, 1929-2015 determine whether reading The Special makes me more morose for that which is being denied or uplifted for the memories it rekindles. Either way, I savor every word.” Readers Club member Robert Frick, who is missing Saratoga (thanks)

�� Chair, Equine & Racing Law 516-741-6565 | [email protected]

New York Thoroughbred �e�resen�n� o�ners, trainers, breeders, jockeys, Horsemen’s Association dri�ers and horse�en associa�ons in business transac�ons and www.nytha.com �a�ers before the �e� �ork �tate �a�in� �o��ission and in the federal and state courts. 516.488.2337

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4 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 here&there...in racing QUOTE OF THE DAY Presented by Shadwell Farm “I didn’t want to play a freshman in with the varsity.” Tiz The Law heads Travers field Trainer Bob Baffert on Travers contender Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz The Law drew post six in a field Uncle Chuck not running as a 2-year-old of eight and was installed as the even-money favorite on the morning line for Saturday’s Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Shifted earlier in the meet by three weeks due to the rescheduling of the Kentucky Derby to Sept. 5, the 151st Travers carries a $1 million purse and offers one of the final chances to earn Derby points. The Travers is the 11th of 12 races on the card and will run at 6:15 p.m. as one of five graded stakes on the day. The un- 800-523-8143 dercard includes the Grade 1 Longines Test, Grade 1 Ballerina, Grade 3 Troy and Grade 3 Waya. Fox will have live coverage Marks Tod from 5-6:30 p.m. arounds to rematch in the Travers, including the winner Country Grammer, who will bid to give Tiz The Law became the first New York-bred in 138 years to win the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes trainer Chad Brown his first Travers victory. Country Grammer worked a sharp half-mile Satur- June 20 in the first leg of the revised Triple Crown schedule. The Barclay Tagg trainee has won day in :47.66 in company with last year’s Grade 1 Secretariat winner Valid Point. Listed at 6-1, all three of his starts this year, and won two of three in 2019 including a debut win at Saratoga Irad Ortiz, Jr. will have the call from post two. in August. Regular jockey Manny Franco will be aboard the son of Constitution. Peter Pan runner-up Caracaro, trained by Gustavo Delgado, broke his maiden with a 6-length Tagg said he was pleased to draw near the outside. win at a mile in January before taking the step up in class last month. Hall of Fame jockey Javier “I think he’s matured enough now that outside or inside is not going to bother him too Castellano, who holds a record six Travers wins, rides from post seven at 10-1. much,” Tagg said at the draw. “I’d prefer that he’s on the outside just because you have less Shivaree finished second to Tiz The Law in the Florida Derby and will make his first start at chance of getting in trouble. Not that you can’t, but you have less chance.” Saratoga for trainer Ralph Nicks. The son of Awesome Of Course, is 30-1 with Junior Alvarado Tiz The Law will be tested in the Travers by Uncle Chuck, who enters 2-for-2 for trainer Bob set to ride from post five. Baffert. Unraced as a juvenile, he won his debut by 7 lengths on June 12 at Santa Anita and South Bend, runner-up in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby last out on June 27 at Thistledown, will handled a step up in class with with a 4-length victory at 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 3 Los Alamitios make his first start for Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Pantofel Stable, who Derby on July 4. Luis Saez, aboard for his stakes win, will be in the irons again from post three. recently purchased the colt and transferred him to trainer Bill Mott. South Bend will go for his Uncle Chuck is listed at 5-2. first graded stakes win, from post eight with Jose Ortiz at 15-1. Another upstart in the race is Max Player, third in the Belmont Stakes for trainer Linda Rice. First Line will make his first stakes appearance in his fifth start for trainer Orlando Noda, He won the Grade 3 Withers in February at Aqueduct is 6-1 on the morning line and will break who also co-owns the First Samurai gelding with his brother Jonathan as part of Noda Brothers. from post four under Joel Rosario. First Line broke his maiden July 29 at the Spa and will return off a quick turnaround looking to The top-two finishers of the Grade 3 Peter Pan July 16 at Saratoga will make short turn- give the 31-year-old Noda his first stakes winner. David Cohen will ride from post one at 30-1.

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 5 Michael Trombetta Jr. Horacio DePaz’s shedrow in Clare Court with already includes one Saratoga 2020 winner in Fed Funds. Horacio DePaz Horacio DePaz worried a bit last Stakes at Belmont last year. Half-sister to week, with three runners entered graded stakes-placed Justa Lady, she fin- Thursday and riding a wave of sec- ished second in an allowance here July 24, ond-place finishes. her first start off an eight-month layoff. “We “If I leave the meet without a win shortened up the distance. Todd had her before and ran her a mile and a sixteenth. We that’s going to hurt,” DePaz said laid her up, she had an injury when she was from under his shedrow inside Clare with him. She’s got a full sister that sprinted. Court. “But we’ll get there. They’re We did that with Ginger N Rye, we were run- running and they ran hard at Bel- ning her long then we shortened her up and mont. It’s good to see that they can she won the Smart And Fancy up here, a fifth perform up here. I’m just happy to off the track record. She won an allowance have a string here, that we’re racing then the Smart And Fancy. So I thought I’d at all.” try that with her. It’s kind of hard to do be- Fed Funds took the win worry off cause coming from running a distance with the table the next day when he cap- Todd I’m thinking, ‘what did he not see in her?’ Then I look up the family and there’s tured a starter allowance for John a full sister that Asmussen had and she was DeStefano’s Black Swan Stable that decent. A nice little mare. More Than Ready, afternoon. The 3-year-old Lemon they can do it. I thought I’d try it, cross my Drop Kid gelding made it two wins fingers. We were starting her off the layoff so in a row for DePaz, who had fin- DePaz took time to walk up and down the not a bad start. She made a good run. They went 22 and change so not as much pace as there usually is ished second with four straight starters at Saratoga shedrow with The Special’s Tom Law last week to to run at. She was the only one that really made a run in the early in the meet. discuss the Saratoga string. DePaz, who trained privately for Sagamore race so I’m still trying to see. She’s a quality mare. Still trying exactly where we’re going to put her.” Farm before going out on his own last year, added Light In The Sky: Barry Schwartz’s homebred filly by Tale another runner-up finish with Blue Atlas in the next Of The Cat broke her maiden here last summer and finished Fed Funds: The winner, he’s flat out on his thick bed of straw race after Fed Funds won July 30. second in an allowance July 19. Breezed a bullet on the Okla- the morning of his victory. Lemon Drop Kid gelding is unde- DePaz started training in 2015 after working homa Aug. 1, going a half in :47.92. “She’s doing well and will feated in his two starts this year. Bred by Calumet Farm and for Todd Pletcher and Ignacio Correas. The trainer probably come back in a similar spot and eventually see if she owned by Black Swan Stable, he’s out of stakes winner Rapid won a career-best 32 races and his horses earned can go further than that. She’s been so honest running short so Racer. “He’s nice and relaxed this morning. He won his second $1,540,826 in 2017. The numbers dropped off I don’t want to change it. She ran second so it’s hard to change start out at Belmont for 30, nice effort. I had him training in from there, as Sagamore shifted its focus to horses the distance. She’s a homebred for Barry, a half-sister to Blue Maryland and brought him up for that race. He’s trained well in Kentucky before retracting even more last year Atlas. They’re an honest family. That’s what I like when you see ever since. Obviously we had the advantage of the bug with and into the start of the coronavirus pandemic. horses from breeders. They sometimes have similar personali- the weight, but the way he did it he was pretty competitive. ties. Blue Atlas is a little bit more aggressive, the English Chan- He came up the rail and showed he wanted to be competitive. Bolstered by support from new clients like nel kind of comes out in her. More forward. But they both try longtime owner and breeder Barry Schwartz, De- (Thursday’s race) was a tough race, there were a few in there though. It’s funny, they also have breathing mechanics. They with solid numbers.” Paz takes a positive look with his operation that both make noise when they gallop, it doesn’t bother them, just numbers about 30 horses including 11 he’s bedded the sound by the way they breathe.” Singapore Trader: Third in a claimer July 18, the 5-year- down in Barn 3 inside Clare Court We’ve noticed she trains at the Oklahoma, while most of old half-brother to Grade 1 winner Voodoo Song finished third “Mike Hushion, when he trained for Barry, he your others are here on the main track. What’s the reason for in the Albany Stakes in 2018. Winner of four of his 19 starts, he was in this spot,” DePaz said. “I got lucky when that? “We went out there one set and they seem to train better has five placings and $218,331 in earnings. “Old, hard-knock- they gave it to me. They’ve always been good about out there. Down at Belmont she and Blue Atlas, Silver Token, ing horse. He’s out of Mystic Chant. That’s a hard-knocking accommodating us. they train better on the main track than they do on the training mare, she throws runners. He ran third for 25. He still has the “Barry gave me an opportunity to come up here track. I tinker with that to see where they’re more comfortable. open a-other-than, came out of it good so we’ll see. Maybe and I’m appreciative of that. He’s a real good guy, I’ve always liked the Oklahoma. This is the first year I’ve trained there will be a short field and he can run in that spot.” this much on the main track because I’ve always been stabled been in the game a long time and there’s nothing over there. We train some around (Clare Court), too. I like to Citizen K: Unraced 2-year-old son of Mizzen Mast bred in you can surprise him with. I’ll probably learn more change it up. Experiment and see who likes this and that.” New York by Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm. He has two recent from him. He’s a handicapper, so he likes to play works at Saratoga and several at Belmont. “He worked out of the horses. It’s been good, really, really good. I’m Sparkling Sky: A $650,000 purchase for Schwartz, the the gate (last) weekend (:49.33, before another half in :49.44 real fortunate to talk to him one-on-one about daughter of More Than Ready broke her maiden in her sec- Continued On Page 7 what’s going on.” ond career start and finished fourth in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo 6 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Stable Tour – Continued from page 6 Monday). He’s coming along nicely. He’s a half to La Fuerza. He should be coming along in the next few weeks. I already looked at the book, one came up too quick. He’ll probably be our first 2-year-old.”

Amundson: New York-bred gelding by Curlin won the Hollie Hughes Stakes at Aq- ueduct in February and most recently finished seventh in the John Morrissey Handicap last Thursday. On the board in seven of his 11 starts, he is out of the Grade 3-placed mare Tod Marks Bridgehampton. “Hard-trying. Nice solid ef- Trainer Horacio DePaz. forts (before the John Morrissey). He runs honest every time. He needs to get in there, wants to go. Jose did his best last time. She get into the lead. He likes to build off horses has to train the morning of, too. She’s not one next to him. That Curlin comes out and they you have to give much of a break. She gets like to fight.” aggressive. Try to keep her as mellow as you can. Trained her this morning, put her behind Sharp Starr: Schwartz’s homebred daugh- the pony to walk, trained her out here, she ter of Munnings broke her maiden at Belmont loped three times around then you get the July 2 and finished second in an allowance pony out there, she’ll see him, she’ll drop her here July 22. In the money in four of her five head and walk behind him. Then she stays re- starts, she is a half-sister to Papa Shot, who laxed. I learned that from Ignacio. He always is Grade 1-placed in Korea. “The track was liked to walk out. He spent time in Europe and favoring speed, or horses staying close to walked head to tail, so they learned to drop the pace. She just got taken back and she’s their heads and gallop around there some- a little funny about her mouth. If you touch times. Unfortunately when you leave the gates it a little bit she kind of reacts to it. She tried sometimes you don’t have that.” to make a run against that filly that was sit- ting in her spot if she could have gotten there. Silver Token: Another homebred for Good, quality mare. There’s nothing in this Schwartz, the Mizzen Mast gelding is still book this quick so I’ll wait until the next one looking for his first career win. On the board probably. Possibly try to find a New York-bred in his last four starts, he finished second by a stakes for her, 3-year-olds. We’ll try to get that nose in a maiden special weight here July 26. a-other-than out of the way and go from there. “When we got here we were running Light In She’s honest.” The Sky, and he had worked that day and got out on us that afternoon. We were getting her Blue Atlas: Earner of $188,234 in her 20 ready to run and he squeezed somehow under starts, the 5-year-old English Channel mare the webbing, went loping around Clare Court. finished second in her second start of the year, We caught him. The filly comes out to get a an optional claimer last Thursday. “She won bath and we’re just getting to put him in, close for 25 off the layoff. Going to try the two-oth- the webbing. He’s a big horse but he crawled er-than. If she were to settle she would prob- under again. So the filly is going over there, ably get that spot. Just depends on how the he’s over here, then he ran this Sunday and race develops. She’s got that English Channel, ran nice. Finished second. Put him more into wants to go to the front. She’s very tough to the race. He’s shy about horses around him train in the morning, too. When Todd had her and stuff. Last time we ran him he drifted in. and he sprinted her, she’d get cover and make Jose Lezcano, he rode him for Linda Rice and a run. When she would route, she wouldn’t said this horse he’s not brave to go through, get cover and she didn’t have that turn of foot. Continued On Page 8 It’s hard to get her covered up because she

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 7 Worth A Shot: Gelding by English Channel has won his last three races, including an optional claimer June 26 after Stable Tour – a seven-month layoff. Last worked July 15 at Belmont. “He Continued from page 7 had a setback. He was going to come up off that effort so he won’t make this meet. Maybe by the end of the year he’ll come so I said ‘put him into the race and see what happens.’ An back. That was a gutsy win he had, disappointing he had that outside horse went with him. He said if they had not gone with setback. He was going to go in the race with four horses, the him they probably would have finished 1-2 in the race. I like Lubash. He’s at Barry’s farm to get some time off. It was excit- that once he got him outside of the horse in front, the horse ing to see him run that way.” that came outside of him ended up winning and he tried to kick on with him. That was a really nice effort. He’s doing good. He Easy: Don’t look him up. The chestnut pony chills out next was freaking out that day he got loose. The window was also to the wash rack toward the end of training, letting out the open in the back, the races were going on. And we moved him occasional whinny that stirs up the shedrow. But he does his from one stall to the other, because we had horses come in job daily and earns doting from DePaz’s crew and isn’t related that day. He did not handle change. He’s not one to ship in and to the recent Tropical Storm that ripped up the East Coast. “He run. He’s so big, he feels like the world’s going to fall out from came from Texas. My dad has the mare. My dad’s name is underneath him. But he’s been running honest. Probably come Isaias, he works in the oil fields like my whole family and they back in that same spot.” call him Easy. I broke him as a yearling. He was pretty easy to break, too. My dad brought him up to me when I was in Our Man Mike: Schwartz’s homebred 2-year-old Street Kentucky working for Todd. So he’s been in Kentucky, went to Boss colt is working his way toward Saratoga debut. He has Florida, at Sagamore, back to Kentucky, all over. Now here he two works over the main track, most recently breezing a half Michael Trombetta Jr. is. He put a lot of weight on at Sagamore. When he came back in :48.77 Monday. “He’s doing well. He’s been working with Easy the stable pony stays busy for DePaz. to me I was like, ‘Holy cow, what did you do to him? He’s like a Citizen K. Fitness wise he’s just a little bit behind the other one broodmare.’ He’s good, too. Easy to ride.” but he’s doing everything fine. It will be exciting to get those We’ll see if he can overcome it a bit. Maybe put some blinkers two started. He’ll have a start here at the meet. Mentally he on him, see how he does.” was chill, then once we started working him, he started feeling good and started getting a little obnoxious. We’d come back Bowing Snowman: D J Stable’s spent $25,000 this year after the works and he’s trying to bite everybody, kick and then for 2-year-old son of Laoban. He had his first Saratoga work he got food aggressive. You’d throw the food in there and he’d July 27 and worked again Monday, breezing a half in :48.77. be kicking the walls while he’s eating. His personality kind of “So far he’s done everything right. We haven’t really pressed changed. In his last two works when he gets alongside another him, just getting him fit. He had some downtime. The Laobans horse in the work he’ll pin his ears back kind of sulking, but seem to be running OK. I don’t think he’ll be a three-quarter- then he carries on. Back at the barn he’s losing his mind a little type horse but we’ll start him out, go from there. Probably bit. Maybe gelding is in his future, hate to say that so soon. more of a two-turn horse. We have some options with him.”

8 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 TWIRLING CANDY Candy Ride (ARG) - House of Danzing, by Chester House

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The nation’s top three-year-old sprinter has earned himself a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Congratulations to connections.

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Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 9 Improbable (right) pulls away from (from left) Tom’s d’Etat, Code Of Honor, Mr. Buff and By My Standards

Tod Marks Clean Cut Baffert’s Improbable acts up in gate, breaks cleanly as rivals struggle in Grade 1 triumph

BY TOM LAW fered the same response. WHITNEY STAKES RECAP “No, no, no no,” the trainer said while Improb- A John Deere tractor hummed while horsemen able tossed his head some more and kept the gate and other humans associated with the players for Improbable, as he’s wont to do, helped snuff out crew busy with the other runners. the 93rd Whitney Stakes found spots – socially dis- the silence. The black-blinkered chestnut reared A few more “No, no, nos,” more silence and tant for the most part – in the silent, empty and an- back in his No. 2 stall, nearly hitting his head and finally the bell to send the quintet on their 9-fur- cient Saratoga Race Course grandstand, clubhouse dumping jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. out the back of the long journey in one of Saratoga’s signature events. and on the apron Saturday Aug. 1. starting gate. The moment John Imbriale said “And they’re off,” Nearly 3,000 miles away in his Southern Cali- “No, no, no, no, no, no,” came cries from the Tom’s d’Etat took a step, bobbled and stepped fornia home, Bob Baffert settled into what he calls assistant starters and jockeys as Improbable’s some- twice more to his right while spotting the leaders 5 his “Grade 1 couch” while Improbable and the what predictable antics caused Code Of Honor to lengths. By My Standards also stumbled, not nearly other four Whitney runners stepped to the starting his outside and By My Standards to his inside to as bad as Tom’s d’Etat, while Mr. Buff, Improba- gate. Al Stall Jr. stood about 50 feet from the start- also become unsettled. ble and Code Of Honor stayed straight and flashed ing gate, watching Tom’s d’Etat finish his warmup Stall, watching even-money favorite Tom’s d’Etat Continued On Page 11 and take his spot. fidget and hold his head higher than preferred, of-

10 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 by 2 lengths at the finish, with Tom’s d’Etat making only a small dent in the Whitney – advantage another half-length back Continued from page 10 in third. Improbable, running in Win- Star Farm’s colors and for a partner- past the finish post. ship that also includes China Horse After the beep, beep, beep of the Club and SF Racing, won in 1:48.65. ambulance and roar of the John “He never broke like that in his Deere’s engine faded as the gate life,” Stall said. “All that that yelling, moved up the stretch Mr. Buff set screaming, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, the pace while Ortiz found a perfect and we get left. Yeah, we load, we stalking position just behind through stand and all that other nonsense and the opening quarter in a pedestrian we’re the ones that take the worst of :25.12. Improbable tracked about a it.” length back through that split and to Elliott Walden watched the Whit- an ordinary half in :49.74, chased by ney with Kenny and Lisa Troutt and By My Standards, Code Of Honor their family and immediately had and Tom’s d’Etat. mixed emotions. The task for the chasers – Jose Ortiz “We actually bought the breeding on By My Standards, John Velazquez rights of Tom’s d’Etat so that [the on Code Of Honor and Joel Rosario stumbled start] was a bit unfortu- on Tom’s d’Etat – seemed difficult nate,” Walden said. around the far turn and past 6 fur- Improbable’s connections certain- longs in 1:13.36. ly know a thing or two about bad After some smooches, claps and breaks from the gate. finger snaps by those on hand, Mr. An unbeaten Grade 1 winner as a Buff backed out of it and Improbable 2-year-old, Improbable went into last was clear. And the job of chasing him year’s Triple Crown prep season as went from difficult to nearly impos- one of the favorites for the Kentucky sible. Derby. He finished second in his final Improbable led by 3 at the eighth Tod Marks pole and held off By My Standards Continued On Page 12 Improbable rears up in the gate before the Whitney.

TRAFFIC on the TRAIL

Derby contenders Ragozin NY TRAFFIC 4 Honor A.P. 4 1/2 Tiz the Law 4 3/4 Authentic 5 1/2 Art Collector 5 1/2

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 11 You’re In” Challenge Series. A rematch with at least some of his beaten rivals Whitney – in the Whitney figures to come in the $5 million Continued from page 11 Classic. Stall said Tuesday morning that Tom’s d’Etat prep, beaten just a length by Omaha Beach, after didn’t show any signs that his stumble caused any gate troubles in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Im- injury and that he’d ship the 7-year-old son of Smart probable crossed the finish fifth and was elevated to Strike back to Kentucky by plane a few days after fourth in the Kentucky Derby following Maximum Saturday’s Travers Stakes. No firm plans are set for Security’s disqualification and went to Baltimore as Tom’s d’Etat, who could train up to the Classic. the favorite for the Preakness. “He trained this morning, smooth, looked great, Gate issues again proved troublesome for the moved well, all good,” Stall said Wednesday. City Zip colt and he never threatened when sixth Trainer Bret Calhoun, who vanned By My Stan- behind War Of Will. After a win in the Shared Be- Tod Marks dards from Churchill Downs the day before the Improbable heads back to the barn. lief Stakes at Del Mar, Improbable shipped back to race, also hopes for another chance with the 4-year- the East Coast for the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, competitive.” old son of Goldencents who has three wins and two where he broke poorly and checked in fourth. Ortiz rode Improbable in the Kentucky Derby seconds from five starts this year. “He’s a high-energy horse and it’s not as surpris- after his brother Jose rode the colt in the Arkansas “I was hoping today was the day,” Calhoun ing when you’ve seen it a few times,” Walden said. Derby. In the six starts since the Derby the horse said. “He does show up. You think one of these “It is something that’s cost him a couple races. The has been ridden by Mike Smith, Drayden Van Dyke days he’s going to have a breakout race. He’s gotten Pennsylvania Derby is a race he was compromised and Rafael Bejarano. Ortiz noticed the difference better and better and better. He’s going to pop one in because he broke in the air. He typically has one between the Derby and the Whitney. of these big ones. It’s not like he’s not already pretty little episode in him and it’s just a question of get- “Finally, he’s grown up a little bit,” he said. “He accomplished, but one day soon he’ll get one of the ting that out of the way and then he settles down.” turned into a nice horse. Mr. Baffert did a great job big ones. Walden credited Baffert and his team for iron- with him. He broke really good today . . . He’s been “He ran good. They got away to pretty soft frac- ing out some of the kinks around the starting gate, like that since he was 2 or 3. We know him so I was tions. Jose got him in good position but they were work that’s helped produce two wins in three starts ready for it. The starter did a great job. He stuck just walking the dog up there. That horse is tough this year. with the horse, he fixed it.” to run down off those type of fractions for sure. My “Winning the Whitney is huge,” said Baffert, Improbable improved to 6-for-13 and boosted horse ran very, very well. Maybe if he doesn’t have who also won last year’s Whitney with McKinzie, his bankroll to $1,529,520. He also earned an au- an inside post he gets away a little sharper, maybe Tuesday. “I train for these clients who want to be tomatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 7 at gets up in the race a little better, but overall he ran in these races and win these races. They want to be Keeneland with the victory through the “Win and a really good race.”

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12 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 The World's Most Accomplished Yearling Sale

Saratoga Sweep Keeneland September Sale Graduates Sweep Saratoga Graded Stakes on Saturday

Improbable - Whitney S. (G1)

Echo Town - H. Allen Jerkens S. (G1)

Vexatious - Personal Ensign S. (G1)

Cross Border - Bowling Green S. (G2)

KEENELAND SEPTEMBER YEARLING SALE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 13 Dues Paid After string of losses,Vexatious upsets champion Midnight Bisou

Tod Marks Vexatious (right) holds sway against Midnight Bisou near the finish of Saturday’s Personal Ensign.

BY JOE CLANCY PERSONAL ENSIGN RECAP Sisterson said. “She’s run fast numbers and been competitive against the likes of Blue Prize. I wasn’t After following horses across the finish line in 11 telling people we were going to beat Midnight Bi- consecutive races over nearly two years, Vexatious 3 Dowager at Keeneland. You have to go back to sou, because we know how good she is, but she was broke through with a win in the Grade 1 Personal August of that year to find her most recent outright training really well and she had run extremely fast Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Race Course Saturday, win – in Del Mar’s California Thoroughbred Train- (when second to Monomoy Girl in Belmont’s Ruffi- Aug. 1 – and enjoyed it. ers and Thoroughbred Owners of California Stakes an Stakes) where it was equal to the race she ran at “My assistant Mark O’Dwyer sent me a picture also on the turf. Sisterson took over the daughter Saratoga last year.” of her right after the race,” trainer Jack Sisterson of Giant’s Causeway’s training last spring, and saw Vexatious was even better in the Personal En- said. “She came right to the front of her stall and her finish second in two stakes including a neck loss sign. The $500,000 stakes drew just five start- her ears were pricked. If horses could talk, she to eventual Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Blue Prize ers thanks to the long shadow of 2019 champion would have told us, ‘I’m a happy horse.’ ” in Saratoga’s Summer Colony. That race hinted at older dirt female Midnight Bisou. Fresh off an 8 She ought to be. big things to her trainer, as did the mare’s progres- 1/4-length romp in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Owned by Calumet Farm, the 6-year-old mare sion this year. Downs June 27, she’d pushed Maximum Security won a stretch-long battle with champion Midnight “I’m biased because she’s ours, but I felt by to three-quarters of a length when second in the Bisou by a neck to collect her first win since Octo- the way she’d trained and the way she performed ber 2018 when elevated from second in the Grade against some top fillies there was a big race in her,” Continued On Page 15

14 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 start early in the year and aim for the Sam Houston Ladies Classic, the Aze- Personal Ensign – ri and the Apple Blossom but wound Continued from page 14 up with a longer-than-expected break and an audible to Saratoga when Saudi Cup in February and won sev- things weren’t going well. She also en of eight – including the Personal showed Sisterson that she’d prefer a Ensign – last season. Bettors sent her little different training regimen. off at shorter than 2-5 against Grade “Typically a distance dirt horse 2 winner Point Of Honor, Zia Park you’d be breezing her five-eighths or Oaks winner Motion Emotion, Iowa longer most of the time,” the trainer Distaff winner Abounding Joy and said. “We’ve found that if we asked Vexatious who – despite Sisterson’s her to go five-eighths or three-quar- opinion – needed turf, 1 ½ miles and ters, she put 110 percent into every- a disqualification to get her only grad- thing so she’s doing too much in the ed stakes win. morning. If we back up her works Motion Emotion and Irad Ortiz Jr. to just half-a-mile, she’s not doing broke on top, followed by Vexatious as much so hopefully come Saturday who listened to Jose Lezcano’s cues she’s got a little bit more. She does a and cleared Midnight Bisou to set up lot of half-mile works, hits the wire in second. Abounding Joy was inside and gallops out. She gets so much out and third, with the favorite just to her of her half-mile works that it works outside through the first two splits of for her. It’s trial and error and Mark’s :24.15 and :48.36. Vexatious drew done a great job with her. That might even with the leader after three-quar- Tod Marks Vexatious and Jose Lezcano return after a Grade 1 win at Saratoga. not work with some horses, but it ters in 1:12.20 as behind her Ricardo works with her.” Santana Jr. revved up Midnight Bisou. Grade 1 Whitney four races later). “She loves to train and run. It’s great Vexatious worked 5 furlongs at She threw two big punches, at the top Point Of Honor finished third, 6 ¼ to see her win a race like that because Keeneland three times in late March of the stretch and again at the eighth lengths behind the runner-up. I thought she deserved it.” and early April, but switched to half- pole, but Vexatious countered them “She’s run well on the grass but The trainer called his mare’s 2020 mile breezes – nine at Keeneland both to win by a neck in 1:48.82 for she’s a real classic sort of two-turn campaign a lesson in patience and 1 1/8 miles (just .17 slower than the dirt type of horse,” said Sisterson. flexibility. Vexatious was supposed to Continued On Page 16

PRESERVATIONIST, 2014 Don Little Jr., Centennial Farms One “I remember vividly how the whole thing played out. Everybody loved him. Dr. (Ste- phen) Carr, Paula Parsons, all of us. He was at the top of the list. With that family and our past history with any of the well-bred King Ranch individuals, they were typically out of Horse our price range. It was coming up to his time to sell and Steve and Paula said, ‘We’re going Buyers and sellers remember to go look at other horses.’ I said I was going to stay, just in case. The bidding was moving pretty well, then it started to slow down and I knew, or I thought I knew, we had a chance some names from Keeneland . . . we’d said $475,000 was our limit and it was stalled right around there. I just threw in a September sales of years past. $10,000 bid. Literally, one bid at 485 and we got him. “I let Steve and Paula know and they couldn’t believe it. Everybody was so excited. We really had no idea if we could get him. That tells you a big part of the game. You’ve got to stick to your guns. Do your best, find horses you like, but also stick to your budget. If he went over that, we weren’t going to get him. We’d had some other horses that were under our estimates, fortunately, or else we wouldn’t have had that money to spend. He was one of the most exceptional horses we saw.”

Purchased from Gainesway, Preservationist won six of 11 starts and earned $1,084,550 for Centennial and trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Among those six victories were scores in the Grade 2 Suburban and Grade 1 Woodward in 2019. He started a stallion career at Aidrie Stud in Kentucky this year.

SEPTEMBER SUN. 13 - FRI. 25

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 15 w as well if not better (a half in :49.45 at Saratoga July 25). Her appetite, Personal Ensign – she licked her bowl clean, was good. Continued from page 15 Her energy level was high. She told us she was ready to run back in three Nearly 10% (three on the turf) and one at Sara- weeks.” Stakes Horses toga – since. She came off the bench Bred by James Weigel and Giant’s at Oaklawn Park for her 2020 debut Causeway Syndicate, Vexatious sold April 30, and finished fifth behind for $150,000 at Keeneland Septem- Alternation Blamed and Motion Emotion in an ber, made her debut as a 2-year-old By Distorted Humor allowance race. Sisterson called it a for Calumet and trainer Neil Drysdale good start. in California and won her second Next came another allowance, this start. She packed loads of pedigree time going 1 3/8 miles on the turf at as a full-sister to millionaire Creative Churchill Downs June 6. Vexatious Cause and near-millionaire Destin, finished third behind next-out stakes and joined her dam Dream Of Sum- winner Gentle Ruler. Sisterson labeled mer (2005 Apple Blossom) as a Grade that one for fitness. And then came 1 winner. the Ruffian, where Vexatious gave Midnight Bisou settled for second Monomoy Girl a run but settled for – her 22nd top-three finish in as many second going a one-turn mile at Bel- starts – while giving the winner four mont Park. pounds. Trainer Steve Asmussen was Three weeks later, the Personal En- pragmatic afterward. sign came up quick and Vexatious let “Tough defeat but when you the team know she was ready. watch the final time is the same as the “It was a concern of mine,” Sister- Whitney the credit needs to go to the son said of the turnaround. “Mark other mare,” he said. “If we have an gets on her every day, and I left it unexplained loss during the year I’m with them – I figured she’d tell us in a glad it’s out of the way here instead breeze two weeks after the Ruffian if of in the Breeders’ Cup. She seemed she was going well and could run. She good back at the barn after the race breezed well, Mark said she breezed and hopefully we get back with her.”

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16 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 17 Resounding Win Echo Town makes noise for L and N, Asmussen in Grade 1 sprint

Tod Marks Echo Town strides home with a Grade 1 score in the Allen Jerkens Saturday.

BY PAUL HALLORAN H. ALLEN JERKENS STAKES RECAP Echo Town, a $100,000 Keeneland September purchase in 2018, had given an indication that he The four men who comprise L and N Racing ha- was ready to break through with a second in the ven’t been in the game that long, relatively speak- into words. It’s like your kid winning an Olympic Grade 1 Woody Stephens on the Belmont Stakes ing, but they are already well versed in the roll- gold medal.” undercard. Though he lost by 3 3/4 lengths, he ercoaster ride of emotions that comes along with For L and N Racing, an Oklahoma-based part- closed from fourth in the five-horse field in a race racehorse ownership. nership formed five years ago, the victory in the in which winner No Parole got an uncontested lead They reached the apex when Echo Town, their Jerkens provided a first visit to the top step of the and was never in serious jeopardy of being caught. 3-year-old sprinter, rolled down the Saratoga Race graded stakes medal stand. While the stable expe- While the Stephens was run less than a month Course stretch Saturday to capture the Grade 1 H. rienced the thrill of having a horse finish second in after Echo Town won an allowance at Churchill Allen Jerkens Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths. The margin the Kentucky Derby, with Lookin At Lee in 2017, Downs, trainer Steve Asmussen had six weeks to of victory was the largest in the Jerkens since 2015, Saturday’s win was the first in 32 graded stakes prepare for the Jerkens. when Runhappy – the presenting sponsor of the starts. That it was a Grade 1 made it all the more “Steve thought the timing was better coming race – won by 4 lengths. gratifying. into this race,” Levinson said. “He and Scott (Bla- “That was amazing,” said Michael Levinson, “We finally got over the hump,” Levinson said. si) loved the way he was training. He was on point the racing manager and part owner of L and N, a “I don’t think there’s anything harder in sports than Saturday.” group that includes his father Lee, brother Andy to win a Grade 1 race. You’re facing the best of the and family friend Don Nelson. “It’s hard to put it best and everyone is trying to win.” Continued On Page 19

18 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 while Shoplifted, another Asmussen when L and N bought its first horse won two-thirds of the Canadian trainee, was third. No Parole, sent off in 2014, an Oklahoma-bred son of Triple Crown last year; and Row- Jerkens – as the 2-1 favorite, faded to ninth after Pioneerof The Nile named Smart Pi- dy Yates, fourth in this year’s Ohio Continued from page 18 getting hot in the paddock (informa- oneer, who needed 11 starts to break Derby. They have a 2-year-old son tion shared candidly by his trainer Tom his maiden. The first big yearling pur- of Galileo, Hidden Enemy, who has That’s for sure. Echo Town, by Amoss on the Fox Sports broadcast). chase yielded vastly different results. worked six times, including twice on Speightstown out of the Menifee mare “It was great to see him put it all L and N spent $70,000 for Hip the Oklahoma turf at Saratoga, and Letgomyecho, was seventh in the field together when it matters so much 382 at the 2015 Keeneland Septem- should show up in the entries in the of 11 after a quarter-mile in :22.67. on this stage,” said Asmussen, three ber sale. Lookin At Lee, by Lookin At near future. He was 4 1/2 lengths back, in fifth, af- hours removed from Midnight Bi- Lucky out of the Langfuhr mare Lan- Then there is Visionit. Three days ter a :45.31 half, at which point jock- sou’s upset loss to Vexatious in the gara Lass, finished fourth in the 2016 after War Of Will won the Preakness ey Ricardo Santana Jr. started asking Personal Ensign. “The horse trained Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and became last year, L and N paid $260,000 for more, and Echo Town gave it. beautifully here.” the only horse to compete in all three at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Santana made a move between The $165,000 winner’s share legs of the 2017 Triple Crown, high- 2-year-old sale at Timonium – the horses on the far turn, splitting Cap- boosted Echo Town’s earnings to lighted by the runner-up finish in the most they have ever spent on a horse – tain Bombastic and Eight Rings and $375,320 in a career in which he has Derby and a fourth in the Preakness. for his half-brother, out of the Sadler’s taking aim at the leaders, No Parole, never finished off the board in seven “That was dumb luck,” Levinson Wells mare Visions Of Clarity. They Mischevious Alex and Tap It To Win. starts (four wins, two seconds and said. “We had no idea what we were had high hopes for the son of Tapit, Echo Town took the lead just inside a third). Unraced at 2, he broke his doing. We were fish out of water, but who was training earlier this year at the sixteenth pole and rolled to the maiden at Fair Grounds in January we went with the flow. He took us the farm in Laredo, Texas, run by As- convincing victory, covering the 7 and finished third, first and second so many places. We learned so much mussen’s parents, Keith and Marilyn, furlongs in 1:22.53 and setting off a in three Oaklawn Park starts before through that experience.” when he cracked a sesamoid, accord- raucous celebration at Fair Meadows the Churchill allowance score that Lookin At Lee remains in training ing to Levinson, ending his racing ca- Race Track in Tulsa, where the Levin- prompted Asmussen to point for the as a 6-year-old, though with more reer before it started. sons and Nelson watched the race. Woody Stephens. than $1.3 million in earnings and “It was awful,” Levinson said. “He They may have had some win tickets, “He ran so well at Churchill eight straight off-the-board finishes, just took a bad step. It’s never fun worth $16.40 for every $2 wagered. Downs and that was his last condi- Levinson said they will likely retire when that happens. We think of these “It was exciting. I lost my voice,” tion,” Levinson said. “It was a nat- him. horses like family. But, he’s alive and Levinson said. ural progression to go and run in a L and N has had other stars, in- healthy and his pedigree is so good we Tap It To Win, cutting back af- graded stakes.” cluding Retirement Fund, who was hope to breed him.” ter leading and fading to fifth in the Running in – let alone winning – on the Kentucky Derby trail in 2018; The highest of the highs. The low- 9-furlong Belmont Stakes, held second graded stakes was a distant dream Tone Broke, an Ontario-bred who est of the lows. This is horse racing.

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 19 And That’s Five Cross Border placed first in turf stakes after DQ of Sadler’s Joy

Tod Marks Sadler’s Joy (6) battles eventual winner Cross Border (center) in the stretch of Saturday’s Bowling Green.

BY SEAN CLANCY BOWLING GREEN STAKES RECAP strides. After the third, he delivered a quick tap behind Sadler’s Joy’s black saddle towel once, twice, For the first time in five starts, Cross Border fin- three times, angling slightly but consistently left. By ished behind a horse at Saratoga. For the fifth time, Sky through a quarter mile in :25.30 and a half in the third strike, Cross Border and Channel Maker Cross Border won at Saratoga. :50.38. Nothing changed through three-quarters of slipped out of the sandwich as Sadler’s Joy drift- Cross Border finished second, a neck behind a mile in 1:15.68. ed in consistently and Marzo drifted out slightly. Sadler’s Joy in this year’s renewal of the Grade 2 Midway on the turn, Marzo clung to a dimin- Switching to his left lead, Sadler’s Joy bumped with Bowling Green at Saratoga Saturday, but was re- ishing lead as Cross Border tried to wiggle from a Cross Border who bumped with Channel Maker. warded the win when the stewards disqualified pocket inside Sadler’s Joy and Javier Castellano. At the wire, Sadler’s Joy finished a neck ahead of Sadler’s Joy for interference in the stretch. The Hall of Fame jockey made sure Cross Border Cross Border as Highland Sky got past Channel Owned by Three Diamonds Farm, trained by stayed like lint in the bottom of that pocket, swing- Maker for third after 1 3/8 miles in 2:14.77. Mike Maker and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Cross Bor- ing five wide in the stretch. Past the eighth pole, Stewards called an inquiry. Maker and Ortiz der stayed unbeaten in five starts at Saratoga. Marzo hung tough from the rail, Dot Matrix re- claimed foul. Eventually, the stewards disqualified Marzo, Cross Border’s stablemate, broke sharp- treated, Channel Maker churned, Cross Border ral- Sadler’s Joy and placed him behind Channel Mak- ly from the rail and opened up a quick 4-length lead lied but was always a step slower than Sadler’s Joy. er. The disqualification of Sadler’s Joy, a likeable over Dot Matrix and a high-headed Channel Mak- Castellano waved his whip right-handed for two 7-year-old who tries hard every time, diminished an er. Cross Border accepted a spot along the portable strides, adjusted his cross, waved again for two Continued On Page 21 rail in fourth. Sadler’s Joy parked outside Highland strides, adjusted his cross and waved again for three

20 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Maker for a second time. “We like older horses and we like Bowling Green – turf pedigrees. It took a year. He was Continued from page 20 pretty tired coming out of Wood- bine,” Wycoff said. “Like we do with otherwise scintillating race. all our older horses – we like to run “It’s a coin toss whenever you go them at 5, 6, 7 – he got a year off, he to an objection but Sadler’s Joy clear- got the best treatment he could get at ly came in two paths. I think we all Bluewater.” saw that,” Three Diamonds’ Kirk Not racing from June 8, 2018 to Wycoff said. “Cross Border likes it June 30, 2019 worked as Cross Bor- more when you bump him, he likes a der roared back to action with three fight. And look, Javier was race-rid- wins at Saratoga last summer. A year ing. We love Javi and we’re just glad later, a 10-day turnaround worked this one worked out in our favor.” as Cross Border won the Lubash Castellano didn’t see it the same for New York-breds July 22 and the way. Bowling Green Aug. 1. “You can see (the lines on the “He’s got a high energy level, held course), I never came over,” Castel- his weight well and that was just a lano said. “The inside horse was in- mere workout the other day,” Mak- volved a little bit, everybody ended up er said of a 6 1/4-length score against in the same spot, a little overreaction New York-breds. and of course that put everyone un- The win kept Three Diamonds der pressure and they were going to atop the owners’ standings with five blame the horse on the outside. It was wins. a decision for the stewards. Whatever “Well, we don’t come to Saratoga happened it’s official, too late.” and expect to win this many races, I’ll Sadler’s Joy was making his fourth start with that,” Wycoff said. “This start in the Bowling Green – two is just a gutsy New York-bred and thirds, a sixth and now a tough-luck it’s good for the game that they can fourth after a winning effort. breed a New York-bred that can win Cross Border, a 6-year-old ridgling, a Grade 2 at Saratoga. It was a cal- notched his fifth win at Saratoga, his culated risk to come back in 10 days ninth career win and sixth win since and we weren’t all in agreement, but being purchased by Three Diamonds Mike Maker made the final decision at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton July horses and obviously it was the right one.” of racing age sale. Cross Border won three at Sarato- Like the Bowling Green, it’s been a ga last summer, Wycoff has his eyes bumpy ride. Purchased for $100,000 on the same number this summer. from Robert Tiller’s Woodbine-based “Maybe we’ll come back in the barn, Cross Border went to Maker West Point and get three this year.” but didn’t last long, winding up at Mi- chael and Meg Levy’s Bluewater Farm in Lexington, Ky. “We had Shirley McQuillan work on him, she’s an abso- lute magician,” Meg Levy said. “I was like, ‘What is this bulge on his back, behind the saddle pad?’ She said, ‘I’ve seen this once before and I think it’s a piece of a floating rib.’ After treatment, he went a lot better. He just needed some confidence that horse.” Cross Border continued to gain confidence at WinStar Tod Marks Farm before joining Cross Border heads back to the barn with another Saratoga win.

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 21 Tod Marks Cariba (center) powers through to take the Caress on Whitney Day. Two-year-old Reinvestment Risk shines in debut for Brown, Ortiz The Whitney capped another big day for Irad Ortiz Jr., who won four races and got things started in the opener when Chad Brown and Klara- vich Stables unveiled de- but winner Reinvestment Risk. The 2-year-old son of Upstart, a $280,000 purchase at the OBS March sale, won the 6-furlong maiden by 7 3/4 lengths in 1:09.95. Ortiz added another victory in the fourth aboard Chuck Fipke’s homebred 3-year- old American Pharoah colt Ima Pharoah, who Tod Marks broke his maiden and Reinvestment Risk floats home in his debut. ended a string of four sec- when she came to us in the winter. onds in the 7-furlong test. She came in great shape and she keeps Ortiz ended his day with a victory getting better. She’s got black type aboard Cheyenne Stable’s Cariba in now. She belongs to a wonderful man. the $200,000 Caress Stakes for fillies He’s an owner-breeder, so this is very and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on the meaningful for him because down the turf. Making her third start for Chris- line she is going to be expected to be tophe Clement since being transferred a broodmare.” by Cheyenne’s Everett Dobson from the care of retired trainer Kiaran Mc- • Calumet Farm and trainer Jack Laughlin, the 4-year-old Cairo Prince Sisterson added to a banner day when filly rallied in the stretch to edge Ja- Everfast made off with a $74,000 al- karta by a half-length. lowance in the race after Vexatious Clement picked up his 14th vic- took down the Grade 1 Personal tory of the meet in the Caress – and Ensign. The winner rallied from sev- added another Sunday to take a lead enth of eight early to take over in the in the trainer standings with 15 wins stretch and win by 2 1/2 lengths af- through 14 days. ter 7 furlongs in 1:23.16. The victo- “As usual we are delighted,” said Clement. “Kiaran was very helpful Continued On Page 23

22 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Recap – Continued from page 22 ry snapped a losing streak dating back nearly two years to a maiden win at Ellis Park in August 2018. In between, Everfast placed in the Grade 2 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Preak- ness last year, and the ungraded Blame at Churchill Downs this year while also starting in the Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby, Pat Day Mile, Belmont Stakes, Haskell, Travers, Fayette and Maker’s Mark Mile. Sisterson took over the 4-year-old’s training this year, added blinkers before a return at Oaklawn Park in April and likes what he sees so far. “In his work he was just a bit hes- itant,” Sisterson said of the blinkers. “He was working great, but once he hit the front he was like, ‘Boy that was easy.’ We thought as a team, I’ve got great staff, great riders, ‘What about a little set of cheater blinkers?’ It’s more so a case of trying to keep him focused. They didn’t give him a lot of speed in the afternoon, he was showing us the speed was there.” All being well, Sisterson eyes a start in the Grade 1 Forego Aug. 29. “It was great having the allowance race the same distance as the Forego,” the trainer said. “I wasn’t concerned because he was going into Saturday training great, healthy and happy but the seven-eighths I was curious to see how he would handle it. It was a competitive allowance, they’re going to go fast, is he going to handle that? We thought if he handled it he should win a race like that. It’s perfect timing to bring him back in a race like the Fore- go. He’s run well enough to where if he keeps training well and moving forward there’s a big race to win for him.” – Tom Law and Joe Clancy

Tod Marks Everfast gets an allowance win Saturday.

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 23 Wheelhouse Moretti gives Pletcher fifth victory in marathon dirt stakes BY TOM LAW BIRDSTONE STAKES RECAP Todd Pletcher joked that it was “kind of cool winning a 2-mile race” three wins in the marathon H. Allen when Charming Kitten won the Bel- Jerkens Stakes at Gulfstream – includ- mont Gold Cup Invitational the day ing the most recent edition in late De- before the 2014 Belmont Stakes. cember with American Tattoo, who Turns out the certain first-ballot set the early pace finished last in the Hall of Famer, seven-time Eclipse Birdstone for new connections – four Award winner, five-time classic win- Brooklyn Handicaps, two Grand Prix ner and renowned conditioner of pre- American Jockey Club Invitationals cocious 2-year-olds might not have (former Temperence Hill) and the been kidding. last three Flat Outs. And don’t forget Pletcher added to his growing leg- three victories in the Belmont Stakes. acy as trainer of the stamina-stamped Pletcher second-guessed his latest Sunday when Moretti won the ninth score, at least in the early stages when edition of the $100,000 Birdstone the 7-5 favorite Moretti raced fourth Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. behind American Tattoo, Expert and Pletcher won the Birdstone for the stablemate You’re To Blame around fifth time and third at its current 1 Chelsea Durand/NYRA Continued On Page 25 Moretti leads late in Sunday’s Birdstone. 3/4-mile distance. He also added it to

24 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 “This horse never gets tired,” he said. “I love this horse and I like the Birdstone – way he performs. He’s an old pro and Continued from page 24 he knows what he’s doing. No mat- ter if you’re in the lead, on the pace the far turn the first time and through or coming from behind he’s steady, a half-mile in :51.49. steady, steady. He’s always consistent. “Troy Mulligan saves me hours of work and days of worry. “At one point I thought I might have “Todd made a little adjustment made a mistake [removing blinkers] Now, I can watch the horses again.” today with blinkers off because we – Sean Clancy, Riverdee Stable because he seemed like he was almost didn’t want to see the horse rank in a little too relaxed, but I know in these the beginning of the race. He made kinds of races you can’t have a horse a good adjustment. He was more Troy H. Mulligan, CPA that’s pulling too much,” Pletcher said. comfortable early. He didn’t pull. He Lexington, KY “The main thing is I wanted him to set- didn’t have to be on the lead, and I [email protected] • (859) 233-4146 tle into a good rhythm and it seemed was able to take him back enough to like he was doing that.” be comfortable. The last time with Moretti eventually eased any con- this group he was a little keen.” cerns when jockey Javier Castellano Moretti took the lead from Ex- asked him to maintain his position. pert with about 3 furlongs to run and They raced just 2 1/2 lengths behind opened a half-length edge at the quar- Andrew J. Mollica Attorney at Law American Tattoo through the mile in ter pole. He and Castellano extend- A small firm dedicated to big things 1:43.79 and were within 2 lengths af- ed that advantage to a length with a ter 1 1/4 miles in 2:08.51. furlong to run while You’re To Blame Those splits were well within continued to gain from the back. Equine Law • Real Estate reach for the son of Medaglia d’Oro Moretti edged clear and won by bought as a would-be classics pros- 1 1/2 lengths over You’re To Blame, Corporate Formation • Civil and Criminal Litigation pect by Mike Repole’s Repole Stable who edged Rocketry by a nose for the and Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thor- runner-up spot. More distance races Wage and Hour Defense oughbred Partners for $900,000 at will likely be in Moretti’s future, pro- the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select vided there are opportunities. 1205 Franklin Ave., Garden City, NY 11530 yearling sale. “That seems to be his special- (516) 528-1311 cell • (516) 280-3182 office • [email protected] The classics didn’t work out for ty,” Pletcher said. “We had kind Moretti, who only made two starts of thought that might be when we at 2 and one at 3 before the Triple picked out the Flat Out, he seemed Crown in the Grade 3 Withers in Feb- like he really excelled that day. But ruary at Aqueduct. He returned to the like I said before the race, a mile-and- races late in his 3-year-old season and three-quarters is a little different. You still proved a work in progress before don’t always know, just because one improving in longer races. runs well at a mile-and-three-eighths Wellman said this spring that there doesn’t mean that they’re going to were times he, Repole and Pletcher run well at a mile-and-three-quarters. felt like Moretti might be a “complete He’s just one of those horses, he’s a failure.” He started 2020 with back- big galloper and he keeps going.” to-back seconds going 1 1/16 miles Pletcher added that another cut- against modest company at Laurel back could be in the cards or even a Park and Gulfstream Park before a trip to the turf course. win going the same distance at Oak- “The next step will be interesting, lawn Park on the Arkansas Derby un- we’ll have a couple of conversations dercard. about that one, we could back him The victory at Oaklawn set up a up to a mile-and-a-quarter and try the run in the Flat Out going 1 3/8 miles Woodward again, see how he steps up at Belmont and Moretti won. against that type of competition,” he “We always thought of him as a said. “There is on September 1, the horse that would excel in elongated mile-and-a-half race at Churchill, it’s distances, 10 furlongs and beyond,” only $100,000, not graded. The other Wellman said. thing we kicked around at times was the Moretti finished second in the possibility of trying him on the grass, we Grade 2 Suburban at 10 furlongs July might even keep an eye on the Sword 4, before going back to longer trips. Dancer (Aug. 29). The type of opportu- Castellano, disqualified from a nities to run at a mile-and -three-eighths win aboard Sadler’s Joy the day be- plus on the dirt are just not that plenti- fore in the Grade 2 Bowling Green, ful so we have to fill the gaps.” rode Moretti in his last four starts and marveled at the colt’s stamina. Additional reporting by Sean Clancy.

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 25 Tactical Edge Nonna Madeline earns first stakes victory for Pletcher barn BY TOM LAW SUMMER COLONY RECAP Todd Pletcher felt certain he knew what to expect from his three runners Pletcher, was correct as Mott’s Gold- – 60 percent of the field – in Wednes- en Award took the initiative from day’s $85,000 Summer Colony Stakes the break with Nonna Madeline and at Saratoga Race Course. Irad Ortiz Jr. pressing to her outside. As for the other two runners in They were that way most of the trip, the 9-furlong restricted stakes? That carving out quick fractions on the needed to be seen when the starting post-Tropical Storm Isaias dried-out gate opened for the first stakes of Tra- main track before Golden Award fi- vers Week 2020. nally gave way and Nonna Madeline “I actually thought Nonna Made- went on to a 1 1/4-length victory for line would be on the lead,” Pletcher owners Vinnie and Teresa Viola. said walking past the empty paddock “I didn’t anticipate they would go bar and Shake Shack afterward. “I that fast,” Pletcher said. “It sort of didn’t see (Bill) Mott’s filly show- turned into a match race up front and ing quite that much speed. Actually, I’m proud of her for digging in first Johnny was the one in the paddock time going a mile-and-an-eighth. She that felt like that filly would be a pace was coming out of some faster races contender.” Tod Marks Continued On Page 27 Nonna Madeline becomes a stakes winner in Wednesday’s Summer Colony. John Velazquez, aboard Bellera for

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26 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 I just sat second beside her. We were going a little fast but I didn’t have too Summer Colony – many options. She was the filly to Continued from page 26 beat so I had to stay there. She was very comfortable. She wasn’t going so we anticipated we’d be close, but that keen, and on the backside she re- like I said before the race you can laxed a little bit and she was still in have a plan but you’re not sure what the race. She never backed up, so that everyone else’s plans are. was great.” “We were in a good position for A $130,000 buy at the 2017 Keene- that filly and I thought Bellera sat an land September yearling sale, Nonna ideal trip and just kind of ran evenly. Madeline always showed promise. Big effort from Nonna Madeline and She broke her maiden in her debut nice for her to get that stakes win.” from the 1 hole in late June 2018 and Bellera finished 7 1/4 lengths be- was pegged as the 7-2 second choice hind Golden Award in third with on the line for that year’s Opening Pletcher’s other entrant, Always Day Schuylerville at Saratoga. Nonna Shopping, also another 7 1/4 lengths Madeline also led off Pletcher’s annu- back in fourth. Bossy Bride trailed the al Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour. entire trip and finished fifth. Pletcher said “She acts like she’s Nonna Madeline, last seen at Sara- got some quality” and she proved him toga as a 2-year-old in 2018 when she right with her runner-up effort in the turned in decent efforts in two grad- eventual Grade 1 Spinaway winner ed stakes, won her first stakes in her Catherinethegreat followed by fifths 10th start. The daughter of Candy in the Grade 1 Spinaway and Grade 1 Ride had finished third in the Grade Frizette. An extended trip to the side- 2 Inside Information this winter and lines followed the Frizette and Nonna second in the Added Elegance Stakes Madeline didn’t make it back to the this summer, both at Gulfstream races until last December at Gulfst- Park. She also finished second in the ream. Grade 3 Schuylerville at 2, the first of “She had a couple setbacks but the four times she endured trouble at the Violas are very patient, gave her all break. the time she needed and I’m glad they “She’s had some gate issues and were rewarded,” Pletcher said. that’s cost her a time or two, nice to see her get away smoothly and be able Thursday-Friday Stakes Are you a stakes-winning owner? use her tactical speed,” Pletcher said. • Fresco ventured out of the maid- Have nationally recognized artist Nonna Madeline, the 6-5 favor- en ranks two weeks ago and came ite at post time, tracked 3-2 second away with her first victory in the Stat- choice Golden Award through the ue of Liberty division of the New York quarter-mile in :23.31 and a half Stallion Series Stakes. The daughter in :46.22 before inching up with- of Freud goes against the grain again in a head after 6 furlongs in a sharp today, taking on males and running 1:09.66. The two raced side-by-side back on short rest in the Cab Callo- around the turn before Nonna Made- way division of the Stallion Series. line took the lead near the quarter Trained by the meet’s leading con- pole. ditioner through the first 15 days of Ortiz continued to urge Nonna racing, Christophe Clement, Fresco Madeline in the lane and she opened handled her five opponents in the up a half-length with a furlong to Statue of Liberty July 23 with rela- run. Once clear he looked left to see tive easy, winning by 1 3/4 lengths at Golden Award give way and right to odds-on. see no late-running opposition. Non- “It’s a restricted stakes again and na Madeline cruised past the finish in you don’t have that kind of race all 1:49.13. the time,” Clement said last week “We didn’t know what (Golden when considering a run in the 1 1/16- Award) was going to do,” Ortiz said. mile turf stakes limited to horses by Memorialize your victory with an original painting “I just went with my plan to come New York-based stallions. “When running out of there and if I can make they’re doing well you might as well Join the owners of Vekoma, Rushing Fall and Bricks And Mortar, the lead easy, make it, and if some- squeeze the lemon dry a little bit.” who recently had their horses painted. Pricing $8,500 - $15,000 thing else changed, Todd let me do Fresco could be third choice in whatever I needed to do. the Cab Calloway with Jolting Joe, a Call or text Michael Geraghty at (301) 602-4385 “The other horse was right there Online Print Gallery www. I PAINT CHAMPIONS .com in the first turn. She broke sharp, so Continued On Page 28

Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 27 dero, the 5-2 favorite with Ricardo Santana Jr. named to ride, comes in Thursday-Friday – off a 4 3/4-length win in the Grade 3 Does This Used by the best Continued from page 27 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs horsemen in the game! June 27. Jackie’s Warrior won his only TLstakes-placed maiden and half-broth- start, topping fellow Special entrant Look er to New York-bred champion and Therideofalifetime by 2 1/2 lengths in graded stakes winner Somelikeithot- a June 19 maiden at Churchill. Joel brown, and three-time stakes winner Rosario rides Jackie’s Warrior with Familiar? TLore Dream Bigger in the field. Jose Ortiz named aboard Therideo- Jolting Joe, a son of Mission Im- falifetime for trainer Ignacio Correas An online business solution for pazible and the Tapit mare Marilyn IV. You Need Us! Thoroughbred Professionals Monroan, finished second in an open The Saratoga Special goes as the Contact TRACY ATTFIELD Ellis Park maiden race July 25 for ninth of 10 races Friday with a post (954) 647-3220 • TLORE.NET trainer Mike Maker and owner Sky- time of 5:46 p.m. chai Racing. He’s the 9-5 favorite on – Tom Law the morning line with Tyler Gaffalione named to ride. Dream Bigger makes his turf debut off a third in the Mike Lee Stakes for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. The son of Mission Impazible won Never miss The Special the Damon Runyon two Sign up for our email list back and is the 2-1 sec- Join The Special’s 2020 Readers Club ond choice on the line for jockey Jose Ortiz. For $35 you get some sweet swag, The Cab Calloway goes as the eighth of an early email and a sense of belonging. nine races Thursday with a post time of 5:14 p.m. Travers Weekend kicks off Friday with the Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes and a field of 11 2-year-olds entered for the 6-furlong feature. The field will reduce to at least 10 after Wesley Ward said Wednesday morning he planned to scratch impressive Belmont Park debut maiden winner Roderick in favor of Tod Marks Saturday’s Grade 2 Best Fresco looks for her second Saratoga stakes win Thursday. Pal Stakes at Del Mar. “Better spot out there,” Ward said. “Al- Saratoga Leaders JOCKEYS...... 1ST though I do like my post Irad Ortiz Jr...... 27 better here.” TRAINERS...... 1ST Joel Rosario...... 24 Roderick drew post Christophe Clement...... 15 Jose Ortiz...... 23 11 for the Special, while Todd Pletcher...... 13 Javier Castellano...... 10 he’ll break from post 4 Mike Maker...... 10 Tyler Gaffalione...... 9 of seven in the Best Pal. Chad Brown...... 9 Jose Lezcano...... 9 Linda Rice...... 7 Manny Franco...... 9 Steve Asmussen Steve Asmussen...... 5 looks to add another Luis Saez...... 8 Jim Bond...... 5 John Velazquez...... 7 graded stakes at the Ray Handal...... 5 Ricardo Santana Jr...... 6 meet with Cazadero Orlando Noda...... 5 Junior Alvarado...... 5 and Jackie’s Warrior, Wesley Ward...... 5 David Cohen...... 4 the top two choices on Bill Mott...... 4 Through Wednesday the morning line. Caza- Rudy Rodriguez...... 4

28 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Presented by Saratoga Race Course – Thursday, August 6 the Power grid Race # John Tom Charles Rob Shapazian Law Bedard Whitlock Macho Jack Macho Jack Macho Jack Macho Jack Boss Life Cause I Said So Cause I Said So Boss Life 1 Warfront Fighter Warfront Fighter Warfront Fighter Cause I Said So Malibu Mischief Keota Malibu Mischief Malibu Mischief Keota Jades Gelly Keota Keota 2 Jades Gelly Overheated Jades Gelly Overheated Star Of The West My Sacred Place Star Of The West My Sacred Place My Sacred Place No More Miracles No More Miracles Star Of The West 3 No More Miracles Star Of The West My Sacred Place No More Miracles Stoney Bennett Stoney Bennett Nutzforboltz Stoney Bennett Catch A Cab Catch A Cab Dr. Shane Catch A Cab 4 Good Old Boy Dr. Shane Pipes Dr. Shane Ruby Stiletto Lollygag Rice entry Lollygag Guardian Moon Niiji Guardian Moon Guardian Moon 5 Lollygag Guardian Moon Bustin Bay Rice entry Gesture Gesture Gesture Wicked Title Wicked Title La Negrita Wicked Title Intoxicologist 6 Intoxicologist Wicked Title La Negrita Heartstrings Eliade Dyna Passer Mighty Scarlett Hungry Kitten Dyna Passer Hungry Kitten Eliade Dyna Passer 7 Hungry Kitten Tizahra Tizahra Mighty Scarlett Jolting Joe Jolting Joe Jolting Joe Fresco Fresco Fresco Dream Bigger Dream Bigger 8 Dream Bigger Turbo Drive Turbo Drive Jolting Joe The Rock Says Elusive Ruler The Rock Says The Rock Says Elusive Ruler Tikhvin Flew Elusive Ruler Swordsman 9 Catorat Swordsman Tikhvin Flew Catorat 2020 Records 53/144 49/144 48/144 35/144 Daily picks available at thisishorsracing.com

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Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 29 The aratoga

Saratoga’s Daily Racing Newspaper

Founded in 2001, The Saratoga Special has covered plenty of great horses and people and we’ll bring you some highlights during our 20th season. We covered each of Summer Colony’s wins at Saratoga. There was a maiden win by 32 3/4 lengths in 2001, the one that elicited our favorite Worth Repeating over our 20-year history. “I got three words for you. Sec-re-tariat,” from the ever quotable Toad- ie Taylor. There was an allowance score 13 days later, part of a six-race win streak. And there was the Grade 1 Personal Ensign in 2002. The 10-time winner (six graded stakes) was honored with Wednesday’s feature.

August 24, 2002. Summer Facial. Summer Colony storms off with Personal Ensign. By Sean Clancy. Typed in 2020 by Miles Clancy.

Ears up. Alert. Dead still while the trainer gets another girth to fit. No sweat. No jig or dance. Everything forward. Strong, determined. No fuss. Looking out for no one. Straight ahead. No distractions. That’s a game face. And that was Summer Colony in the paddock for the Personal Ensign Stakes Friday. The massive 4-year old filly, owned and bred by Ned Evans made it a race face too, winning the Grade 1 by 4 ½ lengths. Trained by Mark Hennig and was patient leaving there and made ridden by John Velazquez, Summer Colony went right with second-choice Jerry commit. As long as we were stalking her, Dancethruthedawn from the moment the gates parted. The two fillies locked when it came down to the stamina of a mile and a quarter we’d on each other like a pair walking onto Noah’s boat. be able to beat her.” Jerry Bailey had Dancethruthedawn on the rail, while Summer Colony eyed Summer Colony has more stamina than a clock. The daughter of Summer her from the outside. The others were inconsequential. Squall is undefeated in four starts at 1 ¼ or farther. The Personal Ensign was Midway on the far turn, Summer Colony moved on, first by a half-length, the 11th start in a row where she finished first or second (nine wins) dating and it widened all the way to the wire. The game was over. back to her maiden breaker, by 32 ¾ at Saratoga last summer. Velazquez has “I gained a lot of confidence when we walked in the paddock. She had her been aboard for most of them. game face on,” Hennig said. “She’s just been doing everything right. It’s easy “I needed a good horse like that to pick my head up. She’s the best horse to have confidence in one who goes out there every time and gives 110 percent around, that’s all it is. The whole way, she had one ear up and one ear down. like she’s been doing since last August. She loves this racetrack, she just bright- She’d go a little bit, look a little bit, go a little bit, look a little bit,” Velazquez ened up so much when she got here. Jerry is always tricky, you never know Continued On Page 31 what he’s thinking and I was happy we had her inside of us. I think Johnny 30 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Best of – Continued from page 30 said. “She was there for me the whole way. She never did anything for me to lose my confidence in her. From last year, I told Mark she’s going to be a good horse. Even when she won by 32, she wasn’t there mentally yet. Little by little, we took our time and she’s done it the right way. She’s as good as she is now because they gave her the time she needed.” Time, talent, whatever, Summer Colony could be The aratoga the best older filly or mare in the country on dirt. “Right now she’s the best filly around. You can Saratoga’s Daily Racing Newspaper do whatever you want with her now. You can take a hold of her, you can put her in the lead. She lets you do that. She’s serious, all business. She just has Velazquez gave her successive pats as she crossed Tod Marks to stay sound,” Velazquez said. “They were gallop- the wire. Summer Colony storms home by 32 lengths in 2001. ing along but the other filly wasn’t going anywhere “I get along with her, I know her real well,” said and she opened up little by little, when I put a half- It all goes back to that face. length in front of the other horse she wanted to lay the jockey. “We always knew she could run, but “She was just so confident, you could see it in in on her. I wanted to make sure she kept going and mentally she was not there. Sometimes they come the paddock. She wasn’t even sweating, she’s on her mind kept going. Right away she knew, she put out of it, sometimes they don’t. Hopefully they’ll her toes, really confident,” Velazquez said. “Usual- her head down, her ears down, she knew then it use that talent eventually. Now her mind is there ly she gets nervous. Once she was like that, I didn’t wasDCTP time toTCA rock Ad and 7.5 roll.”x 4.5 2020.qxp_Layout 1 7/18/20with 1:18 her PMtalent. Page She’s 1 just that much better.” worry about her.” Race Delaware Certified! Delaware’s Winning Economic Stimulus Program It Pay$ to Race Delaware Certified! Bonuses Bring your weanlings or yearlings to a Delaware farm for 90 days before December 31st of their yearling year to become Delaware Certified and eligible for purse bonuses up to 50%*. 50%* Your Delaware Bred or Certified thoroughbreds are also ! eligible for restricted Delaware Certified stakes every fall.

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Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 31 75&sunny BY TERRY HILL Saratoga Vicarious Sometime in the late 1980s I happened on a Janice also talked enthusiastically about a book mystery book called Saratoga Longshot by Stephen called Saratoga Days, which is sort of a diary ver- Dobyns. I bought it because I like mysteries and sion of the 1999 season, filled with incident and loved Saratoga andTod there Marks it was right there in the backstretch observation. The bookstore actually title. played host to the book’s launch and signing session Dobyns is a respected poet and novelist who 20 years ago. obviously also likes mysteries. Between 1976 and Laying cards on the table, this is probably the 1998 he wrote 10 Charlie Bradshaw detective books time to mention that the author is Sean Clancy, who and they’re all Saratoga based. Every book features writes a big chunk of this paper, most notably, and a two-word title with the first being “Saratoga.” wonderfully, his “Cup of Coffee” column each is- Saratoga Backtalk, Saratoga Strongbox, Saratoga sue. The fact that Sean is one of my bosses should Haunting. You get the idea. not discredit my recommendation when I tell you, I read seven or eight over maybe five years. honestly, the book is terrific. I’m reading it right They’re well put together, a bit quirky, funny (es- now. pecially when Bradshaw’s sidekick, Victor Plotz, is Next I go down Broadway to Northshire Book- on the scene), entertaining and they all happen right store to talk to Mike Hare, a bookseller here who here. If you know and love Saratoga, you’ll love also has a rich knowledge of Saratoga’s history. In reading as Charlie and Victor walk the same streets normal years he gives historical tours of the town. and visit the same places in town you do. Like Janice, Mike’s enthusiasm leads him to Reading these books at a time I was only getting send me to way more books than I could ever write up here maybe once a year or so, they felt like get- about. He too mentions They’re Off! as a book that away weekends to the Spa. Except, of course, it’s sells well at Northshire. not the same. Janice and Mike also overlap on a book called Reading about it can never match doing it. And Saratoga Springs: An Architectural History by seeing it on the page just doesn’t measure up to see- James K. Kettlewell. This book which Mike called ing it in person. Miranda Lee “authoritative” is published by Lyrical Ballad; the There is, however, one exception – 2020. two stores have a very friendly relationship and recognized specialties, horse racing being a big one. Which will go down in history as the exception complement each other wonderfully. But Janice says, “We get this book in reasonably of- to everything. For Saratoga’s premier race, the Travers, Mike ten; it’s been around for 25 years. But we can’t keep And so in this exceptional year when many can’t is very high on The Travers: 150 Years of Sarato- make it to Saratoga for the summer meet and when it on the shelves. It sells quickly.” The book covers a ga’s Greatest Race. It’s written by two men who no spectators are allowed at the track to watch the lot of ground, chronicling both the racing and social give it automatic credibility – Brien Bouyea from races, well, we might just settle for a substitute. history of Saratoga. the Racing Museum and respected racing columnist This year reading about the races and the history She then recommends Saratoga Queen of Spas by Michael Veitch. The Travers is a storied race and of the town is pretty much all we’ve got. And after Grace Maguire Swanner. Janice says a lot of people the authors tell a lot of those stories. The book is all, a vicarious Saratoga experience is better than are interested in the spring waters here and then be- also large format, informative, colorful and, frank- none, right? gins telling me about the medicinal properties of the ly, beautiful. The place to start, of course, is right here, read- various springs. As for novels, Janice and Mike cited Saratoga ing The Saratoga Special on Wednesdays (and an I have fallen for the stock Saratoga practical joke, Trunk. The 1941 Edna Ferber novel is probably occasional Thursday) and Saturdays. Beyond that which involves getting rubes from the City like me more famous as the 1945 movie starring Gary Coo- there are whole shelves of wonderful books about to drink a cup of the spring water and then laughing per and Ingrid Bergman. Based in Saratoga Springs Saratoga and its racing just waiting for us. As there at our reaction to the taste, which is indescribably and New Orleans, the novel is a totally enjoyable are way too many to read in one season, I had to awful. I figured Janice’s pitch for the water’s healing melodramatic read. get some help to narrow the list. I visited two places properties was a more sophisticated version of the The Lyrical Ballad has a first edition as well as a of worship for those of us who pray at the altar of same joke, delivered with a glaze of pseudo-science. worn used copy available. Having already bought books – both bookstores. A variation on the snake oil ruse. two books from Janice, I bought a recent paperback I started at the famous Lyrical Ballad Bookstore I was then abruptly brought up by the “M.D.” edition of Trunk at the Northshire to spread the at 7 Phila Street. Talking books with proprietor after the author Swanner’s last name. I also recalled wealth a bit. Janice DeMarco while breathing in the heady scent that Janice came to the bookstore after a career in That, of course, is my problem doing a story that of rare books and first editions meant that I didn’t nursing. I was forced to alter my thinking. These were involves going to bookstores. I seem to be incapable have to go to communion on Sunday. I asked her real healthcare professionals talking about the waters. of walking out of a bookstore without buying at what books she’d put on a Saratoga 101 reading It wasn’t like some hobbyist amateur telling me that a least one book. list. malaria drug would work on the coronavirus. Yes, we’d all rather be walking out the gates of She broke from the gate with They’re Off!: Horse At any rate, whether it cures you or not, Saratoga the Saratoga track after a day of racing. But as I was Racing at Saratoga by Edward Hotaling. Lyrical spring water is a big part of the history of the town just going to tell you, you can’t have everything. Ballad sells primarily used books and has certain and surprisingly interesting to read about. And then I realized, sadly, last year we did. 32 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Tod Marks photo

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Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 33 cupofcoffee Ball Game BY SEAN CLANCY Hey, how’d it go on Whitney Day? As a coach, you know it goes both ways. Jackson M. pitches the top of the fourth. His dad Aiden strikes out two, fields a grounder and calls him Spider Monkey and the monkey is spi- Reinvestment Risk emerges as the talking horse throws to Jackson W. at first. Three up, three down dering all over the mound, pitches go high into the who talks in the first…Everfast enjoys a class re- in the top of the second. Ten pitches. Aiden is the fence, deep into the dirt. He gets mad and throws lief…Midnight Bisou gets beat…Vexatious, yeah, Bill Shoemaker of Little League, you wouldn’t know one that whizzes past the batter, the next one whiz- Vexatious…Tom’s d’Etat stumbles…Baffert, ho if he struck out the side or got blindsided. I spray zes past his father in the bleachers. That’s baseball. hum, his second Whitney…Sadler’s Joy gets taken down clay-caked hands and elbow bump Aiden. Runners sashay around the bases like the merry down…Cross Border has two stakes in two weeks James singles with a half swing to lead off the go round in Congress Park. We hold them to four, and everybody screams on Twitter…Echo Town second. KC walks on four pitches. Ashton, the another victory. Jackson M. has learned the art of upsets the Jerkens…Clement wins another one… Rickey Henderson of the Cubs, singles again. Chase survival. Irad notches four…Jose wins two…nobody goes to rips one up the middle, his dad/coach Rich smiles Chase leads off with a single, he’s 3-for-3. Miles Siro’s… quietly, contently, from first as James and KC score. sends him home with a line drive to center, then falls Miles snaps one to the pitcher who snares it for an into second base with a double. “Next practice, all As for other action. out, at this stage, you’re rooting for the pitcher. We we do is slide,” says Coach Rich. Aiden blasts an- Aiden throws his slider and his changeup with score another five. It’s 10-0 after two. other single, his eighth single in his last eight at bats precision. His long, languid delivery confuses the Everybody pitches in this league, with this coach. (I keep score on a clipboard). Oliver singles. Jack W. AAA Orioles, they strike out twice and manage a Jackson W. struggles with his release point, his wind- singles. Spencer takes a fast ball in the back. Jackson weak grounder to short. Twelve pitches. In Little up, balls and walks tick past, there is nowhere lone- M. walks. James strikes out and I say, “OK, boys, League, this might be a first. The sky turns ominous lier than the pitcher’s mound. The Orioles dance on bring it in.” Jackson M., who was on first, stands over Franklin Park in Purcellville, Va. I spray hand the basepaths, confusion reigns. Oliver overthrows next to me in the dugout when I look up and see sanitizer on nine, hot, dirty players as they funnel Jackson W. and a runner heads for home. I can see the pitcher digging in at the rubber and all the kids into the dugout and out to their bags, socially dis- it in Miles’ eyes as he sprints from shortstop, grabs still on the field. Coaches, parents scream, I pivot tanced down the right-field fence. the rolling ball with his bare left hand and lasers it Jackson M. and send him back out to first, he gets Ashton singles for the AAA Cubs. Chase drives home, Oliver catches it on the fly and the runner there just in time. His dad starts to lament his son’s a hard grounder into left field, he’s been seeing the goes from third run to first out in a split second. miscue. I take the blame. We laugh. A passed ball ball well lately. Ashton slides into third as his dad Coach Rich and Coach Carter look at me. I shake and another run, that’s five, “OK, boys, bring it in.” watches quietly from a chair and his little brother my head at my son’s whip-saw arm, something he It’s 15-8, I think, when we hear the rumble. Noah, hits a ball in the air on the next field over. does not get from his dad. The Orioles bang in four “Time,” the umpire bellows. “Clear the field.” Miles singles, Ashton sprints home. Aiden singles. runs, but we spare the five-run rule. Jackson W. Two coaches, after 23 runs, agree that we’ve had Oliver knocks a deep fly ball to center, his best hit throws 38 pitches. He walks into the dugout like enough. “That’s game.” of the season, an Oriole lunges and snares it on the he’s been stacking hay bales into a barn loft. I spray Parents fold their chairs, players stuff helmets, fly, he could have been Paul Blair. Jackson W. nails the team down. gloves and bats into oversized backpacks. We con- another single, he swings the bat like Aaron Judge, In AAA, the pitchers run the gamut and the Ori- sole a few kids who struggled and regale the ones as long as he’s smiling and not scowling at the plate oles roll out a kid who throws like Jim Palmer in who didn’t. I still don’t know who won the Whit- (the extent of my baseball knowledge). Spencer, that magical 1975 season. He walks Spencer, strikes ney, the Bowling Green or the Caress. In a strange, always a tough out, ekes out a walk. Jackson M., out Jackson M., walks James, strikes out KC, who disruptive time, moments with your son on a base- struggling to swing, watches two strikes and four spends most of the inning looking for his bat, and ball field seem more important. Miles and I throw balls. Runners barrage past home plate. elicits a fielder’s choice on Ashton. It’s 10-4 but the gear in the car as the sky opens. The Cubs are up 5-0. No rule has saved more quickly feels closer. The sky darkens, spits of rain “That was a great game.” time and tears than the five-run rule. land in the dirt, we don’t hear the thunder. I’m not sure who said it first.

34 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020 Thursday, August 6, 2020 The Saratoga Special 35 Saratoga Sunset. By the time Saturday’s 12th race went to the post (7:33 p.m.), The Big Picture the summer sun was making the old, stately, empty clubhouse look even older, with Tod Marks more stately and more empty – though the rooftop hawk seemed to enjoy the view.

36 The Saratoga Special Thursday, August 6, 2020