**For video of Afleet Express's workout this morning, please visit http://www.youtube.com/nyravideo#p/a/u/0/Wg--AasDrws **
Friday, July 23, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
(518) 584-6200, ext. 4237
- 'Todd Squad' looms tough in upcoming stakes
- Mott looks ahead with Proviso, Unrivaled Belle
- Afleet Express works 7F for Jim Dandy
- Boys At Tosconova breezes 5F
- Dynaslew will step up in Diana
- Hot Trip under consideration for
Pletcher will get things started on Wednesday, July 28 in the Grade 3 Lake George, a turf test for 3-year-old fillies, with Caminadora, who upset the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill Downs at 32-1.
"The allowance race [at Churchill May 13] came back a better race than it initially looked, and she ran a good number on the Ragozin Sheets," said Pletcher of the decision to enter Caminadora in the Regret. "The
Pletcher will be represented in both graded stakes on Saturday, July 31, the Grade 1 Diana for fillies and mares on the turf and the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Saratoga's traditional prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Travers.
His Diana hopeful, Phola, won the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile in May before finishing second in the Grade 1 Just a Game in June.
"I thought she ran a big race," said Pletcher of Phola's Just a Game performance. "She was probably affected more than anyone by the slow fractions. I think Proviso is clearly the filly to beat, but we hope with a little more pace that we might be able to turn the tables."
Aikenite, who last year broke his maiden on debut at
"How he does in the Jim Dandy could clarify where we might go next, either the Travers or the [Grade 1] King's Bishop," said Pletcher. "He seems to like the surface here, and he trained here a lot as a 2-year-old."
The following day Pletcher will send out Malibu Prayer, winner of last year's Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill and the Lighthouse Stakes at Monmouth most recently, in the Grade 1 Ruffian Handicap for fillies and mares.
"Last year as a 3-year-old, she really found herself in one-turn miles, but I think her race at Monmouth last time out was her best effort yet," said Pletcher.
The featured event on Monday, August 2, will be the Grade 2 Amsterdam for 3-year-old sprinters, and Pletcher has a formidable contender in Discreetly Mine, who won the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March. Thirteenth in the Kentucky Derby, Discreetly Mine returned with a pair of strong efforts in sprints, finishing second in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at
"I was encouraged by his workouts at Palm Meadows over the winter and I really thought distance wouldn't be an issue, but his family does seem to be more on the miler side," said Pletcher of the half-brother to the 2006 Grade 1 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap winner Discreet Cat.
Should Discreetly Mine run well in the
"That'd be the logical progression," said Pletcher. "The King's Bishop would be a big mark on his resume."
Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and leading older male
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Bill Mott's top females Proviso and Unrivaled Belle galloped on the main track Friday morning in preparation for starts in upcoming Grade 1 events at Saratoga Race Course.
Proviso will aim for her third consecutive victory at the highest level when she heads postward in the Diana on Saturday, July 31. The Juddmonte homebred defeated males in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap at Santa Anita, then prevailed over fillies and mares in the Just a Game at
"She's done well over that trip before, so we don't think it will be a problem," said Mott.
Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso's Unrivaled Belle will enter the Ruffian Handicap on Sunday, August 1 off a narrow victory over Rachel Alexandra in the Grade 2 La Troienne at Churchill and a runner-up performance in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap at
"She seems to be doing better than ever," said Mott.
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Afleet Express, winner of the Grade 3 Pegasus in his most recent start, worked seven furlongs Friday morning in his final serious move for next Saturday's Jim Dandy.
With exercise rider Kelvin Pahal aboard, the son of Afleet Alex went out after the renovation break on the main track and covered the distance in 1:25.62.
"I didn't pick him up right at the beginning from where I was standing, but when I did I thought he was going at the right pace, and finished up well," said trainer Jimmy Jerkens. "I thought it was perfect."
Afleet Express, a 3-year-old son of Afleet Alex owned by Gainesway Stable, is 3-1-0 from five starts including a 7 ¾-length win going seven furlongs at Belmont Park on May 22 and the 1 1/16th mile Pegasus, in which he came from just off to pace to win by 1 ¾ lengths.
"His last race told us a lot," said Jerkens. "It was his first time around two turns on a very, very slow track against some nice, seasoned horses, and he handled them pretty well."
Jerkens said the colt will most likely gallop into the 1 1/8th mile Jim Dandy.
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With owner Samantha Siegel looking on, Boys At Tosconova had his first tour of
"He went very well," said trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. "We're happy with him."
Purchased by Siegel and her father, Mace, after his second-place finish in the Grade 3 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes at Churchill Downs, Boys At Tosconova was a sensational 12-length winner of his maiden effort at
The son of Officer is being pointed to the Grade 1 Three Chimneys Hopeful on September 6.
"There's no reason to rush him," said Dutrow. "There's plenty of time."
* * *
Looking toward next Saturday's Grade 1 Diana is Live Oak Plantation's Dynaslew, who enters the race with two wins and one second place finish from three starts this year. The 1 1/8th-mile Diana will be the 4-year-old Dynaformer filly's first start in Grade 1 company and she is expected to face a tough field including 2008 Champion Turf Female Forever Together – the winner of back-to-back editions of the Diana in 2008 and 2009 - as well as the 1-2-3 finishers from the Grade 1 Just a Game; Proviso, Phola and My Princess Jess.
"I think that Dynaformers tend to just mature later in life and the difference in her maturity between ages three and four has just brought her game to another level," said trainer Seth Benzel. "Forever Together, Proviso, Phola – I consider those horses to be the cream of the crop and this will be a good test for her, but I think she's ready to run against those types of horses."
Dynaslew, winner of the Grade 3 Beaugay at
"We don't ask her to extend herself too much in the morning," said Benzel. "It was a maintenance breeze."
Eibar Coa, aboard Dynaslew for her win in the Beaugay, also has the call for the Diana, Benzel said.
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Trainer Bruce Brown has E. Paul Robsham Stables' Hot Trip under consideration for Wednesday's Grade 2, $150,000 Lake George Stakes for 3-year-olds fillies running on the turf at 1 1/16th miles.
Hot Trip is coming off a second-place finish in an allowance race over the
"She's a big filly that needed time to mature," Brown said. "When she ran over the turf course at
* * *
The Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, midsummer highlight of the British racing season, looks like one of the hottest renewals in years. Post time for Saturday's race is 11:25 am (6th race at
But the "King George" is not just a two-horse race. Also in the line-up is second favorite Harbinger, a stablemate of Workforce, both trained by Sir Michael Stoute at
Harbinger will be ridden by Olivier Peslier for the first time, as Stoute's stable jockey Ryan Moore has elected to partner Workforce.
Adding further strength in depth to the older horse division is Mick Channon's perennial bridesmaid Youmzain, last seen getting nosed out again in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Youmzain has twice been placed in that race, as well as finishing runner-up in the last three renewals of the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in France.
In
Other big UK races on Saturday are the Group 2 Princess Margaret Stakes for two-year-old fillies (3rd at Ascot; 9:40 am) and the Group 2 York Stakes for older horses over a mile and one-quarter (3rd at York; 10:05 am).
UK Racing is simulcast every Wednesday through Saturday morning during the
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