TurfPublicists: SARATOGA RACE COURSE NOTES: Saturday, July 31, 2010

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Contact: NYRA Press Office

(518) 584-6200, ext. 4237

SARATOGA RACE COURSE NOTES

Blame to work Monday for Whitney
Convocation, Redding Colliery, under consideration for Whitney
Mambo Meister returns to Spa as a sprinter
Howard happy to be back at Saratoga
Belle of the Hall to get class test in Test

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Blame, expected to be the second choice to Quality Road in next Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap, will have his final workout for the 1 1/8^thmile race Monday when he breezes on the main track after the renovation break, and trainer Al Stall Jr., couldn't be happier with the way he is coming into the race.

"He's taken every step," said Stall, who trains Blame for Adele Dilschneider. "A lot of horses have ceilings; but he hasn't had one yet."

The 4-year-old Arch colt, 7-1-2 from 10 starts, heads into the Whitney riding a four-race winning streak that includes his Grade 1 Stephen Foster victory on June 12, when he made a four-wide run to edge favored Battle Plan in the final jumps.

"I believe he will improve off his Stephen Foster victory; hopefully, the trip will work out tactically," said Stall. "At least with a smaller field, he won't be hung out in the 11 hole."

* * *

After Convocation worked five furlongs in 1:00.60, handily, Saturday morning over the Oklahoma training track, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said he was "50-50" about entering the Centennial Farms' colt in the Whitney.

"We'll see how he does over the next couple of days," said Jerkens of the Pulpit colt, most recently second to the Whitney-bound Haynesfield in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on July 3.

Also contemplating a starter in the Whitney is trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, whose Redding Colliery scored his first graded stakes win on May 31 in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap. The Mineshaft colt earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 111 in the 1 1/16^th mile race, third-best of the year at over a mile on a main track.

"He's doing very well," said McLaughlin. "I'm not sure if he's going to run, but I'm not ruling it out."

* * *

When last seen at the Spa, Mambo Meister was knocking heads with the likes of Justenuffhumor and Cowboy Cal on the turf in the Fourstardave and the Bernard Baruch, both Grade 2 races.

This year, the 5-year-old gelded son of King Cugat has taken on a new role, that of a sprinter, as he aims to the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at six furlongs on August 8.

"We like to keep everyone on their toes," said Phil Gleaves, who trains Mambo Meister for Quantum Racing Team. "Seriously, we had always wanted to sprint him, and after he won the [Grade 3] Memorial Day Handicap [at 1 1/16^th miles on the main track at Calder], there wasn't much else to run him in, so we entered him in the [Grade 2] Smile Sprint Handicap."

In that six-furlong race at Calder, his first start at under a mile, Mambo Meister rallied from 10^th to finish second, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Big Drama.

"It was a very good race," said Gleaves. "We looked around the country, and we elected to run him in the Vanderbilt to see where he fits in with the best sprinters. Hopefully, it will be a stepping-stone to the [Grade 1] Forego [September 4]."

Mambo Meister is 9-5-5 from 29 lifetime starts, having won the Grade 3 Miami Mile Handicap on the turf in April and also finishing fourth to Quality Road in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap in February.

His final work for the Vanderbilt will be Monday, when he will work three furlongs after the break, said Gleaves.

* * *

After a one-year absence, trainer Neil Howard is back at Saratoga Race Course in his familiar barn near the main track.

"I have always held Saratoga in the highest regard," said the 61-year-old Riverdale, N.Y. native. "I didn't come here last year because I didn't think I had the horses to run here. I decided to take a pass last summer. I thought it would be beneficial to lay low. It doesn't mean that it was easier."

Howard has had many highlights at Saratoga throughout his training career including Weekend Delight (1984 Schuylerville), Summer Squall (1989 Hopeful and Saratoga Special), Top Account (1995 King's Bishop), Runup the Colors (1997 Alabama), Tomisue's Delight (1998 Personal Ensign), Parade Ground (1998 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame), Comic Strip (1999 Fourstardave Handicap), and Shadow Cast (2005 Personal Ensign).

More recently, Howard came inches short of winning two Travers when Grasshopper was beaten a half-length by Street Sense in the 2007 edition and Mambo in Seattle was edged out by a nose to Colonel John in the 2008 running.

"Those are rare fortunate occurrences," Howard said about that experience.

This year, Howard has 18 horses stabled at Saratoga. He started the Saratoga meet with a third-place finish from Dandyna in a maiden race and a fifth-place finish from graded stakes winner Atoned in the James Marvin Stakes on Opening Day.

"We have a variety of horses here," Howard said. "We've got young horses coming along. It's always nice to be here at Saratoga. Now, we are back here and I am glad to be here."

* * *

West Point Thoroughbreds' unbeaten Belle of the Hall will step up in class in next Saturday's Grade 1 Test, trainer Tom Albertrani confirmed.

A five-length debut winner against Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park in April, Belle of the Hall drew clear to a 2 ¾-length victory in a Belmont allowance in May in her first start against winners. She made her stakes debut 17 days later in the June 12 Jostle at Philadelphia Park, stalking the pace and digging in to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

"She's progressing very nicely and we have been able to step up each time," said Albertrani of the 3-year-old daughter of Graeme Hall. "She won a stakes in her third start with a short rest between races. It wasn't until after that we decided to test her in the Test – no pun intended."

Albertrani added that Belle of the Hall will breeze five furlongs on the main track Sunday morning.

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