** For video of Sunday morning interviews with trainers Al Stall, Jr. (Whitney winner Blame) and Todd Pletcher (beaten favorite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBIZzPyKva0 **
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
(518) 584-6200, ext. 4237
- Blame exits Whitney in good order, Jockey Club Gold Cup next
- Quality Road to go next in Woodward
- Whitney third-place finisher Musket Man also eying Woodward
- Lukas mulls options for Mine That Bird
- Test top two feeling tip-top
- Pica Slew fine after Test loss
- Zito mulling Travers options
- Healthy Debate makes turf debut in State of Liberty
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Blame came out of his thrilling Whitney victory over heavy favorite Quality Road in good order, trainer Al Stall, Jr., reported Sunday morning, and will make his next start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Saturday, October 2.
"Seth Hancock [of Claiborne Farm] was here this morning and we firmed things up –
the Jockey Club Gold Cup will be his next race," said Stall of the 1 ¼ mile race. "It will be that, and then the Breeders' Cup Classic. We'll take him back to Keeneland in a couple of weeks, let him train there, and bring him back up to
Stall said he watched the Whitney replay several times in the Saratoga Room at the track after the race, which was Blame's fifth straight victory, and was happy to report that "he won every time."
"I thought if he were in striking distance at the three-eighths pole, he had a shot," said Stall. "He really does have a great punch from the three-eighths pole, and Garrett [Gomez] was just reeling
* * *
Quality Road, who set moderate fractions and was overtaken in the final strides by Blame to miss by a head, also came out of the Whitney in fine shape, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning.
"It was a tough beat," said Pletcher. "He was basically alone on the lead. He's generally a little more focused when he has a target [but] there wasn't anyone eager to take the lead yesterday, so we kind of inherited it. He's one of those horses that does things so easily, he was kind of waiting on the competition."
While disappointed with the loss, Quality Road's first in four starts this year, Pletcher said the 4-year-old Elusive Quality colt remains on schedule to make his next start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward at Saratoga on Saturday, September 4.
"If he continues to do well, I see no reason to change our plans," he said of the 1 1/8th mile Woodward. "It was still a very good effort and we lost to a very good horse."
Pletcher added he was looking forward to a rematch with Blame down the road.
"I probably think more about the losses than I do about the wins, but at the end of the day we still have goals; the Woodward and hopefully the Breeders' Cup Classic if he goes," he said. "He got beat spotting an extremely good horse five pounds. Not taking anything away from Blame; we look forward to trying him at equal weights."
* * *
Though he didn't get his preferred trip in Saturday's Whitney Handicap, Eric Fein's Musket Man emerged from his third-place finish in good order and trainer Derek Ryan was pleased with the colt's effort.
"He looks pretty good [this morning], no problems," Ryan said. "[Pressing the pace], that's not his style. He likes to sit back a little bit. When they're going that slow, if he [hadn't pressed
Musket Man won the Super Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in February in his first start of the year, then was second to Warrior's Reward in the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct on April 3 and third in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on May 1, all run at seven furlongs. Runner-up to
"We'll probably keep him going long now for the rest of the year," Ryan said. "One of these days he's going to get a legitimate pace and a race will set up for him. I'll probably either run him back here [in the Woodward] or wait for the Hawthorne Gold Cup, then the Breeders' Cup."
* * *
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said this morning that 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird "came out well" following his fifth-place finish in the Whitney. Racing along the rail with Calvin Borel aboard, Mine That Bird trailed the field and passed one horse at the finish.
While Lukas was disappointed with Mine That Bird's performance, he believes the 4-year-old gelding still may have needed the race, his second start of 2010.
"I was very disappointed on how far back he was in light of the fact he just worked out here in 1:12 and they ran in 11 and change," Lukas said. "He's supposed to be a lot closer. He might need to get a race under his belt to be mentally sharp because he's fit. He didn't even take a breath."
As for the future of Mine That Bird, Lukas said he is considering the Woodward.
"Right now that would be the next stop," Lukas said. "I'll talk to the owners get their input but that's definitely an option."
* * *
Champagne d'Oro exited her sparkling victory in yesterday's Grade 1 Test in good shape, her trainer Eric Guillot said Sunday morning.
"She had been training like a boogie bear finding her way in the forest, and now she's out of the forest," said Guillot. "She went 44 to the half and drew off – that doesn't happen too often."
The Grade 1 Ballerina, a seven-furlong event for fillies and mares on the August 28 Travers undercard, will be one of several options for
Plans remain undetermined for Bonnie Blue Flag, runner-up in the Test.
"She looks good, and Bob was happy with the way she ran," said Tonja Terranova, who oversees Bob Baffert's horses in
* * *
Trainer Mike Hushion said this morning that his recently acquired filly Pica Slew, owned by Terra Di Sienna Stables, is fine following her eighth-place finish as the favorite in the Test Stakes.
Starting from post position No. 1, Pica Slew battled with eventual winner Champagne d'Oro through a first quarter that went in 22.41 seconds and a half mile in 44.50 seconds. Pica Slew before fading in the final furlong.
"She's perfectly fine. I still think she's a good filly," Hushion said. "I think there was too much pace for her going seven-eighths. I'll certainly keep her sprinting. I think that still part of the plan. I'll have to talk to the owners and see where she goes from here."
Going into the Test, Pica Slew had a three-race winning streak, including the Grade 3 Azalea Stakes at Calder.
* * *
While Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito said he plans to nominate Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box, Dwyer winner and Belmont second-place finisher Fly Down, and Jim Dandy runner-up Miner's Reserve for the Grade 1, $1 million Travers, he explained that he wished to see how the race developed before making a decision about which horses might be entered.
"Let me see who's in it, let me see who's running, and let me go from there," Zito said. "You really got to look at that race and train, and make sure they are doing well. Hopefully, we get somebody in the gate; hopefully, they do well enough to be able to run."
Zito finally noted that Ice Box, Fly Down, and Miner's Reserve could have light workouts over the Oklahoma Training Track on Thursday.
* * *
Repole Stable's Healthy Debate, winner of four straight, makes her turf debut against nine 3-year-old fillies in Thursday's $100,000 Statue of Liberty Division of the New York Stallion Series at 1 1/16th miles.
The daughter of Freud, trained by Bruce Brown, finished eighth at the Spa in her only start of 2009 and returned this year to win a maiden claimer at
Also entered, from the rail out, were In Your Dreams, Northern Berkshire, Catalina Lady, In Te Domine, Simmy, Lindsay's Point, Loyal Shadow, Bretton Woods, and Raffie's Rose.
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