Contessa eyes Birdstone repeat

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A year ago, trainer Gary Contessa sent out Turco Bravo to win the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone Stakes. He’s confident he can duplicate that feat Aug. 3 with another long-winded Chilean-bred, the multiple graded stakes-placed Tu Brutus.

Tu Brutus was an instant sensation despite losing his U.S. debut at Aqueduct on April 8, earning a whopping 118 Beyer Speed Figure after finishing second, beaten a half-length by Send It In, in the Grade 3 Excelsior. Tu Brutus came back four weeks later with an easy victory in the 11-furlong Flat Out at Belmont Park but disappointed in his most recent appearance, finishing a tiring third as the 1-2 favorite in the Grade 2 Brooklyn at 1 1/2 miles.

“He came out of the Brooklyn sick, congested, with a guttural pouch infection. It absolutely cost him the race,” Contessa said shortly after working Tu Brutus a mile in 1:42.40 over the main track here Monday.

“But he’s doing great now. He worked fantastic this morning. I told the rider to break him off at the five-eighths pole and just sit, don’t even breathe, and he went a mile in 1:42 back to the three-quarter pole, just galloping in 12 and 3, 12 and 3, and 12 and 3 at the end. This is definitely a horse who will run all day.”

Contessa said there is also a chance that Turco Bravo will defend his title in the Birdstone even though the 8-year-old gelding has been off form ever since that victory, finishing off the board in all five subsequent starts.

“I’d rather not run them against each other,” Contessa said. “It is really a mismatch at this point between the two of them, so I’m hoping I can find an easier spot for Turco Bravo between now and then.”

Gaudet expands role with NYRA

Gabby Gaudet, who has spent the bulk of her time as a racing analyst working for The Stronach Group, will flip the script starting this summer and now spend the majority of her time working for the New York Racing Association.

For the second straight summer, Gaudet will work for NYRA at the Saratoga meet, which begins Friday. However, she will continue to work at NYRA though Dec. 2 – Cigar Mile Day at Aqueduct. Gaudet will work the entire Belmont Park fall meet.

In 2018, Gaudet will work at NYRA from Wood Memorial Day in early April through November.

Gaudet, 26, has worked at the Maryland Jockey Club tracks, covering Pimlico and Laurel, since 2013. She has worked at Gulfstream Park the last two winter meets, which typically run from early December through early April. The Stronach Group owns all of those tracks.

While it is not yet definite that Gaudet will return to Gulfstream this winter, she said her NYRA schedule affords “the flexibility to explore opportunities in Florida during the winter.”

At NYRA, Gaudet will do the “Talking Horses” segment with Andy Serling. She will also be part of the “Saratoga Live” and “Belmont Live” shows that typically air 2 to 2 1/2 hours of live coverage. While the “Saratoga Live” shows air every day of the meet, there are about 10 “Belmont Live” shows during the fall meet.

“First and foremost, I’m very excited,” Gaudet said. “I had the opportunity to work with everybody in New York racing last summer at Saratoga. I thought the ‘Saratoga Live’ shows were amazing to be a part of. The expanded role with NYRA is a unique opportunity for me. They’re pretty innovative in terms of the live shows. I think it makes sense as a next step in my career.”

Gaudet’s hiring comes a week after NYRA announced it had hired Paul Lo Duca, formerly of TVG, to work on its live cable broadcasts at Saratoga and Belmont. Those two will work the daily cable broadcasts along with Maggie Wolfendale, Serling, Greg Wolf, and Tom Amoss.

Sweet Loretta breezes on turf

Trainer Todd Pletcher tried something a little different on Sunday with his 3-year-old filly Sweet Loretta, putting the Grade 1 winner on the Belmont Park turf, where she breezed four furlongs in company in 48.93 seconds, getting her final three-eighths in 35.69.

Sweet Loretta, who won the Grade 1 Spinaway and Grade 3 Schuylerville here last summer, is coming off a fourth-place finish, beaten eight lengths by Abel Tasman, going a mile in the Grade 1 Acorn.

“I’ll bring her up here and probably work her on the turf again,” Pletcher said. “I’m just trying to keep all our options open with her. Right now, I have nothing definite picked out for her next start, although we’ve pretty much ruled out the Test at this point.”