Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Englehart has solid pair for N.Y.-bred juvenile stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Jeremiah Englehart has assembled a nice group of 2-year-olds this year and will be well represented in Friday’s pair of $200,000 juvenile stakes for New York-breds on Saratoga’s 11-race New York Showcase Day program.
In the Funny Cide, Englehart will send out the sharp debut winner Aveenu Malcainu in a field of eight males, and in the Seeking the Ante for fillies, Englehart has the open stakes winner I Still Miss You in against eight opponents. Both races are carded at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Aveenu Malcainu, a son of Into Mischief, rallied from well off the pace to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race here July 28. Though Englehart was originally thinking about rnning him in the Grade 1 Hopeful on Sept. 4, he said the colt “acts like he wants to get back over there.”
Also, Englehart said that by running Aveenu Malcainu here, it gives him more time to prepare for the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park on Oct. 7.
“I think he can compete against open company,” Englehart said.
The Funny Cide drew What a Catch, who is 2 for 2, including a victory in the Rockville Centre on closing weekend at Belmont Park, and Inalienable Rights, who won his six-furlong debut with a sustained bid at Belmont on July 14.
In the Seeking the Ante, I Still Miss You will try to rebound from her second-place finish as the 1-5 favorite in the Lynbrook Stakes. The loss became a bit easier to take when race winner Pure Silver came back to win the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes here Aug. 12.
“I thought she would win the New York-bred race at Belmont, and that was a tough pill to swallow,” Englehart said. “I figured we were better at that time. We weren’t.”
The Seeking the Ante attracted two fillies from Southern California: Cause We Are Loyal, an 8 1/4-length winner at Los Alamitos for trainer Doug O’Neill on July 15, and Newport Breeze, a half-length winner at Del Mar for Peter Eurton on July 23.
“Originally, the Spinaway was my main goal, but we decided to keep her against New York-breds,” Englehart said of I Still Miss You. “This is still a pretty salty race.”
KEY CONTENDERS FUNNY CIDE (RACE 5)
Aveenu Malcainu, by Into Mischief Beyer: 76
◗ Rallied four wide down the center of the track to win by three-quarters of a length in a race from which third-place finisher Looking Ready came back to win his maiden.
◗ Englehart said he is a little concerned about running the horse four weeks after a fast race, but added, “He’s going to appreciate the extra furlong.”
What a Catch, by Justin Phillip Beyers: 75-55
◗ Won both his starts at Belmont, coming from slightly off the pace to win a maiden race and going gate to wire to win the Rockville Centre.
“He’s pretty versatile,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’ll do whatever is needed. He drew a favorable post position. We’ll see how it unfolds. He’s been very professional and straightforward so far.”
Inalienable Rights, by Mission Impazible Beyer: 71
◗ Rallied from well off the pace to win a six-furlong maiden race at Belmont over a sealed, “good” track by 1 3/4 lengths, a race that produced one next-out winner at Finger Lakes.
“I think he has a lot of quality,” trainer Mark Hennig said. “I figured if he was going to win, that was the way he was going to do it. He’s acted like he’s moved forward mentally from it.”
SEEKING THE ANTE (RACE 8)
I Still Miss You, by Majestic Warrior Last 3 Beyers: 75-74-62
◗ Ran three times at Belmont in a 67-day period and won twice, including the Astoria Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths against open company.
◗ She stalked but could not catch Pure Silver in the Lynbrook Stakes.
◗ Breaks from post 8 of nine, giving jockey Javier Castellano options.
Newport Breeze, by Majestic Warrior Beyers: 60-43
◗ Finished fifth to Spectator in her debut in June at Santa Anita. Spectator came back to win the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths at Del Mar on Aug. 5.
◗ Newport Breeze came back to win her maiden going six furlongs in a race where she was pressed throughout and still held off the inside-rallying Dancing Belle to win by a halflength.
◗ Eurton was able to secure the services of the meet’s leading rider, Jose Ortiz.
Cause We Are Loyal, by Creative Cause Beyers: 56-45
◗ Ran third in her debut going 4 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita, a race from which the runner-up came back to win twice, including a California-bred stakes at Del Mar.
◗ Cause We Are Loyal came back to win her maiden by 8 1/4 lengths at Los Alamitos on July 15.