Classy Act can bounce back in Test Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Classy Act had put away Mia Mischief, turned back the challenge of Sower, and seemed on her way to winning the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes last month at Belmont Park. But along the inside came 47-1 longshot Dixie Serenade to get up in the final jump and win by a neck.

“I really thought if she could have seen or felt that horse, she could have held her off,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “She ran huge; she ran great. I do look for her to bounce back well.”

Classy Act looks to bounce back in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes for 3-yearold fillies at Saratoga. Classy Act was one of nine entered Wednesday for the Test, run at seven furlongs.

Any worries that the Victory Ride took a toll on Classy Act were removed when Calhoun saw her at the test barn after the race.

“She wasn’t stressed at all,” Calhoun said.

Then, last Saturday, Classy Act worked four furlongs in 47.55 seconds over the Oklahoma training track and galloped out five furlongs in 59.98.

“Just in a gallop,” Calhoun said. “You would have never thought she went that fast looking at it.”

Dixie Serenade was not entered in the Test. Those who were include Alter Moon and Separationofpowers from the barn of Chad Brown, Cathedral, Reader, Kelly’s Humor, Mia Mischief, Minit to Stardom, Norma’s Charm, and Spectator.

Mom’s On Strike in Waya

Trainer Joe Sharp has gotten off to a great start at the meet, winning four races from his first eight starters.

On Saturday, Sharp will look for his first graded stakes victory at Saratoga when he sends out Mom’s On Strike in the Grade 3, $200,000 Waya Stakes at 1 1/2 miles.

Mom’s On Strike won her first graded stakes when she galloped to a 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Bewitch at the Waya distance. Last out, she finished fourth under Adam Beschizza, beaten two lengths, in the Grade 2 New York at 1 1/4 miles.

“Adam came back and said last time with those kind of horses, we need the extra distance,” Sharp said.

A field of eight was entered Wednesday for the Waya, including Homeland Security, Lottie, Queen of Connaught, Santa Monica, Summersault, Tricky Escape, and Violet Blue.

Voodoo Song eyes bigger prize

Voodoo Song, who won four races at last year’s Saratoga meet, was entered Wednesday to make his first start of the 2018 Saratoga meet in the $100,000 Lure Stakes.

It is not certain he will stay in the race as owner Barry Schwartz on Wednesday indicated a desire to run Voodoo Song in the Grade 1 Fourstardave here on Aug. 11.

“I think it’s time to step up,” Schwartz said. “It’s his favorite track and distance; everything points to taking a shot.”

Trainer Linda Rice said she entered Voodoo Song to keep her options open. Rice said she is also concerned about running Voodoo Song on soft turf, and the forecast for Friday calls for more than an inch of rain in the Saratoga area.

Last year, Voodoo Song began the meet with a win in a $40,000 claiming race on July 22. He came back four days later to win a New Yorkbred allowance. He finished the meet by winning two races in 11 days, capped by the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes.

This year, Voodoo Song is 2 for 4, including a sharp victory in the Forbidden Apple Stakes last out.

Others entered in the Lure are Ballagh Rocks, Blacktype, Camelot Kitten, Conquest Panthera, Dalarna, Inspector Lynley, Ticonderoga, and Zennor.

Zennor won last year’s Lure Stakes but hasn’t run since.

Uni fresh for De La Rose

Uni, who was scratched out of the Grade 1 Gamely at Santa Anita in May, will return to the races in Saturday’s $100,000 De La Rose Stakes at Saratoga.

Uni, who began her 4-year-old campaign with a victory in the Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct in April, got sick when she shipped from New York to California for the Gamely and had to scratch. It took a little while for Uni to get over her illness, but her recent workouts appear to have her ready to return.

Uni has been working with Precieuse, an Irish-bred filly who hasn’t raced since June 2017. Both Uni and Precieuse are trained by Chad Brown.

Others entered in the De La Rose were Bletchley, Care Lady, Lido, On Leave, Pas De Soucis, Thundering Sky, and Well Acquainted.

COADY PHOTOGRAPHY Classy Act, shown winning an allowance in June, worked last Saturday for the Grade 1 Test.