Spa launched stars last summer
» For some people, twoyear-old racing, which ostensibly provides an early glimpse at some of the “stars of tomorrow,” is one of the main attractions at Saratoga. Twoyear-olds, however, aren’t the only horses who come into their own at the Spa. Last year, for example, the top performers included five runners who, going into the meet, had yet to win a graded stakes. With momentum begun at Saratoga, horses from the group went on to earn two Eclipse Awards and to finish second and third in balloting in two other categories. The fifth horse was voted the New York-bred horse of the year.
Arrogate
After four straight electrifying victories that have put him on the fast track to the Hall of Fame, it’s hard to believe Arrogate was a virtual unknown – at least outside California – when he came to Saratoga last summer. The late-developing Bob Baffert colt was coming off a pair of impressive allowance wins, but had yet to start in a stakes at any level. Dismissed at 11-1 in the Travers, he proceeded to break a 37-year-old track record while winning by 13½ lengths. He started only once more in 2016, defeating California Chrome in the BC Classic, and was named champion threeyear-old colt.
Unfortunately, Arrogate, who has been the topranked horse in the world for most of 2017, will reportedly not visit Saratoga this summer. Instead he will be at Del Mar, where his likely starts are tomorrow’s San Diego Handicap (G2) and the Pacific Classic (G1) on August 19.
Drefong
The second of Bob Baffert’s stealth bombers to strike Saratoga last summer was Drefong, who, like Arrogate, was making his stakes debut in a Grade 1 (the King’s Bishop Stakes) at the Spa. The son of Gio Ponti had won his last three starts – a maiden special and a pair of allowances – by a combined 18¼ lengths, enough to make him a narrow 3-1 choice in the King’s Bishop. Despite starting from the number 12 hole, he made the lead fairly easily, drawing off late to score by 3¼ lengths. (The King’s Bishop has since been renamed the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes).
Drefong has started only once since, winning the BC Sprint, a performance that secured the Eclipse Award for male sprinter. He reportedly will make his 2017 debut in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) on July 29.
Mind Your Biscuits
Prior to Saratoga 2016, Mind Your Biscuits had performed well against his fellow New York-breds, winning twice and hitting the board in all but one of eight starts. The Amsterdam Stakes (G2), his first start in open company, was a significant jump in class, but the son of Posse was up to the task, coming on late to prevail by 1 ¾ lengths.
Mind Your Biscuits could do no better than fifth behind Drefong in the King’s Bishop, but closed out the year by finishing a close second in the BC Sprint and then –
after running second in a Grade 3 at Parx – winning the Malibu Stakes (G1). For his efforts, the Robert Falcone Jr. trainee was awarded three New York-bred championships, including 2016 Horse of the Year.
Mind Your Biscuits is off to a strong start in 2017, winning the Group 1 Golden Shaheen in Dubai and the Belmont Sprint Championship (G2) among his three starts. He is considered “probable” for the Forego.
Haveyougoneaway
Mind Your Biscuits wasn’t the only New Yorkbred whose success at Saratoga was instrumental in building a national reputation. Haveyougoneaway, a five-year-old mare who had done most of her previous racing in Oklahoma and Arkansas, came to the Spa after two solid outings at Belmont for new trainer Tom Morley. She then proceeded to sweep Saratoga’s two major stakes for older female sprinters, winning the Honorable Miss (G2) and Ballerina (G1) with strong off-the-pace efforts. Beaten horses in the Ballerina included Grade 1 winners Sheer Drama, Wavell Avenue, By the Moon and Carina Mia.
In her final career start, Haveyougoneaway finished off the board in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint. She was named champion New York-bred female sprinter and was second in Eclipse voting in the same category.
Tourist
As a seasoned Grade 1 performer over the past three years, Tourist was well known to close followers of racing prior to Saratoga 2016. The five-yearold Tiznow horse had hit the board in four Grade 1s – including seconds in the Secretariat and Shoemaker Mile – but had yet to win a graded race at any level. His lone stakes victory had come in the ungraded Sir Cat Stakes at Saratoga in 2014.
Tourist won the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) in fairly comfortable fashion, holding off A Lot to prevail by 1¼ lengths. Three months later, he added a second Grade 1 by denying the great Tepin in the BC Mile, the career finale for both horses. Tourist finished third in the balloting for champion turf male. He stands at WinStar Farm, where his 2017 fee was $12,500.
Jeff Scott writes about horse racing in The Saratogian. He may be reached at utahpine1@ aol.com. SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The talented Dream It Is ships down from Woodbine Race Track in Toronto for the Schuylerville Stakes on opening day at Saratoga Race Course.
The Grade 3 Schuylerville, worth $150,000, is for 2-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs and will be run for the 99th time.
Dream It Is, a daughter of Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford, is owned by Hoolie Racing Stable and trained by Barbara J. Minshall.
Luis Contreras jockey.
“She came with our first group of babies to Woodbine,” said Minshall from her Woodbine headquarters. “She looked an early type and she has always done everything right. She is a good-minded filly with a sweet and good nature.”
Dream It Is broke her maiden at first asking on May 27, winning by a length and a quarter at 4 ½ furlongs after being prominent all the way.
In her next, the $100,000 My Dear Stakes at 5 furlongs, she won an early pace battle and drew off to win by nearly five lengths.
The Woodbine main track is synthetic, so Dream It Is makes her first start on dirt in the Schuylerville.
“I don’t think the dirt will make a difference, because almost all of her works up here are on the (dirt) training track,” commented Minshall. “I’ve worked her behind some older horses to get some dirt in her face and she has handled it. I know the waters get deeper here, but if she continues to break well, as she has, I think she will be all right.”
One of the top trainers at Woodbine, Minshall won her nation’s Sovereign Award in 1996.
She was the first female trainer to win a race in the Canadian Triple Crown series, capturing the Prince of is the Wales in 1995 and 1996, respectively, with Kiridashi and Stephanotis.
Minshall also trained multiple graded stakes winner Mt. Sassafras.
All nine entrants in the Schuylerville are winners, with Dream It Is and Best Performance racing without the medication Lasix.
Best Performance comes out of a second in the Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park on June 8.
The other stakes winner in the field is Buy Sell Hold, also unbeaten in two starts and holding a victory over males in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs on May 4.
Mel’s Gone Wild was a sharp debut winner at Parx on June 17, winning by 4 ½ lengths over Miz Mayhem, who won her next start.
Stainless also dominated a next out winner in her debut at Gulfstream Park on May 29, winning easily over Go Astray.
Yet another impressive debut winner in here is Snowfire, who drew off by four lengths at Churchill Downs on June 29 at this distance.
Completing the Schuylerville field are Limited View, Pacific Gale, and Laudation.
The Lake George
Eleven sophomore fillies are entered in Friday’s Lake George Stakes on turf.
The Grade 3 event at 1 1/16 miles is worth $150,000.
Trainer Chad Brown’s powerful stable is represented by Fifty Five, winner of the Florida Oaks earlier this year and a troubled second in her most recent outing, the Wonder Again on June 8 at Belmont.
Party Boat won the Memories of Silver at this distance on April 23 at Aqueduct, in which Fifty Five was third.
The first two finishers in the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 17 are in the Lake George.
Sweeping Paddy won the Regret over Proctor’s Ledge, who goes on Lasix for the first time in the Lake George.
Dream Dancing fits this group, having captured the Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 4, in which Party Boat was third.
Victory to Victory, an allowance winner this year, is seeking to regain her form of last year when she won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine.
Completing the Lake George field are Fizzy Friday, Defiant Honor, Chubby Star, and Super Marina.
Corporate Queen is entered for the main track only.