NYRA NOTES Time Limit looks to build on impressive debut in The Stillwater

By Brian Bohl moving to the Spa, Time Limit, trained by Mike Maker, will look to earn stakes black type after besting a six-horse field in a five-furlong sprint on June 23 at Belmont under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano.

“I told Javier in the paddock that I think she could run,” said Maker assistant Nolan Ramsey. “She got out of the gate quick, got the lead and never looked back. We were really pleased with her.”

Time Limit arrived at Saratoga from Belmont and breezed five furlongs in 1:01.66 on Saturday as she settles in to her new surroundings.

“She worked this morning and it was solid. She’s a really happy filly and we have no complaints, so we’re looking forward to it,” Ramsey said. “She really took the track and really seemed to like it.”

Jockey Jose Ortiz will take over for Castellano aboard the daughter of Bustin Stones, breaking from post 6 as she looks for success over the same track on which she breezed.

Trainer Gary Contessa will saddle two contenders, with last-out winner Classy Sadie and Jen’s Battle, who ran third in her debut in the race won by Time Limit last month.

Owned by Pines Stables, John Irwin, Paul Daley and Debra Ann Acri, Classy Sadie ran third in her first start on May 2 on the Belmont turf before posting a 3 ¾-length score in a fourhorse field to win a five-furlong sprint taken off the turf on June 20 at Belmont.

After the gate-to-wire effort in that win, Contessa said he wanted to keep the Emcee filly on the main track.

“She won her last race pretty handily and came back good. She’s a good front-running option,” he said.

Eric Cancel, aboard for both of her starts, will have the return call and will exit post 4.

Leonard Green’s Jen’s Battle will be looking for a maiden-breaking win after her third-place outing. The Declaration of War filly breezed Sunday on Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track, working four furlongs in 49.29 seconds.

“I ran her the first time and I expected her to win, but she broke bad and then started getting green from the dirt in her face,” Contessa said. “Then, she finally figured it out and came running going fiveeighths. So, I really believe in her and think she’s a nice filly. I think the fact this race is six furlongs will help. She’s a little more seasoned and has that race under her belt. She’s a great come-from-behind option.”

Manny Franco will be in the irons from post 1.