Another Miracle hoping for Breeders’ Cup berth in G3 Futurity

NYRA Press Office ELMONT, N.Y. >> Leonard C. Green and Jonathan Green’s Another Miracle headlines a talented field of six juveniles assembled for Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity, a six furlong Widener turf sprint at Belmont Park.

Day two of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Racing Festival will see three Breeders’ Cup spots on the line with the Futurity offering an expenses-paid spot in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, while the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl and the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette will award the winners an allfees-paid berth into the Filly and Mare Turf and Juvenile Fillies divisions, respectively.

America’s Day at the Races will broadcast live on Sunday from 2-5:30 p.m. on FS2 with regional coverage airing on MSG Networks from 4-6 p.m.

Trained by Gary Contessa, Another Miracle, with three starts, is the most experienced horse in the Futurity field, highlighted by a last-out score in the Skidmore on August 16 on the Saratoga turf.

The American Pharoah bay, out of the stakes-winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Retraceable, was purchased for $210,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He performed impressively in his July 4 debut at Belmont when second to Green Light Go, who exited that event to win the Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

“There’s nothing to be said bad about him on the dirt. He ran into possibly the best 2-year-old in the country [in Green Light Go],” said Contessa. “But, I had the opportunity to try turf next out and we loved the way he had worked on it. Plus, all the American Pharoahs have been excelling on the turf.”

Despite turfy intentions, Another Miracle graduated at second asking in an off-the-turf maiden sprint, besting eventual Laurel Futurity winner Irish Mias with a front-running effort that garnered a field-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

“The race came off the turf, but he broke his maiden and it set us up to get back on the turf for the stakes race,” said Contessa.

Contessa said the impressive maiden win provided a choice between the Skidmore on turf or the Runhappy Hopeful at seven-furlongs on dirt.

“His works on the turf had been very impressive. Our choices were to run him in the Skidmore or the Hopeful. I wasn’t sure he was ready for seven-eighths and to take on Green Light Go again. We made the right move,” said Contessa.

Although Green Light Go scratched from the Hopeful on the day of the race, Another Miracle was visually impressive in winning his turf and stakes debut. Tracking the speed from second position in the Skidmore, Another Miracle exploded down the lane to a 1 ¾-length victory under regular pilot Manny Franco.

Contessa said he is hoping that Another Miracle can continue his turf prowess on Sunday and punch his ticket for the Breeders’ Cup.

“You bet,” said Contessa. “It’s a ‘Win and You’re In’ race and there are so many of these races that there’s only a few spots left once all the ‘Win and You’re In’ spots are taken. So, we need a big race on Sunday.”

Contessa said the compact, but powerful, colt may be able to stretch out his speed a little further in future races.

“I think he can stretch out, but at some point he’ll have a limitation because he’s a small horse,” said Contessa. “He’s a little fireball, but he’s only 15 hands tall. I don’t know if the wall will be seven-eighths or a mile or maybe he’ll surprise us...but he’s smaller in stature.”

Another leave from Franco.

To win the Futurity, Another Miracle will have to topple a field that includes Grade 3 Sanford runnerup Tomato Bill; impressive maiden winners Four Wheel Drive, Freewheeler and Jack and Noah; as well as restricted stakes winner Embolden.

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Miracle will post 5 under ELMONT, N.Y. >> Quality Response will look to extend her winning West Coast ways into her first graded stakes contest, shipping her 2-for-2 record to New York as part of a sevenhorse field in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette for juvenile fillies on Sunday at Belmont Park.

The 72nd running of the Frizette will offer an all-fees paid berth to the Grade 1, $2 million Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 1 at Santa Anita Park. It also serves as New York’s first prep race in the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” offering 10 qualifying points to the winner and 4-2-1 points to the second-through-fourthplace finishers for the 2020 Grade 1 contest on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Sunday’s one-turn mile