Saratoga: Agave Kiss targets Prioress

Barbara D. Livingston

Agave Kiss, with trainer Rudy Rodriguez up, works four furlongs in 50.16 seconds over Saratoga’s main track Wednesday.

Agave Kiss, who suffered her first career defeat when finishing fifth at 1-5 in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes, is still on target for the Grade 1 Prioress here Aug. 4, trainer Rudy Rodriguez said.

On Wednesday, Agave Kiss worked four furlongs in 50.16 seconds over Saratoga’s main track, going her first quarter in 24.90 and second quarter in 25.26.

Rodriguez, who was aboard for the move, was happy with the work, saying he didn’t want to do too much with the filly in her first breeze back from the Victory Ride.

“Maybe we’ll come back and do a little more next time, but that was what I was looking for,” Rodriguez said. “She looked very good.”

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Agave Kiss, a New York-bred daughter of Lion Heart, had won her first six starts, including four stakes, before the Victory Ride. In that race, she was pressed hard through fast fractions before backing up. She was beaten 12 1/2 lengths by Emma’s Encore, who also is expected to run in the Prioress.

“I was looking for excuses and I can’t find any,” Rodriguez said. “I’m hoping it was just a bad day. Right now, she is very good.”

Rodriguez said Agave Kiss “acted a little bit crazy” when she first arrived here from Aqueduct, “but she settled down pretty good right now.”