Abel Tasman, Elate rematched in Personal Ensign

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After winning the race the last two years, trainer Bob Baffert won’t have a runner in this year’s Travers Stakes, but he certainly will have a significant player in one of Saturday’s undercard races.

Baffert is shipping champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman to Saratoga for Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign Stakes, where she will square off again with Elate in a rematch of last summer’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, won narrowly by Abel Tasman.

Abel Tasman hasn’t run since taking the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont by 7 1/2 lengths on June 9. Elate, in her lone start this year, won the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap on July 14.

Both 4-year-old fillies put in workouts Sunday. At Del Mar, Abel Tasman went five furlongs in 1:01.00. At Saratoga, Elate went four furlongs in 49.50 seconds, with a final quarter of 23.87 seconds.

“I know Bill Mott’s scaring the hell out of me bragging about Elate,” Baffert said. “I’m glad they don’t run that race on the Oklahoma track. I won’t be able to beat her.”

Mott has been very pleased with Elate’s training since the Delaware Handicap, capped by a fairly easy, albeit visually impressive, move on Sunday.

“She finished up nicely, galloped out well enough,” Mott said. “It was what I asked. I thought it was good.”

Baffert is also sending Marley’s Freedom for the Grade 1 Ballerina.

Others expected for the Personal Ensign are Farrell, Wow Cat, and Fuhriously Kissed and She Takes Heart, both owned by Ron Paolucci’s Loooch Racing.