Americanrevolution back from long layoff in Evan Shipman

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though Americanrevolution ended his 3-year-old season in 2021 as a Grade 1 winner, his connections felt the son of Constitution still had more to accomplish.

It didn’t happen last year as Americanrevolution went winless in three starts, including a runner-up finish to Olympiad in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. Myriad minor issues have kept Americanrevolution away from the races for 11 months, a respite that ends Friday with his return in the $125,000 Evan Shipman Stakes for New York-breds at Saratoga.

Americanrevolution is 4 for 4 against New York-breds, three of those wins coming in stakes. His biggest win came in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in December 2021, and he looked poised to be a player in the older male division at 4. But it was quite an older male dirt division last year with Flightline, Life Is Good, and Olympiad.

“We felt like last year had a lot of high-powered horses in it with Flightline and Life Is Good,” said Elliott Walden, president and CEO of racing operations for WinStar Farm, which co-owns Americanrevolution with China Horse Club. “This year might be a little more timely, and we also wanted to give him an opportunity to do more.”

Walden said Americanrevolution had several starts and stops on the farm over the last 10 months, including a foot abscess that cost him significant time.

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Americanrevolution has eight workouts since June 3, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.71 over Saratoga’s main track.

“Big work, big gallop-out, which indicates to me he’s fit,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We’re carrying 126 pounds, giving away some weight, but I think this is a good starting point to hopefully get going.”

Luis Saez rides Americanrevolution from the rail in this one-mile race.

The veteran Bankit and Dr Ardito are the main threats to Americanrevolution. Bankit won last year’s Shipman by a nose over Sea Foam for what was the sixth of what is now eight career stakes victories for the 7-year-old son of Central Banker who has earned $1.4 millon.

Dr Ardito has won 6 of 9 starts, including 4 of 5 at one mile. He is coming off two straight losses, including a fourth to Bankit where he was beaten 1 3/4 lengths on May 29.

Lobsta, Sundaeswithsandy, Barese, Sherrif Bianco, and Whittington Park complete the field.

Rematch in Union Avenue

Grannys Connection led for virtually every step of the Dancin Renee Stakes except the last one when Kant Hurry Love nailed her on the wire to win that June 25 stakes by a nose at Belmont Park.

Friday, Grannys Connection gets a chance to avenge that defeat when she faces Kant Hurry Love and three others in the $125,000 Union Avenue Stakes going six furlongs at Saratoga.

The Union Avenue was expected to lose a key player as Betsy Blue was entered and expected to run in Wednesday’s Johnstone Mile.

Grannys Connection had won four consecutive races by a combined 27 1/4 lengths when she ran in the Dancin Renee. Trainer Tom Morley felt the ease in which she won those races may have cost her in the Dancin Renee.

“Honestly, I’m hoping that she learned a little bit from that,” Morley said. “She never had to run to the wire in any of them.”

Morley is happy the way Grannys Connection has trained in Saratoga and his biggest concern is weather as he doesn’t want to run her on an off track.

“This is a stakes at Saratoga, people don’t run horses in stakes at Saratoga with no chance at all,” Morley said. “It’s going to take a very fast horse to beat her.”

Javier Castellano will ride Grannys Connection.

Kant Hurry Love stalked Grannys Connection the entire way in the Dancin Renee before surging past her late.

“She’s a gutsy little thing and is gradually getting a little better,” said Dave Duggan, trainer of Kant Hurry Love. “We have Morley’s filly to beat, but we see no regression in our filly. She’s training well, the timing is perfect, and she’s doing well physically.”

Duggan said Kant Hurry Love would move up on a wet track. Trevor McCarthy, who is 2 for 2 on Kant Hurry Love, rides her again from post 5.

Bank On Anna, who won last year’s Union Avenue but is 0 for 4 since; Tempermental, a recent claim by Rob Atras; and Vallelujah complete the field.

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