Ancient Goddess promising import for P.G. Johnson Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wednesday’s $100,000 P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga, which honors the memory of the late Hall of Fame trainer, is filled with question marks. None is bigger, perhaps, than how European invader Ancient Goddess will run in her U.S. and two-turn debut against six other juvenile fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.
Ancient Goddess posted a win and a second in launching her career in her native France, with both starts coming against males.
“The maiden race she won was against colts and I’m told was pretty well regarded over there,” said John Terranova, who welcomed the daughter of Iffraaj into his barn at Saratoga just two weeks ago.
She was subsequently purchased privately by Sovereign Stable and turned over to Terranova.
“She came to us looking great,” Terranova said on Wednesday. “She’s a big, strong filly, dappled from head to toe, and has done everything right since she got here. She trains like a good filly. She was breezing right along before shipping over. I just let her go out in company over the turf here last week and she galloped out real strong. She schooled in the gate this morning and was perfect. Sometime you don’t know what you’re up against with babies. Some of these fillies haven’t been on the turf yet, and most haven’t been around two turns, including ours. But I wouldn’t trade positions going into this race with anybody.”
Three of Ancient Goddess’s six rivals are coming off a maiden win, including Rainha Da Bateria for trainer Graham Motion. Rainha Da Bateria gave every indication she wanted to go farther when she rallied from the rear of the field to post a head victory going 5 1/2 furlongs in her debut.
Magnificent Margo also rallied from off the pace to win her lone start, which came here at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Sunday Sonnet cruised to a 7 1/2-length maiden victory, albeit against only three rivals, in a race switched from the turf to a muddy main track here on July 27.
Completing the field are Partisan Politics, beaten a head by Rainha Da Bateria in her only start; Flying Tipat, the only member of the field to have run 1 1/16 miles; and Florida invader Slava.
KEY CONTENDERS
Ancient Goddess
◗ Ancient Goddess is running with Lasix for the first time. The Terranova barn is 9 for 101 over the past five years with horses racing first time with Lasix, according to DRF Formulator.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT:No. 1 Ancient Goddess. Trainer John Terranova is 2 for 11 with a $3.18 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds after a trainer switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Rainha Da Bateria (Beyer Speed Figure: 68)
◗ She should have little trouble handling the extra distance after winning at 5 1/2 furlongs, being a half-sister to two-turn graded stakes winners Assateague and Kindergarden Kid.
◗ Trainer Graham Motion has a 16 percent success rate with horses stretching out from sprints to distances of more than a mile over the past five years according to DRF Formulator.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT:No. 2 Sunday Sonnet. Trainer Kelly Breen has not had one hit the board in the past five years with horses trying turf for the first time following a victory. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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