Another Miracle will be well bet when trying turf in Skidmore Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gary Contessa pulled off a major upset in one of Saratoga’s stakes for 2-year-olds last year, as Sippican Harbor paid $34 for her victory in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes despite a 17-length maiden score in her prior outing.

Sippican Harbor never recaptured that form, and was retired and bred to Medaglia d’Oro earlier this year after an injury. But Contessa has another group of 2-year-olds in the barn, and one of them, Another Miracle, figures to be a much shorter price in the $100,000 Skidmore Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for juveniles on Friday at the Spa.

Another Miracle, who is from the first crop of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, finished second in his debut at Belmont Park. The winner, Green Light Go, subsequently came back to win the Grade 2 Saratoga Special here last Saturday. Another Miracle then won an off-the-turf maiden special weight on July 24 at Saratoga. The Beyer Speed Figures he earned in his two outings – a 76 and a 83 – are the best career numbers in this field.

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Manny Franco, aboard Another Miracle for both his starts, keeps the mount Friday as the colt tries turf for the first time. American Pharoah, who was a Grade 1 winner on a synthetic surface as a juvenile, has been off to a hot start with his turf runners, including a trio of high-level performers in Europe – French Group 3 winner Maven, Irish Group 1-placed Monarch of Egypt, and French stakes-placed Saggara King.

Montauk Daddy, who will have Jose Lezcano in the irons for Linda Rice, has faced stakes-quality horses in his two outings, both at Belmont. He finished second to Tuggle in his first start, in a maiden taken off the turf. Tuggle came back to finish third to Green Light Go in the Saratoga Special. Montauk Daddy then got on the turf for the first time to win a Belmont maiden with a Beyer of 74, the top number in this race after Another Miracle.

Montauk Daddy is by the young Scat Daddy stallion Daddy Long Legs, who was off to an outstanding start with his first juveniles in Chile before being purchased to stand in the U.S.

Now Is is still a maiden after four starts, but finished second in the Tyro Stakes on the Monmouth Park turf last time out. The maiden winners Frosted Rose, Memorable, River Hawk, and Venerate, and the maiden Proven Strategies complete the Skidmore field.