Collusion Illusion gives turf a try in Green Flash
Collusion Illusion was scheduled to have his first start of 2021 in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes on July 31 at Del Mar, only for a grabbed quarter to postpone the comeback.
Collusion Illusion was back in training days later and will have his seasonal debut in Sunday’s Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs, his first start on turf.
For a colt who tends to run as a stalker, turf racing could be an ideal fit.
“He didn’t like dirt kickback in his face,” trainer Mark Glatt said. “If he handles the grass, he can be positioned anywhere.”
More than likely, Collusion Illusion will be just behind the pace in the $100,000 Green Flash Handicap, the leading race on a 10-race program.
Owned by the MyRacehorse syndicate, Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, and Jerry Schneider, Collusion Illusion is the lone Grade 1 winner in a field of eight in the Green Flash, having won the Bing Crosby Stakes in 2020. Collusion Illusion is the only runner in the field who does not have experience in turf races.
The Green Flash drew a fine field, including the turf stakes winners Give Me the Lute, Gregorian Chant, Lieutenant Dan, and Texas Wedge, and the turf sprint winners Chasin Munny and Little Juanito. Kneedeepinsnow is winless in two starts on turf and will be a longshot in his first start since a last-place finish of eight in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes on dirt at Santa Anita in January.
Collusion Illusion will be ridden by leading jockey Flavien Prat and breaks from post 4.
Give Me the Lute is likely to set the pace. A 5-year-old gelding trained by Andy Mathis, Give Me the Lute led throughout the Albany Stakes at five furlongs on turf on June 21 at Golden Gate Fields, his only start this year.
Give Me the Lute ran the opening quarter-mile in 20.77 seconds and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Brandothebartender, a stakes winner at Del Mar earlier this summer.
“He’s got the gas,” Mathis said. “If he wants to come away from there running, we’ll let him roll. When you look at his splits, he’s not only gone 20 and change, but opened up on them.”
Gregorian Chant, who drew the outside post, won three consecutive starts in turf sprints at Santa Anita earlier this year, including two stakes. In those races, Gregorian Chant closed from off the pace under Juan Hernandez, who rides him Sunday.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Gregorian Chant raced near the front and faded to seventh in the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at six furlongs on turf on June 5 at Belmont Park.
“That’s just not his style,” D’Amato said. “He likes to get his feet under him and come with a run.
“The good news is we have Juan Hernandez who knows him quite well and a nice outside post to do what he wants and when.”
The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint will be run at five furlongs on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Sunday’s Green Flash could offer clues as to whether Gregorian Chant and others in the field fit in that prestigious race.
“We’ll have to figure out if he’s a Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint horse or not,” D’Amato said. “We’ve waited for this race to answer the question. Hopefully, we’ll get a response.”