Conquest Big E fresh for turf debut in Better Talk Now Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Of the six horses entered for turf in the one-mile Better Talk Now Stakes at Saratoga on Monday, two are coming off runner-up efforts in stakes and two won first-level allowance or optional-claiming races in their most recent starts.

Conquest Big E lacks the recency of those four rivals and will be making his turf debut. But he showed ability last fall at age 2 and, according to trainer Mark Casse, has benefited from his time away from the races.

A son of Tapit purchased at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale for $700,000 by Conquest Stables, Conquest Big E won a two-turn Keeneland maiden race in his second start. That victory was good enough for Casse to run him back four weeks later in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, in which he finished eighth of 14.

He followed up that effort with a Churchill Downs first-level optional-claiming score. He finished fourth in the Grade 2 Holy Bull and fifth in the Grade 3 Gotham early this year before being sent to the farm for a vacation.

“So many 3-year-olds you push and push and push to make the big races,” Casse said. “After his last race, he wasn’t right. He was getting light.”

Casse sent him to Ocala, Fla., and gave Conquest Big E the time he needed to recover from his first six starts.

“Now he looks better than ever,” Casse said. “He’s been training well.”

Conquest Big E was given two works at Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala before rejoining Casse’s stable. He has worked five times at Saratoga. His two most recent works have been at five furlongs over the Oklahoma turf course.

“We breezed him in the spring on the turf in Ocala, and he worked well,” Casse said. “He worked on the turf here two times and went nice both times.”

The $100,000 Better Talk Now is restricted to 3-year-olds, which makes it an attractive race for Conquest Big E.

“This looks like a nice race for him,” Case said. “It’s a tricky time of year. Once a colt wins a ‘1X,’ you don’t have many options. You can go to a stakes or you have to go in a ‘2X’ against older. When you have to face older horses this time of year, it’s like a good high school player going against college players.”

Dragon Bay and Noble Quality each finished second in stakes last time out. Dragon Bay comes out of the $145,000 Toronto Cup at Woodbine for trainer Stuart Simon. That race was won by the favored Conquest Daddyo, trained by Casse.

Noble Quality, trained by Christophe Clement, just missed catching front-running longshot winner Franklin Towers in the $56,000 Lamplighter at Monmouth Park.

Saratoga allowance winner Hammers Vision may have a pace advantage in the race. Trained by Brian Lynch, he may have more natural speed than his rivals in this somewhat-paceless race.

Better Talk Now, race 9

Key Contenders

Conquest Big E, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 74-82-84

◗ He has shown stalking speed in most of his starts and might be eager following his layoff of almost six months. He may not be far behind Hammers Vision early.

Hammers Vision, by Court Vision
Last 3 Beyers: 96-83-86

◗ The 96 Beyer Speed Figure he earned in his seven-furlong off-the-turf victory July 31 is the highest figure in this field.

Mighty Mo, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 71-76-87

◗ He tired after prompting the pace in the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park in his most recent outing. His prior races in the Paradise Creek at Belmont Park and the Woodhaven at Aqueduct were better than that, and he has every right to rebound for trainer Bill Mott.

◗ He may take up a stalking position just off Hammers Vision early.

Dragon Bay, by Parading
Last 3 Beyers: 85-84-84

◗ A bargain $6,000 yearling buy, he has been a consistent performer at Woodbine for trainer Simon and in the spring missed winning both the Grade 3 Marine and the Wando by a neck.

Noble Quality, by Elusive Quality
Last 3 Beyers: 86-82-84

◗ Couldn’t reel in the winner of the Lamplighter but was clearly second-best in the race while making his first start in seven weeks. May benefit from having made that start.

Our Way, by Tizway
Last 3 Beyers: 88-82-82

◗ He rallied from well back to win a first-level optional-claiming race at a mile on turf in July. He must be careful not to drop too far back early.