Derrynane seeks smoother trip in Galway Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Derrynane got a bad trip from a seemingly good post when she finished third in the Coronation Cup here July 15. Perhaps she can work out a good trip from a seemingly bad post when she starts from the outside in a field of 10 in Thursday’s $150,000 Galway Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters at Saratoga.
Derrynane steadied early down the backside and then lacked running room in upper stretch when she finished behind Empress Tigress and Poppy Flower in the Coronation Cup, which, like the Galway, is run at 5 1/2 furlongs over the Mellon turf course.
“It was a little bit of an erratic race. She ran well overall but it was not a smooth trip,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “I wish we would have gotten a more favorable post.”
Derrynane has only one win since she won here on debut against New York-breds on July 22, 2021. She was beaten only one length when she faced males in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last fall.
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Joel Rosario, who has won 10 stakes – all graded – thus far this meet, has the call.
Clement also is sending out Breeze Easy in the Galway. In two starts in this country for Clement, Breeze Easy was beaten a neck when second in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly at Belmont in May and was third behind Eminent Victory and Elmhurst in the one-mile Wild Applause Stakes on June 25.
Clement said he’s cutting Breeze Easy back in distance Thursday because “I thought she was a touch flat going a mile.”
“She’s fast,” he said. “Is she that fast? Only way to find out is to run her.”
Flavien Prat rides Breeze Easy from post 6.
Trainer Jonathan Thomas won sprint stakes 24 hours apart when Empress Tigress won the Coronation Cup here July 15 and Benbang won the Blue Sparkler on July 16 at Monmouth. Thomas said he is likely to only run one of the two and it may come down to course condition. There was a chance of thunderstorms on three successive days before Thursday.
Thomas said Empress Tigress wouldn’t run on softer ground or if it came off the turf.
Speaking of the two, Thomas said Benbang “may have a little more brilliance in her early speed.”
“It’s back a little quick for her, but I thought she breezed really well the other day,” he said.
John Velazquez is named on Empress Tigress. Manny Franco is named on Benbang.
In the Coronation Cup, Poppy Flower broke slow and had to rally from seventh and tip out widest of all to finish second behind Empress Tigress.
“When you come from behind you sometimes have to wait for room and hope you find enough to get there,” trainer Bill Mott said.
Poppy Flower breaks from the rail under Jose Ortiz.
Artos, fifth in the Coronation Cup, is back in this spot for Rusty Arnold.
Newcomers include Delmona, second to Benbang in the Blue Sparkler; Have a Good Day, making her seasonal and U.S. debut; Half Is Enough, making her turf debut after a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Victory Ride; and Makin My Move.
Freedom Speaks would need one scratch to run on turf. Mystic Eyes is entered main track only.