Flap Jack looks to spring another stakes surprise in Quick Call

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When it comes to Flap Jack, trainer Jack Sisterson is full of surprises.

Last summer, after Flap Jack lost his first two starts – one sprinting on dirt, the other long on turf – Sisterson ran him in the Arlington-Washington Futurity on synthetic. Flap Jack won by four lengths at 17-1.

Last month, after three unsuccessful tries by Flap Jack in Kentucky Derby preps, Sisterson found class relief in a dirt sprint allowance at Thistledown, where Flap Jack won by four lengths. Despite the convincing victory, Sisterson is switching surfaces and making an equipment change with Flap Jack on Friday as he hopes to spring another surprise in the Grade 3, $100,000 Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga.

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Sisterson also will run the speedy High Cruise in the Quick Call, scheduled for 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf course.

Jockey Julie Burke, who rode Flap Jack in that allowance win, told Sisterson that when Flap Jack hit the front in that allowance, he “acted a little green,” Sisterson said.

Thus, Sisterson put blinkers on Flap Jack for a turf workout Sunday, and he went a half-mile in 48.63 seconds in company with High Cruise, who went the same time. They were fastest of 52 works at the distance.

“We went back and watched the replays,” Sisterson said. “If you noticed when he won the Arlington Futurity and he hit the front, he just sort wanders a bit. The addition of blinkers is not to put him in the race early, it’s just to keep him focused. Fingers crossed, he’ll be hitting the front on Friday and he won’t be wandering.”

In order to hit the front Friday, Flap Jack will likely have to reel in Jack and Noah, a front-running winner of the Sir Cat on June 19 at Belmont. He caught a very firm turf course that day and basically ran the field off their feet, running six furlongs in 1:07.05.

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With scattered thunderstorms in the forecast Wednesday and Thursday, it is possible the Saratoga turf course won’t be as firm as the one at Belmont.

Turned Aside has been beaten three times by Jack and Noah, including in the Sir Cat,where he was beaten one length in his first start off a seven-month layoff. Turned Aside has trained well out of that race and did win an allowance last fall at Aqueduct on less-than-firm ground.

Trainer Linda Rice is a little concerned about cutting back a half-furlong with Turned Aside in the Quick Call.

“I thought six furlongs might have been better for us, but we’ll see,” Rice said. “Sometimes a change of scenery changes things up.”

Mark Casse trains Jack and Noah and also sends out Old Chestnut, who was third in the Sir Cat, beaten two lengths in his first start since February.

Fore Left, ninth in the Belmont Stakes, turns back to a turf sprint in this spot. He was 10th in his lone turf try, but that was going a mile. He was successful showing speed on dirt as a 2-year-old, including a victory in the Tremont Stakes at Belmont.