Flintshire to have rabbit in Sword Dancer

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Not that he really needs any more help, but Flintshire, the top male turf horse in North America, might have some assistance in the form of a rabbit when he runs in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga.

Inordinate, disqualified from an off-the-pace allowance win on Belmont Stakes Day, is expected to be entered by Juddmonte Farms and trainer Chad Brown as a pacemaker for Flintshire, who will seek his third win in as many tries this year in the 1 1/2-mile Sword Dancer.

Flintshire won the Grade 2 Bowling Green here on July 30 by three-quarters of a length. The four-horse field was bunched up throughout, and it wasn’t until late that Javier Castellano got Flintshire in the clear so he could run down Grand Tito.

“It would be better if there’s a little bit of pace to help separate the field a touch and give him a little bit more room,” Brown said. “That would be the idea; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. As of right now, that’s what we’re planning on doing. It could always change.”

What hasn’t changed is that Flintshire remains in top form. On Saturday, he worked five furlongs over the Oklahoma turf course in 1:01.67 in company with Money Multiplier, who is also pointing to the Sword Dancer. The pair got their final quarter in 23.79 seconds, while Flintshire galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.54 and seven-eighths in 1:27.64.

Flintshire could have gone by Money Multiplier at any time, but Castellano was aboard Flintshire and heard Brown tell him via two-way radio to make sure they finished together.

“He repeated twice at the top of the stretch, ‘Javier, stay together, stay together,’ ” Castellano said. “Of course, by the time they’re galloping out, the other horse couldn’t keep up, and my horse just opened up. He’ll go all day long. Classy horse.”

Flintshire won last year’s Sword Dancer when in the barn of Andre Fabre.

A small field is expected for the Sword Dancer. In addition to Brown’s trio, others expected to run include Applicator, Grand Tito, and either Bigger Picture or Roman Approval from the barn of Mike Maker.

Grand Tito, second to Flintshire in the Bowling Green, worked six furlongs over the main track in 1:15.96 and galloped out a mile in 1:41.15.

Lady Eli all set for Ballston Spa

Shortly after Flintshire breezed, Lady Eli worked five furlongs in 1:01.15 over the Oklahoma turf, going in company with Mrs McDougal. Lady Eli, working on the outside with Irad Ortiz Jr. up, and Mrs McDougal finished together through a final quarter of 23.36 seconds. They galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.44.

“She worked beautiful,” Brown said of Lady Eli. “I think she’s fit enough to be entered at this point.”

Lady Eli, undefeated in six starts, has not raced since winning the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on July 4, 2015. While walking back to the barn after that race, she stepped on a nail and developed laminitis, a sometimes-fatal hoof disease.

The Ballston Spa field is expected to include Excilly, Miss Temple City, Sentiero Italia, Strike Charmer, and Sweet Acclaim.

Carina Mia, Paola Queen drill

Carina Mia has shown no ill effects from her runner-up finish to Songbird in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks four weeks ago.

“We couldn’t hold her on the ground two days after the race,” trainer Bill Mott said. “She hasn’t had any setbacks since then. She ran hard, she rebounded well.”

On Saturday, Carina Mia completed her preparations for the Grade 1 Ballerina by working four furlongs in 48.08 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. She got her last quarter in 23.51 seconds.

With regular rider Julien Leparoux sidelined with a broken wrist, Joel Rosario will ride Carina Mia in the Ballerina, Mott said.

Carina Mia will not be the only 3-year-old filly in the Ballerina, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares ages 3 and up. Paola Queen, the 55-1 winner of the Grade 1 Test, also will run, per trainer Gustavo Delgado.

On Saturday, Paola Queen worked five furlongs in 1:02.72 with jockey Luis Saez aboard. Paola Queen was one of the first to work following the 8:45 a.m. renovation break.

“It was a very easy work, her first one since the race,” Delgado said. “She came back very well. I have no problem running her back in three weeks, and seven furlongs is a good distance for her as long as there is some pace in the race.”

Others pointing to the race include Birdatthewire, By the Moon, Haveyougoneaway, Linda Linda, Sarah Sis, Sheer Drama, Spelling Again, and Wavell Avenue.

Wavell Avenue, the winner of the Shine Again Stakes in her last start, worked four furlongs in 47.73 seconds over the Saratoga main track.

Birdatthewire, winless in six starts since taking the Grade 1 La Brea last December, worked five furlongs in 1:00.55 over the main track shortly before it closed for training.

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch