Force in top form for Albany Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – What started as a single card devoted to New York-breds on the New York Racing Association stakes calendar has now blossomed to three, the second of which will be held Friday at Saratoga.
All races on the program are restricted to New York-breds, including six stakes with purses totaling $1.15 million. The most interesting race is probably the $150,000 West Point for older males on the turf, but the richest race on the program is the $250,000 Albany Stakes for 3-year-old males at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt.
Fillies and mares get a dirt opportunity in the $200,000 Fleet Indian Stakes, also at 1 1/8 miles.
The card includes a pair of $200,000 stakes for juveniles – the Funny Cide for all 2-year-olds and the Seeking the Ante for fillies – as well as the $150,000 Yaddo for fillies and mares on the turf, which features the Grade 1 millionaire Discreet Marq.
The stakes are sprinkled throughout the card as the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and 10th.
Force, a son of Flatter trained by Mark Casse, heads a field of seven entered in the Albany. In his first start against New York-breds, Force won the New York Derby at Finger Lakes on July 3. That was his second race since having blinkers added to his equipment.
“That was a powerhouse performance,” said Norm Casse, son of and assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “[Blinkers] may be the difference with him. He likes the racetrack, but we ran a lot of horses this meet that liked the racetrack that didn’t run good. He’s still going to have to go over there and perform, but I’m certainly excited to see him run.”
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Battle of Evermore, second in the New York Derby, and the Todd Pletcher-trained duo of One Sided and Bullheaded Boy head the competition.
In the $200,000 Fleet Indian, which goes as the third race, Pletcher would appear to have the horse to beat in Temper Mint Patty, a 9 1/4-length winner of the New York Oaks on July 3. She was purchased for $350,000 by Mike Repole at the Fasig-Tipton horses-of-racing-age sale shortly after the Oaks and turned over to Pletcher.
Conquest Superstep, trained by Mark Casse, and Freudie Anne, the winner of the New York Stallion Stakes on turf Aug. 13, top the competition.
ALBANY STAKES (race 10)
KEY CONTENDERS
Force (Last 3 Beyers: 82-79-69)
◗ Has recorded both of his wins around two turns at 1 1/16 miles and looks like he should get a good stalking trip under Jose Lezcano.
“What I like about him is he’s pretty push-button and we can switch him right off,” Norm Casse said. “I feel like the racetrack is as fair as it’s ever been.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Force. Trainer Mark Casse is 24-1-2-3 with a $0.20 ROI over the past five years in dirt races at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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One Sided (Last 3 Beyers: 84-79-75)
◗ Successfully stretched out to 1 1/8 miles last out, winning a first-level allowance race by a head over Bellamy Way, who is also in this field.
“He’s stepped up a little bit every time,” Pletcher said. ‘’He’s one of those rare horses that’s moved forward Beyer Figure-wise every start of his life. He handled the mile and an eighth really well last time.”
Bullheaded Boy (Last 3 Beyers: 80-78-72)
◗ Returns to the dirt after recording two wins and a second in three consecutive turf starts.
“There are pretty limited opportunities with 3-year-olds on the grass,” Pletcher said. “I still think the horse is about the same dirt or turf. This could be the race that could prove it.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Bullheaded Boy. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 14-1-1-3 with a $0.55 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Battle of Evermore. Trainer Chad Brown is 8-4-2-2 with a $4.05 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt in routes at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
FLEET INDIAN STAKES (race 3)
Key contenders
Temper Mint Patty (Last 3 Beyers: 77-74-70)
◗ Has run some freakishly good races, as evidenced by her 13 1/4-length victory in the Joseph Gimma Stakes at Belmont last fall and her 9 1/4-length score in the New York Oaks last month.
◗ Pletcher has had the horse for about a month and said that based on her training, he believes she will stretch out to 1 1/8 miles.
“She certainly gives you that impression,” he said. “We’ve trained her with such horses like Coach Inge that handled a mile and a half, and she’s trained right with them and galloped out right with them.”
Conquest Superstep (Last 3 Beyers: 78-73-79)
◗ Runs back 14 days after rolling to a 7 1/2-length victory in a first-level allowance race going 1 1/8 miles over this surface.
“Obviously, coming back quick,” Norm Casse said. “She’s training really well, though. I couldn’t imagine she’s not going to run another big race. She got away with some easy fractions the other day. She’s going to have to do it in a much tougher field.”