Free as a Bird tries to defend Caress title
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – One of the more amazing performances at the 2014 Saratoga meet was Free as a Bird somehow finding room in deep stretch and exploding between horses to win the Smart N Fancy Stakes by a neck.
That victory came 24 days after Free as a Bird won the Caress Stakes with a little less difficulty.
:: DRF Live: Get real-time updates and insights from DRF reporters and handicappers on Sunday
Free as a Bird is back at Saratoga on Sunday for the $100,000 Caress Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf stakes, and with only a five-horse field, perhaps a traffic-free trip could be in the cards.
“Five horses, how much trouble can I get in?” trainer Ian Wilkes asked rhetorically.
Those two Saratoga stakes were part of a six-race winning streak Free as a Bird put together in 2014. She enters the Caress with two straight losses, both to Katie’s Eyes, who had a four-race winning streak snapped in the Highlander Stakes at Woodbine last out.
Trainer Ian Wilkes said Free as a Bird may have regressed in the Giant’s Causeway at Keeneland in April off a big effort in the Captiva Island Stakes in March at Gulfstream. Wilkes said he had no excuse for Free as a Bird’s loss to Katie’s Eyes in the Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill in her last start.
“We just got outrun,” Wilkes said.
Free as a Bird has been at Saratoga since early June and fired a best-of-91 half-mile in 47 seconds on Monday.
“Filly’s doing well. I’m happy with her; she looks tremendous,” Wilkes said. “I couldn’t be any happier with her coming in. I think she’s bounced back.”
While Jewel of a Cat, second to Free as a Bird in last year’s Caress, is back in this field, the toughest opponent might be Thieves Guild, trained by Jimmy Toner. Thieves Guild was away from the races for 14 months due to a fractured tibia but came off the bench with a good-looking three-length allowance win at Belmont on June 18.
“She trained really well,” Toner said. “I thought we were going to be right there, but the way she ran was probably more impressive than we thought it would be.”
Old Harbor and Runway Ready complete the field.