Givemeaminit points to Hopeful as a maiden

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Givemeaminit finished second in his lone start, but the effort was solid enough for trainer Dallas Stewart to target the Grade 1 Hopeful here Labor Day.

Givemeaminit, a Louisiana-bred son of Star Guitar, finished second to the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Sporting Chance in a July 22 maiden race here going 5 1/2 furlongs. Sporting Chance is also pointing to the Hopeful.

“I love the way my horse is doing,” Stewart said. “Hopefully, a speed situation develops.”

On Friday, Givemeaminit worked five furlongs in 1:03.46 in company with the unraced 2-year-old Soul Beam.

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Givemeaminit, on the outside under Joel Rosario, went his first three furlongs in 38.76 seconds and in midstretch had to go around another horse who was galloping in the two path.

Others pointing to the Hopeful include Firenze Fire, Free Drop Billy, Mojovation, National Flag, Oskar Blues, and Psychoanalyze.

Toner mulls options for Defiant Honor

Trainer Jimmy Toner believes Defiant Honor is very similar to her sister Recepta, and that as she gets older she will go longer in distance.

That’s why he’s torn between keeping her at a mile or stretching her out to 1 1/8 miles after she won Thursday’s $100,000 Riskaverse Stakes going a mile at Saratoga.

The options for Defiant Honor include the Grade 2, $400,000 Sands Point going 1 1/8 miles at Belmont on Sept. 16, or the $200,000 Pebbles going a mile at Belmont on Oct. 14. The Sands Point could be too close to the Riskaverse, a race she won by a half-length and for which she earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I know she’s good at a mile,” Toner said Friday. “Whether she’s up to anything more this year I’m not sure. She’s a full sister to Recepta and as she got older we were able to stretch her out some.”

Recepta won the Grade 3 Noble Damsel going a mile at 4, and missed by a nose going 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 1 Diana at 5 in her final start.