Hollywood Park: Sahara Sky pointing to Forego

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Sahara Sky, winner of the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile Handicap at Belmont Park last Monday, is headed back to New York later this summer.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Thursday that Sahara Sky is likely to make his next start in the $500,000 Forego Handicap over seven furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 31.

“That’s an attractive race,” Hollendorfer said.

Hollendorfer said he was leaning against starting Sahara Sky on the Polytrack synthetic surface at Del Mar later this summer, saying the horse didn’t train well there last year.

The Forego could be Sahara Sky’s only start before the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in November, which Hollendorfer has said is a long-term goal.

Owned by Hollendorfer and Kim Lloyd, Sahara Sky has emerged as the top sprinter in California this year, During the Santa Anita meeting, Sahara Sky won two Grade 2 races – the Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs on Jan. 19 and the San Carlos Stakes over seven furlongs on Feb. 23. His only loss this year was a second in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on April 6.

A 5-year-old by Pleasant Tap, Sahara Sky has won 7 of 16 starts and $886,680.