Innovation Economy streaks into Bowling Green
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After winning the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup in his last start, Saturday’s 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green should seem more like a sprint for Innovation Economy, who’ll be among the major players in a field of nine older horses in the Grade 2 turf fixture at Saratoga.
Innovation Economy registered his third straight victory and his first stakes triumph when rallying to a half-length decision over Unitarian in the Gold Cup. The streak began when Innovation Economy won an allowance race going 1 3/8 miles over a yielding turf course last fall at Aqueduct and continued with a victory going 1 1/2 miles on the Keeneland turf.
“He won the two-mile race because I think he’s a good horse,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He doesn’t need two miles to win. It’s a rare cutback to a mile and three furlongs from two miles and something I’ve never done before, so it’s hard to say what to expect. But he seems to have a good turn of foot, and I think he should be able to handle the distance just fine.”
One member of the Bowling Green field who successfully handled the cutback from two miles to win his next start is Red Rifle, who finished far behind Innovation Economy in the Belmont Gold Cup before bouncing back to win the 1 1/4-mile Dominion Day at Woodbine on July 1.
Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is hopeful that Imagining will bounce back from a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park.
“About a week after the race, we discovered a little foot issue; he had an abscess pop out of there,” said McGaughey. “I’m hoping that was it. He’s trained well here. This is the right spot for him.”
Last summer at Saratoga, Imagining finished second, beaten a head by Main Sequence, in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer.
War Dancer is winless in three starts since being transferred to trainer Bill Mott’s barn this season, but he did finish second, beaten a neck by Twilight Eclipse, in the Grade 1 Man o’ War this spring at Belmont Park. He is one of two whom Mott will send out in the Bowling Green, along with Al Khali, who has finished off the board in six starts since winning at Tampa Bay Downs in March 2013.
Key contenders
Innovation Economy (Last 3 Beyers: 98-98-83)
◗ Brown was happy to see rain hit the Spa before the first post Thursday. “I think he’s a horse who really likes a little give in the ground,” Brown said.
Red Rifle (Last 3 Beyers: 103-59-106)
◗ He showed a new dimension by rallying from near the rear of the field to win the Grade 3 Dominion Day after having done his best on or near the lead in the past.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Red Rifle. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 35-4-5-4 with a $0.56 ROI over the past five years in turf graded stakes at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Imagining (Last 3 Beyers: 100-92-100)
◗ He’s the only Grade 1 winner in the field, joining that club with his victory in the 2014 Man o’ War at Belmont.
War Dancer (Last 3 Beyers: 99-104-79)
◗ Brings a seven-race losing streak into the race, with his most recent victory coming in the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs in May 2014.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 War Dancer and No. 9 Al Khali. Trainer Bill Mott is 30-3-2-4 with a $0.58 ROI over the past five years in turf graded stakes at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan