Litfin's preview: Pletcher, Brown battle in standings

Friday, Aug. 29, preview

Chad Brown posted a three-bagger Thursday and cut Todd Plercher’s lead in the trainers’ standings to 23-22.

The highlight of Brown’s afternoon came when the New York-bred juvenile Startup Nation ($6.50) looped the field on the turn and drew off to win the Grade 2, $200,000 With Anticipation Stakes at 1 1/16 miles by better than four lengths.

“For this horse to run back in three weeks and run the way he did, in 1:41 and change, he’s a real runner,” said Brown, who also won Wednesday’s P.G. Johnson Stakes for 2-year-old fillies with Partisan Politics.

“I’d say these two horses that ran the last two days here are as good as I’ve seen out there,” said Brown. “Time will tell, but I wouldn’t trade with anybody.”

Brown also won last year’s P.G. Johnson with Granny Mc’s Kitten, who looms a major contender in Friday’s $100,000 Riskaverse Stakes along with Tenski Stakes winner Miss Frost and Nisharora, who makes her second start in the United States.

Brown’s only other entrant Friday is first-time starter Wavell Avenue in race 11.

“We’re just going to go race by race and put them in the right spots,” said Brown, who has been second to Pletcher at Saratoga in each of the past three years. “All the horses are in the right spots, and they’re all doing well.”

Meanwhile, Pletcher – who has won just one race since Stopchargingmaria took the Alabama – has two horses in Friday: Village Warrior, the probable pacesetter in race 4, and first-time starter Alexandrie in race 9.

LADY KREESA DROPS FOR DONK

David Donk, who saddled King Kreesa to a game win in last Sunday’s West Point first time out this year, sends out that one’s half-sister Lady Kreesa in race 5, a preliminary allowance for New York-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf.

Lady Kreesa has improved slowly but surely through four starts and drops to a softer spot after a gradual, wide gain behind her stablemate, Selenite, in a division of the New York Stallion Stakes earlier this month.

Based on her Florida turf form, the main challenge may come from Devious Maddy, who ran evenly on the main track first out at the meet behind Star Grazing, who subsequently won the $200,000 Fleet Indian Stakes on last Sunday’s Saratoga Showcase Day program.

BE BULLISH TRIES TO BECOME MILLIONAIRE

Perhaps the third try at the meet will be the charm for Be Bullish, who is due for some better racing luck as he drops in with $20,000 New York-bred sprinters in race 7 for David Jacobson.

Racing against open $50,000 claimers July 19, the 9-year-old gelding had his front legs clipped by a rival on the turn and finished second. Returned in the mud last Friday as the 5-4 favorite at the same level, he was virtually eliminated at the start when off several lengths behind front-running winner Bernie the Maestro.

With earnings of $987,968, Be Bullish needs a win to surpass the $1 million mark in what will be his 82nd start.

Among those who will oppose him are Won Great Classic, who has won three of four starts in this kind of company in 2014, and Jeter, who is lowered 50 percent off a $40,000 claim five weeks ago.

HORSE TO WATCH

ANCIENT GODDESS
Trainer: John Terranova
Last race: Aug. 27, 3rd
Finish: 3rd by 3 3/4
Beyer: 70
Making her first start in the United States and her first since a maiden win in June, this 2-year-old filly was headstrong along the inside through the early going and chased evenly throughout in the P.G. Johnson Stakes.