Messi shows promise with back-to-back allowance wins
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It certainly won’t be easy for trainer Graham Motion to find a replacement for the recently retired turf champion Main Sequence.
Motion will not throw that burden upon Messi, despite two eye-catching allowance victories in as many starts, but if Motion is to score a repeat in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer – upgraded to $1 million and moved to the undercard of the Travers this year – Messi is the one who could provide it.
Messi, a 5-year-old German-bred, scored his second straight allowance victory in the U.S. on Thursday, winning a third-level allowance by two lengths. He was hardly asked to run by John Velazquez, who had Messi in hand before letting him go the final eighth or so. Messi ran 1 3/8 miles in 2:13.92. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94, two points higher than he earned for his allowance win going 1 1/4 miles July 2 at Belmont.
“I was very impressed with it [but] not sure he beat that much,” Motion said about Thursday’s win. “Only thing that worried me was he was quite keen. That could be a concern if you’re going to run him a mile and a half.”
Motion knew Messi had ability because he had been breezing and holding his own with Main Sequence leading up to that one’s race in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth.
Motion has two spots to consider for Messi – the $100,000 John’s Call at 1 5/8 miles Aug. 26 or the Sword Dancer at 1 1/2 miles three days later.
“I’m not worried about the timing,” Motion said. “He’s had a couple of easy races. I’m more worried about the distance, but that looks like where we might be headed.”
◗ Jack Milton, preparing for next Saturday’s Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap, worked four furlongs in 48.23 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course Friday. He went in company with Aljalela, who is nominated to Friday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Lake Placid Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
◗ Suburban Handicap winner Effinex breezed three furlongs in 36.46 seconds Friday. He likely will make his next start in the Grade 1 Woodward here Sept. 5.