Morticia, back in top form, gets another crack at Caress

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Rusty Arnold has anything but fond memories about the 2018 Caress. His rock-solid turf-sprint specialist Morticia finished fourth, beaten 10 1/4 lengths, in the 5 1/2-furlong turf stakes for fillies and mares.

On Sunday, Morticia gets a mulligan in the $200,000 Caress as one of the favorites in a well-matched field of nine that also includes top contenders Significant Form, Fire Key, and Mrs. Ramona G.

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The Caress was rescheduled from Saturday, when the card was canceled because of severe heat indexes.

Arnold says Morticia had an excuse for her performance in last year’s Caress.

“The course had taken about three inches of rain, and to be honest I was shocked they ran the race over it last year,” said Arnold, who trains the homebred Morticia for G. Watts Humphrey Jr. “I think she got beat further in that race than she has in all her other races combined.”

The Caress was the first of five straight losses to close the second half of Morticia’s 2018 campaign. But she’s bounced back this season to post two wins and two seconds in four starts, including a victory in Keeneland’s 5 1/2-furlong Giant’s Causeway on April 13.

“She seems to be back to her best form now, and I think 5 1/2 furlongs is probably her optimum distance,” Arnold said. “With her speed, she’ll be right there from the start, but she’s gotten where she can take back off the pace just a touch if she has to.”

Significant Form turned back to seven furlongs to register a half-length decision over Fire Key in the Grade 3 Intercontinental six weeks ago at Belmont Park. Both Significant Form and Fire Key shorten up another 1 1/2 furlongs for Saturday’s rematch.

Significant Form has never started at 5 1/2 furlongs and figures to be coming on strongest of all at the end, while Fire Key has recaptured her top form since returning from Florida and joining the stable of trainer James Ryerson during the spring.

Mrs. Ramona G. has finished second in her last two starts. She earned by far the top Beyer Speed Figure of her career, a 96, in her last start when beaten a length by Grade 1 winner Uni going a mile in Belmont’s Perfect Sting Stakes.

Completing the field are Broadway Run, a close fourth behind Significant Form and Fire Key after contesting all the pace in the Intercontinental; Mominou, who also figures to be prominently placed from the outset; the New York-bred Jc’s Shooting Star; Factorofwon; and Miss Gossip.