New York-breds take the spotlight Sunday on rich card

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The six stakes for New York-breds on Sunday at Saratoga will offer cumulative purses of more than $1.1 million and, as intended, showcase many of the best statebreds in training.

There are two 1 1/16-mile turf races, one for males, the other for females; two 1 1/8-mile dirt races for 3-year-olds; and two 6 1/2-furlong main-track races for 2-year-olds.

Three New York-bred champions of 2013 are scheduled to compete: Champion 3-year-old filly Discreet Marq will race on turf in the $150,000 Yaddo, and champion 3-year-old male Notacatbutallama will run on turf in the $150,000 West Point, where he will face King Kreesa, last year’s champion older male and champion turf male.

While the Albany, for 3-year-old males, offers the highest purse of the six stakes at $250,000, the West Point may offer the best matchup and will not be an easy spot for King Kreesa’s first start since he finished 12th in the $2.58 million Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin last December.

King Kreesa had an outstanding 4-year-old season for trainer Jeremiah Engelhart, winning the Grade 3 Poker Stakes and the statebred Kingston and Mohawk. The race that earned him national recognition, however, was his fine second to Wise Dan in the Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga. King Kreesa took it to the Horse of the Year, going right to the front and only giving ground late in the one-mile turf race. While he was getting meaningful weight from Wise Dan (129-117 pounds), his sharp runner-up effort was commendable.

King Kreesa has been transferred to David Donk since the Hong Kong Mile. His return to the races has been delayed by a quarter crack, but Donk is happy with his horse’s condition level and is looking forward to getting him back to the races.

“He came to me in early April. Shortly after, he had a quarter crack,” Donk said Thursday. “The foot’s good now, but he’s going to run in a bar shoe. He’s been training well in it, and I don’t see a reason to change it.”

Donk has put a series of six works into King Kreesa since July 23, including a six-furlong move Aug. 16.

“His last three works are pretty good,” Donk said. “This is a tough spot for him first time off the layoff, but you have to start somewhere. It’ll be a good challenge for him. It’s not the way I’d want to start back, but he’s ready, and it’s time.”

King Kreesa will meet a sharp field that includes Lubash, Hangover Kid, Notacatbutallama, and Street Game, who all are coming off wins in their last starts.

Lubash has won 2 of 3 starts this year for Christophe Clement. His most recent win was a sharp allowance score at Belmont Park on July 13.

“His last race was as good as any he’s run for us,” Clement said during training hours on a wet Thursday morning. “He is just as good now at 7 as he was when he came to me at 5. This is a salty division, but he may be the most consistent of them all.”

Other Sunday matchups include:

◗ Yaddo Stakes: Discreet Marq has started three times for Clement this year, all in Grade 1 races. She was beaten a half-length after pressing the pace in both the Jenny Wiley, when finishing second, and in the Diana, when third.

“I want to give her an easier race, not that this is an easy race,” Clement said. “I want her to win.”

Grade 1 winner Dayatthespa is cross-entered in the Yaddo and Saturday’s Grade 2 Ballston Spa. As of Thursday afternoon, it was unclear which race her connections would choose.

Other Yaddo entrants include Effie Trinket, Mah Jong Maddnes, and Unbelievable Dream.

◗ Albany Stakes: The main players look to be Captain Serious, who has finished second in the Grade 3 Dwyer and third in the Grade 2 Amsterdam this year, and New York Derby winner Empire Dreams.

◗ Fleet Indian: This will rematch the top three finishers from the New York Oaks, Flipcup, Alwaysinstilettos, and Storied Lady.

◗ Bustin It, the seven-length winner of the Rockville Centre Stakes at Belmont, tops the Funny Cide Stakes for 2-year-olds, while impressive maiden winner Hard to Stay Notgo looks like the filly to beat in the Seeking the Ante.