Notonthesamepage surprise entrant in Tyro

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The $65,000 Tyro Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park went from a race in danger of not filling to a potentially intriguing 2-year-old contest featuring the record-setting Notonthesamepage.

Only 10 were on the nomination list for the traditional prep leading to Monmouth's top 2-year-old stakes, the Grade 3, $150,000 Sapling on Aug. 31. Of the 10, only two entered the 5 1/2-furlong Tyro - Dagnabit and Rapid Redux.

However, the Tyro allows supplemental nominations for a $200 fee, the route used by four more entrants including Notonthesamepage, who originally was set to run in the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes on Thursday at Saratoga.

Notonthesamepage was 6-5 on the Sanford morning line following a stellar maiden win at Churchill Downs. He ran the 4 1/2 furlongs that day in a track-record 50.12 while earning a 104 Beyer Speed Figure in only his second start.

A homebred colt of Ken and Sarah Ramsey, he developed a temperature Wednesday and was scratched from the Sanford. The fever quickly subsided and blood work taken Wednesday night and Thursday morning was "absolutely beautiful," according to trainer Wesley Ward.

Notonthesamepage indicated he wasn't content to stay in his stall.

"If we don't run him, he'll hurt himself," Ward said. "He is literally tearing down the barn."

The Tyro became a possible fallback position. Ward wants to run the colt in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes on closing day at Saratoga. The interim option at the Spa, the Saratoga Special on Aug. 14, comes too close to the Hopeful, in Ward's opinion.

However, Ken Ramsey said late Thursday afternoon he was not sure a trip to the Jersey Shore was in the best interest of the colt so soon after the illness.

Ward also supplemented Silver Bayer to the Tyro. Desert Party, who won the Sanford, and Fellow Crasher were the other supplements.

Dagnabit, unbeaten in two races, including the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park, also scratched out of the Sanford, which was run on a muddy track.

Rapid Redux is the only Monmouth-based runner in the field. He ran second in his debut at Belmont before scoring a maiden win here on June 20 on a cutback from 5 to 4 1/2 furlongs.

"He surprised us by going wire to wire in that second start," said trainer Kelly Breen. "He acts and trains like a horse that wants more distance."

Gottcha Gold preps for Iselin repeat

The $70,000 Skip Away on Saturday at Monmouth also leads to a major stakes: the Grade 3, $300,000 Iselin on Aug. 16.

The solid lineup for the 1 1/16-mile race includes Gottcha Gold, last year's Iselin winner who also captured Gulfstream Park's Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes in March; Timber Reserve, last year's Pennsylvania Derby winner who has not run since January; Shopton Lane; Judiths Wild Rush; Sam P; Sinners N Saints; and Indy Wind, winner of Monmouth's Skip Away last year.

Indy Wind was a disappointing fourth last time for owner-trainer Amy Tarrant, making a mild late run to get fourth in Monmouth's Grade 3 Salvator Mile.

"He does much better in a longer race," Tarrant said. "He was closing, and we found out later he was under the weather. We scoped him after the race and found he was loaded with mucous in his throat."

- additional reporting

by David Grening