Potential turf stars clash in With Anticipation
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainers Todd Pletcher, Chad Brown, and Graham Motion have combined to win five of the first nine runnings of the With Anticipation Stakes for 2-year-old males at Saratoga.
It’s a pretty good bet one of them will win it again as they combine to send out four of the eight horses scheduled to run in Thursday’s Grade 2, $200,000 With Anticipation at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. A ninth horse, Blame Jim, was entered for the main track only, but no rain is forecast.
Todd Pletcher, who has won this race three times, sends out Designed for War, a son of War Front who got away with pedestrian fractions of 50.81 seconds for a half-mile and 1:15.60 for six furlongs when winning by 1 3/4 lengths here on Aug. 9.
“It wasn’t his fault that nobody else showed any speed, so he broke alertly and was able to get a nice, comfortable trip,” Pletcher said. “I don’t think he’s the type of horse that has to be on the lead. I anticipate there’ll be a little more pace in this race and he’ll find a comfortable spot.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Designed for War. Trainer Todd Pletcher is winless in 16 starts (only three in the money; six were the post-time favorite) over the past five years with 2-year-olds in turf routes making their second career start following a win in their debut. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Brown, who won this race in 2012 with Balance the Books, sends out Startup Nation, who rallied from 10 lengths back to win his debut by two lengths on Aug. 7. He covered 1 1/16 miles 1.65 seconds faster than Designed for War did two days later.
“I thought he ran terrific, especially going that far first time,” Brown said. “He ran very professional. Couldn’t be more pleased with the effort.”
“Second time out with a lot of these horses it wouldn’t surprise me if he showed a little more tactical speed now that he’s got it figured out a little bit.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Startup Nation. Trainer Chad Brown is 10 for 24 with a $3.90 ROI over the past two years at Saratoga with 2-year-olds in turf routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Motion, who won this race in 2011 with State of Play, sends out the uncoupled entry of Hot Tin Roof and Strong Coffee. Hot Tin Roof, a son of More Than Ready, won his debut going six furlongs over the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs. Strong Coffee, a son of Warrior’s Reward, won his debut going 1 1/16 miles on turf here by three lengths on Aug. 2
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Hot Tin Roof. Trainer Graham Motion is winless in 19 starts (though 12 were in the money) over the past five years with 2-year-olds going from synthetic to turf and stretching from sprint to route. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
International Star, a New York-bred trained by Mike Maker, won his debut sprinting on turf against open company at Belmont in June before finishing a well-beaten second in the Rockville Centre Stakes against New York-breds on the dirt, also at Belmont, on July 13.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 International Star. Trainer Mike Maker is 1 for 9 with a $0.68 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds going dirt to turf and stretching from sprint to route. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Florida shippers Kutuzov and Nutty Flutty and Chicago-based Creaky Cricket complete the field.
Key contenders
Designed for War (Beyer: 65)
◗ Won debut handily as the 3-2 favorite on Aug. 9.
◗ Trainer Todd Pletcher won this race last year with Bashart.
Startup Nation (Beyer: 66)
◗ Won debut going 1 1/16 miles in a solid 1:42.70.
Strong Coffee (Beyer: 62)
◗ Won his debut on Aug. 2, giving him an extra five to seven days over his main rivals.
◗ Two horses he beat on Aug. 2, Face the Music and Skerkis, came back to win their next start.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Strong Coffee. His winning debut looks live so far, as both horses that have run since won and earned Beyer Speed Figures of at least 70. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan