Pure Sensation, Green Mask peaking ahead of Troy Handicap

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – One year ago, trainer Christophe Clement sent out Disco Partner to register a mild upset over the favored Green Mask in the Troy Handicap.

On Sunday at Saratoga, Clement will defend that title with another of his turf-sprint specialists, the veteran Pure Sensation, who will have Green Mask as perhaps his chief competition in a stellar field that also includes 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Mongolian Saturday, Al Quoz Sprint runner-up Long On Value, and Grade 3 winner Holding Gold.

When Clement and Disco Partner won this race a year ago, there was a mere $100,000 purse on the line. Management has really upped the ante in 2017, increasing the purse of the 5 1/2-furlong Troy to $250,000.

Pure Sensation is coming off one of the best performances of his career when successfully defending his title with a 5 3/4-length victory over Mongolian Saturday in the Grade 3 Parx Dash, for which he received a career-high 109 Beyer Speed Figure. Clement was forced to skip the Troy a year ago with Pure Sensation but believes he has him ready for another big effort on Sunday.

“He’s always a question mark because of his feet, but he’s doing okay at the moment,” said Clement. “He’s fast, so you know he’ll be up close again, although he doesn’t need the lead. Kendrick [Carmouche] knows him well, and he’ll put him in the right place where he feels he’s comfortable.”

Green Mask dropped a tough neck decision to Disco Partner in this race a year ago but has been nothing short of sensational ever since. He has won four of his subsequent nine starts and finished off the board only once during that span when fifth following an eventful trip in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

He, too, is peaking from a Beyer standpoint, having earned a 110 for his recent victory in the Grade 2 Highlander at Woodbine following the 109 he posted in the Grade 3 Jaipur when beaten again by Disco Partner, who needed to set a world record to do so.

“We were kind of thinking of waiting and running him just once more before the Breeders’ Cup, but he’s just doing so well right now, we figured why not take a shot, especially with the purse raised to $250,000 for the race this year,” said trainer Brad Cox. “The Beyer numbers say he’s at his best right now, although the main number I’m concerned about is the earnings next to his name.”

Long On Value looks to rebound from a disappointing performance at Ascot following his heartbreaking near miss when defeated a neck by The Right Man at Meydan in the Group 1 Al Quoz. Long On Value rallied belatedly to finish fourth, beaten just a neck, in the 2016 Troy.

Holding Gold won the Quick Call Stakes here last summer and more recently finished third, just a length behind Disco Partner, following a wide trip in the Jaipur.

Key Contenders

Pure Sensation, by Zensational
Last 3 Beyers: 110-99-83

◗ He’s won three of his four starts since being teamed up with Carmouche, the lone loss being a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Green Mask, by Mizzen Mast
Last 3 Beyers: 110-109-102

◗ He shares the highweight of 122 pounds with Holding Gold, both conceding a pound to Pure Sensation, two to Long on Value, and three to Mongolian Saturday in the evenly matched field.