Radiator stretches out in Saratoga allowance

When Radiator won her U.S. debut at Keeneland in April, she looked like a burgeoning stakes horse.

In two stakes tries since, however, Radiator has come up empty, finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Beaugay and seventh in the Intercontinental Stakes, both at Belmont Park.

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On Thursday, trainer Bill Mott will try something different with Radiator when he drops her in class and stretches her out to 1 3/16 miles for a $90,000 second-level allowance race at Saratoga.

“We tried seven eighths a time or two. It didn’t work,” Mott said.

Asked about 1 3/16 miles, Mott smiled and said, “I think it’ll work.”

Little that Mott has tried so far at this meet hasn’t worked. Through the first four days of Saratoga, he has won six races from 13 starters.

Radiator has never run farther than 1 1/16 miles, but her pedigree suggests she should handle the added distance. Radiator is by Dubawi out of the multiple Grade 1 winner Heat Haze, who won the Beverly D. at Arlington at 1 3/16 miles.

Trainer Chad Brown will send out the uncoupled entry of Regardez and Chocolatier, both of whom lost at this level last out, while trainer Christophe Clement steps up Graceful Grit off a first-level allowance win at Belmont on June 13.