Ready for Rye tries grass again in Quick Call
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ready for Rye is already a Grade 2 winner on dirt, but trainer Tom Albertrani has thought all along that his real calling would be on the grass. He’ll get the opportunity to test that theory for a second time Thursday at Saratoga, where Ready for Rye will be favored to defeat nine other 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Quick Call Stakes.
Ready for Rye opened his career running six times on dirt, never finishing off the board while winning twice, including a score in the Grade 2 Swale last winter at Gulfstream Park. Albertrani decided that it was finally time to try the son of City Zip on grass last month at Belmont, and the versatile gelding responded with an impressive 2 3/4-length, wire-to-wire allowance win going seven furlongs.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Ready for Rye. A winner of his last start July 4 at Belmont Park; horses he beat in that race went 5-0-0-0 with a top Beyer Speed Figure of 76 in their immediate next starts. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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“We considered the Amsterdam last weekend but thought we’d stick to grass for the time being,” said Albertrani. “He really ran well over it the first time. Javier [Castellano] was really impressed with his performance and thought he got over it quite well. There are a couple of opportunities here for him on turf, another race going a mile at the end of meet, so hopefully things will work out well and then we’ll sort out our options after that.”
Like Albertrani, trainer Wesley Ward had considered the Amsterdam for The Great War, having gone so far as to actually enter him in the race before scratching to await the 5 1/2-furlong Quick Call. The Great War was transferred to Ward’s barn after finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for trainer Aidan O’Brien in his 2-year-old finale. A bleeding issue kept him sidelined following his 10th-place finish as the 1-5 favorite in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park on Feb. 28.
Cyclogenisis makes his first start since shipping to Ascot to finish far back in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup on June 19. The loss was the first for Cyclogenisis, who opened his career with three straight one-sided victories that included an impressive tally at 2 in the Laurel Futurity.
Key Contenders
Ready for Rye (Last 3 Beyers: 96-83-79)
Although he was on the lead in his turf debut, he might find himself having to come from off the pace while turning back in distance for the Quick Call, although Albertrani said that should not be an issue.
“It’s certainly a little different scenario going 5 1/2 furlongs, but he has natural speed, so I don’t think he’ll be very far off the lead, and he looks like the class of the race, so he should be able to handle it just fine,” said Albertrani.
The Great War (Last 3 Beyers: 43-93-89)
He will be making his first start on grass since posting an easy win in his final European start going six furlongs last fall at The Curragh in Ireland.
Cyclogenisis (Last 2 Beyers: 79-83)
He’s the only member of the field with a win over the course, having captured his career debut with a come-from-behind, three-length maiden special weight triumph here last August.
Gallery (Last 3 Beyers: 84-83-83)
Improving 3-year-old comes off a gritty upset victory over the odds-on A Lot in the one-mile Manila at Belmont but has never run 5 1/2 furlongs on grass before.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Bottle Rocket. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 5-4-0-0 with a $16.74 ROI over the past two years in turf sprints at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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