Saratoga: No Distinction headed for turf in Quick Call

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sensing the competition in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes could be a bit salty, trainer Randy Morse is likely to change course literally and figuratively with No Distinction, who is entered in Thursday’s $100,000 Quick Call Stakes for 3-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Saratoga.

No Distinction would be making his first start on turf after winning his last three races on the dirt. He is by With Distinction out of the Dynaformer mare Casting Call, who has produced two other turf winners.[bc_video_id:299107:]

“We worked him on the grass at Churchill when we first got there this spring, and he seemed to handle it real well,” Morse said. “He’s got a foot like a turf horse, and he’s out of a Dynaformer mare. The bottom line is he’s fast. It looks like it’s a whole lot easier spot than the Amsterdam.”

Morse said he would likely enter No Distinction on Thursday for Sunday’s Amsterdam – going six furlongs on dirt – and hopes to be able to see who is in that race before having to make a final decision on whether to run No Distinction in the Quick Call, but added “I’m leaning towards the grass.”

Morse hopes to get the same result trainer Phil Serpe did when he moved the New York-bred Weekend Hideaway to the turf for the first time. Following a second-place finish to Amberjack in the Mike Lee on dirt June 1, Weekend Hideaway cruised to a 4 3/4-length victory in the Gone Fishin Stakes on turf at Belmont on June 28.

“I thought he ran very well,” Serpe said. “He won easily enough to keep pursuing that.”

Weekend Hideaway has plenty of early speed and may have to avoid getting in a duel with Stage Street, Bennie the Jet, or Salutos Amigos.

No Distinction would benefit from a pace battle, as would Central Banker, who makes his 3-year-old debut and first start since finishing fifth in the Delta Downs Jackpot last November.

Central Banker, a son of Speightstown, won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden turf race in his second lifetime start here last August.

Following the Delta Downs Jackpot, trainer Al Stall gave Central Banker a brief freshening. When he was getting him ready at Fair Grounds, the horse popped a splint bone and needed more time.

Stall said he had the horse ready to run in the middle of June at Churchill, but couldn’t find the right spot for him.

“He had a nice turf work the other day, handy, comfortable,” said Stall, referring to a half-mile move in 50.40 seconds July 19. “He should be ready to run. I hope he falls out of there and places himself comfortably and hope the speed backs up a little bit.”

Joel Rosario will ride Central Banker from post 4.

Stage Street won his turf debut at Churchill on June 15. Bernie the Jet was second to Weekend Hideaway in the Gone Fishin. Strike the Note was beaten a head in a second-level turf allowance sprint June 9 at Arlington. Salutos Amigos, runner-up in his career debut on turf last year, has been working steadily on the grass for this spot. He is coupled with I’m Wide Awake, who won down the hillside turf course at Santa Anita last March.