Saratoga: Tapizar pointing to Kelso

Though Steve Asmussen nominated both Tapizar and Prayer for Relief to next weekend's Woodward at Saratoga, he has other spots picked out for those horses.

Tapizar, coming off a 4 1/2-length victory in the West Virginia Governors Stakes at Mountaineer on Aug. 4, is being pointed to the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso at Belmont Park on Sept. 29. The Kelso is a one-turn mile on the dirt and is designed to get Tapizar to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.

“He runs great fresh,” said Asmussen, who last fall brought Tapizar back off a six-month layoff in a seven-furlong allowance race at Belmont, a race he won by 2 1/4 lengths.

Asmussen also noted that Tapizar has an affinity for Santa Anita, winning the Grade 3 Sham Stakes there at 3 and the San Fernando in January.

Asmussen said Prayer for Relief, beaten a nose by Alternation in the Governors Cup at Remington Park on Aug. 11, would be pointed to next Saturday’s Washington Park Handicap at Arlington.

Turbulent Descent on path to Breeders’ Cup

Turbulent Descent came out of her 1 1/4-length victory in Friday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina very well, according to trainer Todd Pletcher. The four-time Grade 1-winning filly will now be aimed at the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Pletcher said there is a possibility Turbulent Descent could make a start in the Gallant Bloom at Belmont on Sept. 22, but only “if we think it improves her chances for the Breeders’ Cup. Otherwise, we’ll just wait. We’ll let her tell us that.”

The Ballerina was a Win and You’re In race so Turbulent Descent gets her entry fees paid for the race and her connections get a $10,000 travel stipend. Turbulent Descent was making her first start for the Coolmore Stud connections, who bought her as a broodmare prospect in July.

Turbulent Descent, who is now 8 for 12 lifetime with earnings of $1.2 million, ran seven furlongs in 1:22.13 in the Ballerina and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.