Saythreehailmary’s looking for help from heavens
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer John Morrison will be praying that the weather forecast calling for rain Wednesday is accurate.
Morrison has Saythreehailmary’s entered for the main track only in a second-level allowance race for fillies and mares scheduled for a mile on turf. The weather forecast calls for a 100 percent chance of rain for a region that could sorely use some precipitation.
“We’ll be saying three Hail Mary’s for rain, okay?” Morrison said Monday.
Saythreehailmary’s is 3 for 3 on a wet track, including an 8 1/4-length maiden win over a “good” Belmont main track in May 2014. She has raced on turf twice, most recently here Sept. 20 when last in the John Hettinger Stakes. Morrison is trying to get Saythreehailmary’s a prep for the $250,000 Empire Distaff for New York-breds on dirt Oct. 24.
Prior to the turf race, Saythreehailmary’s finished fifth, beaten 10 lengths by Hot Stones, in the Saratoga Dew Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 17. Hot Stones won that race by 9 1/4 lengths, meaning Saythreehailmary’s was beaten less than a length for second. She was ridden by Manny Franco.
“We probably made a mistake in telling Manny to stay a little close,” Morrison said. “He came back and said he doesn’t think she wants to be this close.”
If this race Wednesday comes off the turf, Saythreehailmary’s likely will have to run down Natalie Victoria, who is also entered to run only if the race is moved to the dirt. If it stays on turf, Tango Time, a good-looking first-level allowance winner at Saratoga on Aug. 29, would be the horse to beat for trainer Todd Pletcher.
KEY CONTENDERS
Saythreehailmary’s (Last 3 Beyers: 65-77-83)
◗ Saythreehailymary’s would strictly be the one to beat if this race moves to the main track. She has a 2-2-1 record from five starts over Belmont’s main track.
“She likes Belmont, and she likes it wet,” Morrison said. “If everything cooperates, we’re in a good spot.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Saythreehailmary’s. Trainer John Morrison is 15-0-1-5 over the past four years in races moved off the turf due to weather. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Tango Time (Beyers: 89-79)
◗ Showed the makings of a stakes horse on turf with a strong move to extricate herself from traffic and win a first-level allowance race at Saratoga on the Travers undercard.
“We thought about going into a stakes after that, but then we thought she’s coming along, let’s not jump into the deep end yet,” Pletcher said. “We hope she’s the kind of filly that can step up into graded stakes after this.”
◗ She won on soft turf in Ireland.
Flamingo Lane (Last 3 Beyers: 83-81-83)
◗ She has a 3-1-1 record from five starts over Belmont’s turf course and ran two solid races at this level in open company at Saratoga. Would scratch if this race comes off the turf.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Natalie Victoria. Trainer David Jacobson is 73-25-17-6 with a $1.89 ROI over the past five years in routes moved off the turf due to weather. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan