Several reasons to pick Lead Guitar in Smart N Fancy

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y – Her affinity for the Saratoga turf course, her ability to handle softer ground, and the presence of leading jockey Luis Saez should all bode well for Lead Guitar when she takes on four rivals in Saturday’s $120,000 Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga.

Lead Guitar, trained by George Weaver for Jim and Susan Hill, has won races at Saratoga each of the last two meets, albeit against New York-bred competition. Last fall, however, she won open company stakes at Belmont and Aqueduct before being put away for the winter.

Lead Guitar came off an eight-month layoff in the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes at Woodbine. She broke poorly in the race and did little running thereafter, finishing seventh. The stewards declared Lead Guitar a non-starter as she appeared to be in the hands of an assistant starter when the doors came open.

“When they get away bad like that and you’re giving horses a head start, it’s hard to judge the race,” Weaver said. “I’m sure she got some fitness out of it.”

Lead Guitar has won twice at Saratoga, both at 5 1/2 furlongs, and was beaten a head in a third try at that distance.

Her two listed stakes wins last fall came over turf courses that had some give in them. That most certainly will be the case Saturday after heavy rains doused the area here on Thursday.

Weaver said that Lead Guitar “tolerates” less than firm ground.

Lead Guitar is being reunited with Saez, who, in addition to being the leading rider at this meet, is 3 for 3 on the filly.

Robin Sparkles enters the Smart N Fancy off a third-place finish behind Caravel in the Grade 3 Caress Stakes here on July 24. Robin Sparkles set the pace but couldn’t see out the trip, even losing second by a half-length to In Good Spirits. Though the course for the Caress was labeled firm, Bruce Brown, the trainer of Robin Sparkles, believes it still had some give in it.

“She ran her race but usually she’ll go on a little more than that,” Brown said. “I thought she would have held on to second but I think that last part she kind of bottomed out.”

Robin Sparkles looms the controlling speed from the rail under Jose Ortiz.

Pacific Gale, a multiple stakes-winning 6-year-old mare on dirt, will be trying turf for the first time in what will be her 33rd career start. Trainer John Kimmel said Nick Sallusto, agent for Holly Hill Stables, which owns Pacific Gale, suggested trying the turf because he’s had success with progeny of Foresty-sired mares. Pacific Whisper, the dam of Pacific Gale, is by Forestry.

John Velazquez, who rides the mare, worked Pacific Gale twice on turf and told Kimmel “she was really good traveling across the ground,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel would prefer firmer turf than Pacific Gale is likely to get on Saturday.

Piedi Bianchi was supplemented to the race by trainer Carlos Martin. Hydra completes the field.

With only a five-horse field, the Smart N Fancy is carded as race 3 on Saturday’s 11-race program.