Sippican Harbor will train up to BC Juvenile Fillies

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Sippican Harbor came out of her upset victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes “perfect” according to trainer Gary Contessa, but the filly won’t start again before the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

“Just train into the Breeders’ Cup,” Contessa said. “She ran twice in 20 days, that’s enough. I can’t see the perfect timing for another race, we’ll go in with a fresh horse.”

Sippican Harbor actually ran three times in six weeks at this meet. She came to Saratoga as a turf horse. She debuted on July 22 in a 1 1/16-mile turf race finishing fifth, beaten four lengths.

Contessa entered Sippican Harbor back on turf, but rain forced the Aug. 12 race to the dirt and she won that seven-furlong race by 17 lengths.

Sippican Harbor, a daughter of Orb, rallied from last to win the Spinaway by two lengths over Restless Rider. Sippican Harbor covered seven furlongs in 1:23.72 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 77.

Contessa said the effort in the Spinaway confirmed Sippican Harbor can compete with good horses on dirt.

“She’s the real deal because going in I wasn’t positive,” Contessa said. “You could take a really good boxer and he beats up a chump and he looks really good doing it, but when you throw him in with Mike Tyson he’s knocked out in the first round. We had to see this to believe it.”

Contessa said Sippican Harbor would ship to Belmont Park on Tuesday and train there for a while before shipping to Churchill Downs about three weeks out from the Breeders’ Cup.

Albertrani eyes BC with Lady Montdore

Trainer Tom Albertrani will point Lady Montdore, winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga, to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Albertrani has yet to decide whether he will run her once more - presumably in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont Park on Oct. 7 - before then.

“She’s a light filly, don’t want to do too much too soon,” Albertrani said. “If she’s doing really well, we have the Flower Bowl.”

Lady Montdore, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the seven-time graded stakes winner Hystericalady, won her U.S. debut on Aug. 6 coming from off the pace. She was pulled up in distress shortly after the race due to the heat.

Lady Montdore obviously bounced back quickly and led her pursuers on a merry chase around the turf course in the Glens Falls, run in near darkness.

“She had plenty more to offer, she was not slowing down after the wire,” Albertrani said.

Lady Montdore covered the 1 3/8 miles in 2:20.78 and earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Albertrani reported that Sadler’s Joy remains on course for the Breeders’ Cup Turf despite throwing in a clunker when finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer. Sadler’s Joy will likely make his next start in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont on Sept. 29.

*** Raging Bull earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure for his 1 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Saranac. He will most likely make his next start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Hill Prince, a 1 1/8-mile turf race restricted to 3-year-olds, at Belmont on Oct. 6, trainer Chad Brown said.