Strike Power will try turf in Better Talk Now Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After a couple of disappointing efforts in graded stakes on dirt, Strike Power, winner of the Grade 3 Swale earlier this year, will get an opportunity to run on turf in the $100,000 Better Talk Now Stakes on Aug. 27.

On Friday, Strike Power had his first turf workout, going a half-mile in 47.82 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course. He went his first quarter in 23.84 and his second quarter in 23.98 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.29.

“I thought he got over it well, seemed like a nice easy breeze,” trainer Mark Hennig said. “I was slowing her down with the radio.”

Hennig said he had discussions for a long time with owner Don Adam about eventually trying Strike Power on the turf. Strike Power is a son of Speightstown out of the mare Gold d’Oro, a four-time winner on turf. Gold d’Oro is a half-sister to Adriano, who was a graded winner on turf.

“All along we’ve had discussions and said that turf might end up being his best surface because of his family, so we kept that in mind,” Hennig said. “We decided to give him a couple of breezes to see how he did, and it seemed like he was comfortable over it.”

Hennig said that My Miss Lilly, winner of the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct in April, will be sidelined the remainder of the year due to an ankle chip that has been surgically removed.

Hennig had been pointing My Miss Lilly to next Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama. He said My Miss Lilly will be brought back as a 4-year-old.