On Time Girl needs improved trip to dethrone Explora in Test
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Explora clearly got the better of the trips and made the most of her opportunity when turning back On Time Girl to capture the Leslie’s Lady Stakes in June at Churchill Downs. But trainer Brad Cox is hopeful both the race shape and final result will be different when he sends On Time Girl back out against Explora and six other 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Saratoga in the prestigious, Grade 1 Test Stakes.
On Time Girl, already a multiple graded stakes winner, got bounced around briefly between horses immediately after the start of the seven-furlong Leslie’s Lady. She ultimately wound up racing wide from a stalking position around the turn and came up 1 1/4 lengths short of Explora after launching her bid through the stretch.
Explora, on the other hand, was alert to begin and able to set up shop on the front end along the inside, controlling the race from start to finish. She had enough left in the tank to readily repulse the 4-5 favorite when engaged by that foe through midstretch.
“My filly ran great. I kind of thought Explora had the run of the race the last time these two fillies met, and it feels like there is more early pace on paper this time,” said Cox, who trains the homebred On Time Girl for Albaugh Family Stables LLC. “Hopefully, our filly can sit off and work out a better trip in this next one. Her numbers have been going forward, and she’s had plenty of time to rebound from the last race, so I expect another big effort from her on Saturday.”
The versatile Explora, who was beaten less than a length by Super Corredora as the 3-2 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in her 2-year-old finale, has proven she can handle seven furlongs equally as well as two turns. She captured the Santa Ynez at Santa Anita and finished second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs earlier in her career.
Explora is trained by Bob Baffert, who will be seeking his fourth victory in the Test and first since Gamine in 2020.
“She loves the distance, is training well, and this looks like a very good spot for her,” Baffert enthused, “which is about all you can ask for when you ship that far. She’s a filly who I think will get even better with age. Right now, we’re just looking for that first Grade 1.”
Although On Time Girl and Explora figure to attract the majority of the public’s support, the Test is anything but a two-horse race. The lineup includes Grade 1 winner Percy’s Bar; the well-graded last-out allowance winner Movie Night; and Sippin Pretty and Goodall, who finished first and second, respectively, here last month in the Grade 3 Victory Ride. The speedy Where Luck Lives, riding a two-race winning streak, and stakes-placed Carmel Coast complete the field.
Percy’s Bar returns locally for the first time since her second-place finish in the Grade 1 Spinaway a year ago. Percy’s Bar lost an apparent Grade 1 win five weeks later when disqualified from first to second in the Alcibiades at Keeneland but became a Grade 1 winner over the same track earlier this year by rallying to a convincing 2 1/4-length tally in the Ashland.
Percy’s Bar will add blinkers on Saturday while shortening up to seven furlongs for the first time since the Spinaway.
Trained by Will Walden, Movie Night has won her last two starts, both at Churchill Downs, by a combined 13 1/2 lengths. Her entry-level allowance win June 24 earned the daughter of Speightstown a 96 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest posted to date by any member of the Test field.
“She’s shown she’s got the ability to compete in this kind of race, and we’re really excited about it,” Walden said.
Sippin Pretty circled wide and ran down 2-1 favorite Goodall to upset the Victory Ride at odds of 26-1 while earning a lifetime-best 94 Beyer. The victory came in her first start since she was beaten 10 lengths by On Time Girl in the Eight Belles 10 weeks earlier.
– additional reporting by David Grening
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