Tobys Heart should benefit from experience in Bolton Landing
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Brian Lynch hadn’t had Tobys Heart very long when he ran her in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden turf race on June 4 at Churchill Downs.
“She was probably a gate work away from being 100 percent when we ran her the first time,” Lynch said.
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Her inexperience at the gate showed, but so too did her immense talent, as Tobys Heart overcame a slow start to rally from last to win by 6 3/4 lengths. Wednesday, Tobys Heart will make her second career start when she heads the field set to run 5 1/2 furlongs over the Mellon Turf course in the $85,000 Bolton Landing at Saratoga.
Tobys Heart, a 2-year-old daughter of the Grade 1-winning turfer Jack Milton, was purchased at the OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale by Lynch and Terry Hamilton. She had five works leading into her debut. After breaking last, she knifed her way through horses and came with a powerful rally in the lane to win going away. She earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.
“What she lacked in gate experience we had quite a bit of work in her,” Lynch said. “She always worked very well on the dirt, but we were thinking she’s probably a grass filly. It was exciting to watch. Once she split them, she found another gear.”
Her works on dirt since had Lynch thinking of trying Tobys Heart on dirt, “but I didn’t want to fix something that isn’t broken,” he said.
Jose Ortiz will ride Tobys Heart from post 6 in what figures to be an eight-horse field after the scratches of the two main track-only entrants.
There appears to be plenty of speed in the Bolton Landing, including Joy’s Rocket, a daughter of the obscure sire Anthony’s Cross who is 2 for 2. Joy’s Rocket won her debut sprinting in the slop at Churchill Downs before shipping to win the My Dear Stakes over Woodbine’s synthetic surface on Aug. 1.
“Very quick filly, took a lot of pressure at Woodbine last time and responded,” said Asmussen, who has Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride from post 2.
Mischievous Dream, a New York-bred daughter of Into Mischief, won her debut July 19, despite showing some immaturity in the stretch, switching leads a couple of times. She worked out a sweet outside stalking trip that day and will again have the outside post under Tyler Gaffalione on Wednesday.
Amanzi Yimpilo won her career debut at Gulfstream Park by 2 1/2 lengths for Wesley Ward. The field she beat is a combined 0 for 8 out of that race.
Sweet Souper Sweet, a daughter of First Samurai, won her debut on synthetic at Woodbine for Michael Trombetta. Hara and Quinoa Tifah won maiden races on dirt at Gulfstream. Sassy Hannah, a first-time starter by War Front with a strong work tab, debuts in a stakes for trainer Eduardo Caramori.
The Bolton Landing, which will be run Lasix-free, goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:50 p.m. with the $55,000 Michael G. Walsh Novice Steeplechase Stakes featuring Snap Decision seeking his seventh consecutive victory.