With two turns in his future, Glacial takes off the blinkers for Saratoga Special

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A speedy 2-year-old is not a bad thing to have when you’re sprinting. Norm Casse is hoping to harness the speed Glacial has shown when he removes the blinkers from the colt’s equipment when he goes 6 1/2 furlongs in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special.

Glacial, a son of Frosted, broke slowly in his first two starts. He overcame the slow start to win his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on May 29 at Churchill Downs. In the Grade 3 Bashford Manor there, Glacial rushed into the teeth of a strong early pace and did well to finish third. Double Thunder rallied from last to win the race.

“He’s definitely going to be a better two-turn horse,” Casse said of Glacial on Wednesday. “He just moves that way. He’s cool because he’s very push-button. When you ask him to go, he goes. We’re trying to teach him to use that kick later on.”

Casse said he is looking forward to stretching out Glacial to 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3, $300,000 Iroqouis Stakes on Sept. 18 at Churchill Downs. The Iroquois is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

“We’d love to win the Saratoga Special, but this is more of a get him ready for the Iroquois-type race,” Casse said.

Glacial, owned by Robert Masterson, was one of 12 2-year-olds entered in the Special.

The field, from the rail out, is Nakatomi, Gunite, Ottoman Empire, Kitodan, Midnight Worker, Stolen Base, Double Thunder, Doctor Jeff, Dance Code, Glacial, High Oak, and Red Run.

◗ Pretty Birdie, winner of the Grade 3 Schuylerville on opening day, returned to the work tab Sunday, breezing a half-mile in 49.90 seconds. She is pointing to the Grade 1 Spinaway here Sept. 5.