The connections of Grade 1 Mother Goose winner Off the Tracks are debating whether to run her in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Test at seven furlongs or face the undefeated champion Songbird in the the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 20 at Saratoga.
Friday, Off the Tracks worked a slow half-mile in 52.12 seconds over the Saratoga main track.
DEL MAR, Calif. – American Cleopatra begins her career on Sunday with a built-in fan base. The 2-year-old filly is a full sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah. American Cleopatra will be the center of attention in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs.
“It will be the first time I’ve saddled a Triple Crown winner’s sister,” trainer Bob Baffert said Friday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer John Servis has been resigned to the fact for a while that his Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia would not be ready to run in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes at Saratoga.
But after watching the filly breeze a sharp five furlongs on Friday morning at Saratoga, Servis is convinced Cathryn Sophia is on the right path to a race in the coming weeks.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Jorge Navarro said that X Y Jet is getting closer to having his first work on the comeback trail, and that he remains hopeful X Y Jet will be ready to compete in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse said everything would have had to go right for his reigning female turf champion Tepin to run against the boys in the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave at Saratoga on Aug. 13.
This week, things have not gone right.
Churchill Downs has released the stakes schedules for both its September and fall meets, with a few minor tweaks. There are nine stakes worth $1,125,000 at the September meet and 13 stakes worth $2.08 million at the fall meet.
The changes include a revival of the $100,000 President of the UAE Cup, a Grade 1 race for Arabians on Sept. 24; and a scheduling switch involving the Commonwealth Turf (now Nov. 12) and the Mrs. Revere, which will be part of the Nov. 25 Clark Handicap card for the first time.
A sizable field of fillies and mares is expected when entries are taken Sunday at Ellis Park for the $100,000 Groupie Doll Stakes.
The one-mile Groupie Doll will be run next Saturday (Aug. 6) as one of two stakes on the richest card of the 29-day meet, along with the revived Ellis Park Juvenile. As a Grade 3, the Groupie Doll is the only graded race at the western Kentucky track.
While trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is pointing Frosted to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Invitational on Aug. 6, he may have two horses to run in the Grade 1, $600,000 Woodward here at Saratoga on Sept. 3.
Watershed, a son of Bernardini who stretched out to 1 1/8 miles to win a second-level allowance Monday, could run in the Woodward, McLaughlin said. Mubtaahij, third to Effinex in the Grade 1 Suburban, also is possible, McLaughlin said.
The Woodward would potentially be a big step for Watershed, who did earn a 98 Beyer for his allowance win.
Wavell Avenue, the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner, worked a half-mile in 49.88 seconds over the Saratoga main track in preparation for the $100,000 Shine Again next Wednesday here.
Wavell Avenue could have run in Wednesday’s Grade 2 Honorable Miss, but trainer Chad Brown preferred having another week as well as another furlong.
“She came out of her last race a little tired, and she seemed like she would benefit from having an extra week,” Brown said.
The New York-bred Fish Trappe Road worked a half-mile in 48.73 seconds over the Oklahoma training track here at Saratoga on Thursday, his first work since winning the Grade 3 Dwyer at Belmont Park on July 9. Jockey Luis Saez was up for the move.
Fish Trappe Road is pointing to the Grade 1 King’s Bishop on Aug. 27.
“I told Luis to go in 49 or 50,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “He went 48 and 3. He did it very easy. I think they got the last quarter in 23 and 3. The horse is doing well. We’ll probably get more serious next week. I’ll probably breeze him on the main track.”
