Welcome to Spa Babies! I'll break down the statistics for every juvenile contest at the meet and hope for a tidy profit.

In past years, I would list the stats for each horse before writing up my analysis, selections and wagering strategy.
In order to streamline the content, this year's Spa Babies will showcase written analyses of each juvenile race.
Each analysis will include relevant statistical information.  Following the analysis, top three selections and wagering strategy will be provided.

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Wednesday's results:

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Ibboyee, said he told Mike Repole, the owner of Be Bullish, that his dream scenario for Wednesday's $75,000 John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga was that his horse would nail Repole's horse on the wire.

Pletcher's dream - and Repole's nightmare - came true when Ibboyee, under John Velazquez, rallied from fourth in the final furlong to nail Be Bullish by a neck in the final stride. It was 1 1/4 lengths back to Six Flings in third.

Trainer Peter Walder said the specific reason owners John Buckley Jr., Ralph Durante, and the Pennston Farms claimed Sweet N Sour Nina when she dropped in for a $50,000 claiming tag last fall at Keeneland was because of the filly’s affinity for Gulfstream Park. But Sweet N Sour Nina is not strictly a horse for a course, and she figures to be one of the major players when shipping to Saratoga for the first time to compete in Friday’s $75,000 Madame Jumel overnight stakes.

Trainer Shug McGaughey had considered running Hymn Book in Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney Invitational Handicap, but ultimately opted against it and will point the Suburban runner-up to the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf here Aug. 26.

Ultimately, McGaughey found the Whitney field significantly tougher than the Suburban.

The undefeated juvenile Majestic City worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds at Del Mar on Wednesday, but will not start in Sunday’s $150,000 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Trainer Peter Miller emphasized that Majestic City will make his next start in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7, the closing day of the meeting.

“We’re going to do the smart thing and wait for the futurity,” Miller said. “It seems like he likes this racetrack. He looked great over it.”

DEL MAR, Calif. - Mr. Commons, the winner of the Oceanside Stakes on July 30, may start in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 13.

Trainer John Shirreffs said earlier this week that Mr. Commons will make at least one more start at this meeting, with the $250,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 4 a long-term goal. After Mr. Commons worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on turf at Del Mar on Sunday, the La Jolla became a possibility. Following the workout, jockey Mike Smith said the workout gave him “goosebumps.”

AUBURN, Wash. – Tim McCanna won his 800th race at Emerald Downs last week, a remarkable milestone during a run of dominance that has included 10 training titles in Emerald’s 15 seasons and will land McCanna in the Washington Racing Hall of Fame when the 2011 class is officially inducted later this month.

Still missing from McCanna’s résumé is a victory in the Northwest’s marquee race, the Grade 3 Longacres Mile. He finished second last year with Jersey Town, and he hopes to have another viable contender in Saratoga Boot when the Mile is renewed for the 76th time on Aug. 21.

AUBURN, Wash. – With the Emerald Derby fast approaching, what began as a 3-year-old division teeming with Derby prospects has been whittled to a select few. Couldabenthewhisky, the top 2-year-old at Emerald Downs last summer, will be among the leading contenders when the Derby is renewed for the 74th time Aug. 14, but the favorite’s role likely will fall to Zayda. Blaine Wright, who trains Zayda for owner Heidi Nelson, says he’s comfortable wearing the bull’s-eye.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockey Mike Smith will ride 3-5 favorite Joker Face in a one-mile match race against his former fiancée, Chantal Sutherland, on Sunday.

Dubbed the Battle of the Exes, the $31,000 race will be run as the third or fourth on Sunday’s program.

The match race features two maiden claimers who will be making their first starts of the meeting.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Mike Puype calls Saturday’s Grade 1 Test a “r é sum é race” and one he and the connections of likely favorite Turbulent Descent “have wanted all along.” To get it, however, Turbulent Descent will have to beat eight other talented 3-year-old fillies, including Her Smile, who is coming off the best performance of her career to win the Grade 1 Prioress five weeks earlier.