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Silver Skillet headlines $125K John Hettinger

by Christian Abdo

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco’s Silver Skillet looks for her third stakes score of the year in Thursday’s $125,000 John Hettinger, a nine-furlong inner turf test for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the 4-year-old Liam’s Map gray enters from a fifth as the favorite in the state-bred Yaddo Handicap won by reopposing Moonage Daydream on August 25 over 1 1/16 miles of firm Saratoga Race Course turf. Prior to that start, Silver Skillet was as good as gold when a seven-length winner of the local Port Washington at the same distance on July 7.

“She’s doing well. At Saratoga last time, she was disappointing and I’m not sure why. She is training well,” said Clement. “We kept her in Saratoga and she has worked well. She will be coming here two days before the race.”

Prior to the Port Washington, Silver Skillet, the reigning NYTB Champion Turf Female, was victorious in the off-the-turf state-bred Mount Vernon going one mile from the Wilson Chute on June 9 at the Spa.

The consecutive Port Washington and Mount Vernon victories, which came in gate-to-wire fashion, were each awarded a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

Clement said that he doesn’t believe Silver Skillet needs early command, but it’ll be up to regular Hall of Fame rider Joel Rosario to make that decision from post 3, carrying 126 pounds.

“Joel rides her, so he will make the call, not me. I don’t think that is actually the main thing. I just think she ran a bit off form, and I’m not sure why. I wish I could tell you why, but I don’t know,” said Clement.

Bred by Robert Chasanoff, Silver Skillet, out of the stakes-winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star, was a $260,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale. She boasts a record of 15-5-3-2 with $448,240 in earnings.

Trainer Jorge Abreu has entered a trio of contenders including dual stakes-winner Moonage Daydream [post 7, Flavien Prat, 126 pounds], stakes-placed Busy Morning [post 1, Jose Lezcano, 122 pounds] and allowance-winner Scoring Chance [post 9, Frankie Dettori, 122 pounds].

Chris Larsen’s Moonage Daydream, the aforementioned Yaddo-winner, launched that 13-1 upset after stalking stablemate Venti Valentine and taking charge in the second turn. The 4-year-old Candy Ride bay had enough in reserve to fend off the late rush of returning rival Marvelous Maude and land the 1 1/4-length victory.

“She came out of her last race in pretty good shape, so I’m going to give her another try,” said Abreu. “I wanted to keep her against New York-breds. We have this, and then the New York-bred day on October 27, which could be her last race of the year.”

The Yaddo was Moonage Daydream’s second stakes triumph, coming seven starts after she took the six-furlong Stewart Manor in November 2022 at the Big A. Bred by 3C Stable, Moonage Daydream is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Elatha.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Sportsmen Stable’s Busy Morning enters from a rallying one-length state-bred allowance victory going 1 1/16 miles on August 25 at Saratoga. It was the 5-year-old War Dancer bay’s second effort at that distance at the Spa, and she will continue to stretch out Thursday as she goes nine furlongs for the first time.

“The only question with Busy Morning is the distance. She ran one mile and a sixteenth pretty well,” Abreu said. “Numbers-wise, she belongs here.”

Bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Busy Morning, who is out of the winning Strategic Prince mare Three Am Tour, was third in the NYSSS Statue of Liberty in August 2022 at Saratoga.

Old Tavern Farm’s homebred Scoring Chance will try the grass in her sixth career outing after sprinting on dirt in her last two efforts. The 4-year-old Good Magic dark bay won a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred allowance on the main track here in July ahead of a last-out fourth at the same distance in August at Saratoga.

“Normally the Good Magics run good on turf and there is nothing for her on dirt, so I will give her a try and see,” Abreu said.

Out of the winning Empire Maker mare Comme Chez Soi, Scoring Chance is a half-sister to recently turf stakes-placed juvenile colt Under Who’s Radar. Her second dam is Grade 1-winner Downthedustyroad.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will send out stakes-winner Marvelous Maude [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 122 pounds] as she seeks her first win this year after three stakes placings. The 6-year-old Slumber dark bay, winner of the Mount Vernon last May at Belmont Park, was a distant third in the Listed Plenty of Grace and Port Washington here ahead of her last-out second in the Yaddo.

Campaigned by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Michael J. Caruso, Marvelous Maude has hit the board in 13-of-15 starts, only missing in Saratoga’s 2022 Grade 2 Flower Bowl and the local state-bred Ticonderoga one start later.

Bred by Beechwood Bruckner, Marvelous Maude is out of the winning Warrior’s Reward mare Wait Your Turn, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Fear the Cowboy.

Roger Cimbora, Jr.’s homebred Can’t Fool Me [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 122 pounds] is 2-for-4 this year with two runner-up finishes for trainer Horacio De Paz. The 5-year-old Frost Giant chestnut is making her stakes bow after a last-out 3 1/2-length score in a state-bred optional claimer going 1 1/16 miles over good Spa turf in August.

The recent victory under returning pilot Ricardo Santana, Jr. earned a career-best 83 Beyer. Can’t Fool Me brings a 2-for-3 record at the Hettinger distance on turf, including a 1 1/4-length score in a local state-bred allowance in June.

Can’t Fool Me, out of the First Dude mare Brazo de Oro, is a half-sister to the stakes-placed De Paz-trainee Twenty Six Black.

Rounding out the field are Barry Schwartz’s stakes-winning homebred Whatlovelookslike [post 6, Dylan Davis, 124 pounds] for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher; Snowy Evening [post 4, John Velazquez, 122 pounds] for conditioner David Donk; and Power and Glory [post 8, Melissa Iorio, 122 pounds] for owner/trainer Glenn Thompson.

Sterling Silver, Amanda’s Folly, Sweetest Princess and Cinderella’s Cause are entered for the main track-only.

The John Hettinger is slated as Race 6 on Thursday’s eight-race program. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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