Walter Wlodarczyk Photo

Soldier Rising reaching for elusive G1 win in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

by NYRA Press Office

• Soldier Rising reaching for elusive G1 win in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
• Pletcher runners prepare at Saratoga for upcoming Keeneland engagements
• Delacour believes G2 Pilgrim aspirant Fulmineo could be versatile
• Belmont at the Big A week 4 stakes probables

Given his credentials, it might be hard to believe that multiple Grade 1-placed millionaire Soldier Rising has yet to win a graded stakes since joining the stable of trainer Christophe Clement in the summer of 2021. After coming close on several occasions, the 5-year-old son of Frankel will pursue a high caliber victory in Saturday’s rescheduled edition of the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic going 12 furlongs at Belmont at the Big A.

Soldier Rising enters from a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer on August 26 which was contested over yielding ground at Saratoga Race Course. There, he raced from last-of-6 before surging late to finish second beaten 4 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Bolshoi Ballet.

Although winless in four starts this year, Soldier Rising posted two other Grade 1 placings when second in Belmont Park’s Grade 1 Man o’ War on May 13 and the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 10, both contested over firm going.

But Soldier Rising has placed in 5-of-6 Grade 1 starts, starting with his North American debut for Clement when second beaten one length to State of Rest in the 2021 Saratoga Derby Invitational. In last year’s Sword Dancer, he registered a career-high 103 Beyer Seed Figure when finishing third, just one length behind victorious stablemate Gufo.  

“He’s doing very well. He finished second in three Grade 1s in New York so far this year,” noted Clement, who captured the 2010 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic with Winchester. “He keeps running well, and we’re going to keep trying with him. It’s a good race, a tough race on paper, but I think he does OK on soft ground. He should be there, and we’ll try for the best. He’s run very well on every kind of ground, so I’m not too concerned about the ground.”

Soldier Rising is owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso and has banked $1,144,997 in earnings through a consistent 19-4-8-3 record. Bred in Great Britain by Dayton Investments, Solider Rising is out of the stakes-winning German-bred Pivotal mare Sahrawi.

Moyglare Stud Farm’s German-bred mare Amazing Grace has finished no worse than fourth in her five starts for Clement. The 5-year-old chestnut daughter of Protectionist was a last out third in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl on September 2 going 1 3/8 miles at Saratoga, which was won in frontrunning fashion by stablemate Parnac.

The effort followed a third-place finish in the Spa’s Grade 2 Glens Falls on August 3, where she endured a troubled trip to finish only 2 1/2 lengths behind Grade 1-winners McKulick and War Like Goddess. In her debut for Clement, Amazing Grace captured the Grade 3 Orchid on April 1 going 12 furlongs at Gulfstream Park. This followed a campaign in her native land with trainer Waldemar Hickst, which included a pair of Group 2 triumphs as well as a third-place finish behind eventual Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance in the Group 1 Preis von Europa last September.

Clement said he is leaning toward a trip to Canada with Amazing Grace, who will likely target the Grade 1, $750,000 E.P. Taylor on October 8 at Woodbine Racetrack.

“She’s a good mare and she was very unlucky last time out. She is training very well at the moment, so the E.P. Taylor makes a lot of sense,” Clement said.

Clement spoke volumes of Amazing Grace’s Flower Bowl effort.

“If anything, Amazing Grace finished the best in the race, running third,” Clement said. “If we still had Trakus and if you looked at the time, Amazing Grace would have run the fastest four furlongs.”

Clement added that his Flower Bowl victress Parnac will likely remain in New York and contest next Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya going 11 furlongs at Belmont at the Big A.

Debut juvenile winner Deterministic registered an 81 Beyer going seven furlongs on August 12 at Saratoga. The dark bay son of Liam’s Map is currently receiving a freshening and is slated to return to Clement’s winter division at Payson Park in South Florida where he will train for a sophomore campaign. Deterministic was a $625,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“He’s having a break after winning first time out impressively. We had a small issue with him after the race, so he’ll be back this winter at Payson Park,” Clement said.

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Pletcher runners prepare at Saratoga for upcoming Keeneland engagements

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has kept his top string of horses stabled at Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma training track in the weeks following the summer meeting that concluded on September 4 at the upstate New York oval.

Among them are a bevy of graded stakes contenders eyeing starts at Keeneland, including reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest and juveniles Wine On Tap and Locked.

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House’s Nest, a three-time Grade 1-winner, is currently training towards a start in the Grade 1 Spinster on October 8, where a win would guarantee her a spot in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff on November 4 at Santa Anita Park.

Nest was last seen finishing an even third in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on August 25 at the Spa over a sloppy and sealed main track, finishing 4 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Idiomatic. That effort came on the heels of a successful return from an eight-month layoff when taking the Grade 2 Shuvee by 2 1/4 lengths on July 23.

Nest has breezed back four times since the Personal Ensign, most recently covering a half-mile in 51.25 seconds over the Oklahoma on Saturday.

“She’s doing well and we’re planning on the Spinster,” said Pletcher. “Her works have been excellent. She’s a pleasure to train and does whatever you want her to do.”

The Curlin bay was awarded Champion honors last year for a campaign that included victories in Keeneland’s Grade 1 Ashland and two memorable Grade 1 scores in the Spa’s Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama. She then captured the Grade 2 Beldame at the Belmont at the Big A ahead of a fourth as the post-time favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland to complete her season.

Pletcher also expects to send MKW’s stakes-placed Wine On Tap and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm’s Locked for Grade 1 engagements at Keeneland. The former is targeting the Alcibiades on Friday while the latter looks to the Breeders’ Futurity on Saturday.

Wine On Tap enters the Alcibiades from a prominent second in Monmouth Park’s one-mile Sorority on August 20 where she vied for early command and took charge down the backstretch, but was overtaken by the victorious Princess Indy in the stretch while preserving place by a head over the rallying Lagonisi. She garnered a 52 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, which came on the heels of an even fourth-place finish as the favorite in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on July 13 at Saratoga.

Wine On Tap has also been nominated to the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette on October 7 at Belmont at the Big A going a one-turn mile, but Pletcher said he is partial to a trip to Kentucky with the daughter of Tapit.

“We’re leaning towards the Alcibiades – two turns would probably be beneficial for her,” said Pletcher. “She was favored in the Schuylerville and she ran steadily like a horse that wants more distance.”

The grey has worked twice at Saratoga in September, and breezed a half-mile in 50 seconds flat on Friday.

Locked, a chestnut son of Gun Runner, was a dominant winner at second asking on September 1, drawing off to a 7 1/4-length victory in a one-mile maiden special weight and garnering a 96 Beyer. The $425,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase improved from a closing third in his August 5 debut with added distance and more prominent tactics under jockey Jose Ortiz.

Pletcher said Locked remains on track for a try around two turns in the Breeders’ Futurity.

Repole Stables’ Noted, winner of Monmouth’s Sapling on August 26, has been nominated to both the Breeders’ Futurity and Saturday’s Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita. Pletcher said he could lean towards the latter, which, like the Breeders’ Futurity, offers a berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at the Arcadia oval.

“Maybe… maybe,” Pletcher said of the American Pharoah. “It would just kind of split everyone up.”

Among Pletcher’s other top horses stabled at Saratoga is Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup-winner Bright Future, who is training up to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 4-year-old Curlin chestnut notched his first stakes score in the September 2 Jockey Club Gold Cup, and has since worked twice over the Oklahoma, including a half-mile move in 49.90 on Friday.

“He’s doing good and he’s got plenty more breezes to go,” said Pletcher. “I like the way he’s doing. That was a big win and a Grade 1, and he’s a horse we’ve always had high hopes for. He seems like he’s starting to put it together and the more he matures, the better he gets. He needs to continue to improve and step up, but it seems like that’s what he’s been doing.”

Pletcher also provided an update on LSU Stables’ Grade 1-winner Far Bridge, who was last seen finishing second in the Grade 3 Dueling Grounds Derby on September 3 at Kentucky Downs. The son of English Channel, who won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in July at Belmont Park, will not target the Grade 3, $500,000 Jockey Club Derby on Saturday at Belmont at the Big A.

“He’s not going in there and he’s getting a little bit of a vacation,” said Pletcher. “He had a pretty steady season and we look forward to getting him back.”

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Delacour believes G2 Pilgrim aspirant Fulmineo could be versatile

Starlight Racing and Mark Grier’s recent two-turn maiden winner Fulmineo will put his skills to the test when taking on graded company for the first time in Wednesday’s rescheduled edition of the Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles over turf at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Fulmineo was a distant third behind next-out Grade 1 Hopeful winner Nutella Fella in a July 26 maiden special weight going 5 1/2-furlongs over the Delaware Park main track. The son of second-crop sire Bolt d’Oro relished a change in distance and surface for his next start when stretching out to 1 1/16 miles over the Colonial Downs turf to break his maiden by 2 1/4 lengths on September 2.

But Delacour was not discouraged by his lone dirt effort, and expressed hope that his graded stakes aspirant will eventually prove to be a dual surface horse.

“I’m not sure it was the surface as much as it was the distance,” Delacour said. “He’s still very efficient on the dirt, but I wanted to try more ground. He’s versatile as far as surface is concerned. It’s good to have options, so we’ll try him at a better level this time and see where we go.”

Delacour said the Pilgrim appears to be a wide open race on paper. Other formidable contestants include maiden winner Agate Road and stakes-placed maiden Triple Espresso from the barn of Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, as well as open lengths maiden winner Tifareeh for trainer Brendan Walsh and graded stakes placed maiden Spirit Prince for trainer Christophe Clement.

“All are pretty lightly raced 2-year-olds and he’s coming off of a good effort. I think he’s a quality horse that deserves a shot,” Delacour said.

Fulmineo, bred in Maryland by Country Life Farm and Starr of Quality, was a $90,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.

“We liked him and thought he was very athletic,” Delacour recalled. “There were a few things that would need time, but it was nothing major. So, we took our time with him and he’s been doing everything right so far.”

Fulmineo is out of the stakes-winning First Dude mare Starr of Quality and is a direct descendant of Reine de Course mares Natashka, Vagrancy and Frizette.

Fulmineo will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post 8.

Delacour also spoke of Grade 1 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational victress Elusive Princess, who is currently training for her Delacour debut in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 14 at Keeneland. The French-bred daughter of Martinborough was previously conditioned by Jean-Phillipe Dubois in her native country.

On Saturday, Elusive Princess went a half-mile in 48.80 seconds over the all-weather surface at Fair Hill Training Center.

“We gave her plenty of time between the two races just to make sure she doesn’t bounce. We’ve been very happy with her training,” Delacour said.

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Belmont at the Big A week 4 stakes probables

Saturday, October 7

G3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational

Probable: Anglophile (Brian Lynch), Classic Catch (Todd Pletcher), Dataman (Graham Motion), Faraday (Chad Brown), Fearless Soldier (Pletcher), Lost Ark (Pletcher), Measured Time (Charlie Appleby), Webslinger (Mark Casse)

G1 Champagne (BCWAYI)

Probable: Dancing Groom (Antonio Sano), Fierceness (Pletcher), General Partner (Brown), Gold Sweep (Steve Asmussen), Nutella Fella (Gary Contessa)

Possible: El Grande O (Linda Rice), Sweet Soddy J (Raymond Ginter, Jr.)

G3 Belmont Turf Sprint

Probable: Alogon (Ned Allard), Big Invasion (Christophe Clement), Eamonn (Joe Orseno), Fauci (Philip Antonacci), Our Shot (John Terranova, II), Thin White Duke (David Donk)

Possible: County Final (Saffie Joseph, Jr.)

G1 Frizette (BCWAYI)

Probable: Candied (Pletcher), Irish Maxima (John Servis), Just F Y I (Bill Mott), Life Talk (Pletcher)

Possible: Central Avenue (Michael Stidham), Emery (Brad Cox)

G3 Fasig-Tipton Waya

Probable: Idea Generation (Brown), McKulick (Brown), Parnac (Clement), Personal Best (Shug McGaughey), Romagna Mia (Motion)

Possible: Lovey Princess (Kenneth McPeek)

G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Probable: Adhamo (Brown), Astronaut (Tom Albertrani), Grand Sonata (Pletcher), Pioneering Spirit (Rice), Rebel’s Romance (Appleby), So High (Naipaul Chatterpaul), Soldier Rising (Clement), Stone Age (Brown), War Like Goddess (Mott)

Sunday, October 8

G2 Beldame

Probable: Nostalgic (Mott), Randomized (Brown), Riding Pretty (Eddie Owens, Jr.)

G3 Matron

Probable: A Primera Vista (Kerri Raven), Amidst Waves (George Weaver), Devil at Midnight (Melanie Giddings), Ever So Sweet (Cox), Gee Wiz (Michael Miceli), Jody’s Pride (Jorge Abreu), Leslie’s Loot (James Chapman), Let Them Watch (Michael Maker), She’s Fire (Kevin Rice), Star of Mystery (Appleby), Zo Lee (Kelsey Danner)

G3 Futurity (BCWAYI)

Probable: Conniving (Chapman), General Ledger (Saffie Joseph, Jr.), Jimmythetooth (Michael Maker), Please Advise (Weaver), Works for Me (Joe Lee)

G3 Noble Damsel

Probable: Fluffy Socks (Brown), Gerrymander (Brown), Gina Romantica (Brown), Malavath (Clement), Miss Carol Ann (Motion), Not So Close (Norman Casse), Sunset Louise (Bruce Levine)