Francesca LeDonne Photo

Quip, Tom's d'Etat possible for G1 Whitney

by NYRA Press Office

• Kimmel to debut promising New York-bred juveniles this weekend
• Point of Honor likely for G1 Coaching Club American Oaks
• Argonne possible for G2 Bowling Green
• Rowayton pointing towards G3 Dwyer; Kanthaka to the sidelines
• Avalina will look to race in Delaware to springboard summer; Tax eyes G1 Travers

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset is considering a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Handicap on August 3 at Saratoga for Quip, who ran a game second behind Seeking the Soul in Saturday's Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

Owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing, the two-time graded stakes winning son of Distorted Humor entered the Stephen Foster off of a narrow victory in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in Arkansas. Prior to the Oaklawn Handicap, he was third in the Grade 3 Hal's Hope on February 23 at Gulfstream Park - his first start since finishing eighth in the 2018 Grade 1 Preakness.

"He came out of the Stephen Foster very well," Brisset said. "We are coming to Saratoga at the end of the month and the Whitney could work. We have learned a lot about him since he came back after that long break after the Preakness. He likes to run with space between his races. So we'll get him to Saratoga and play it by ear."

Bred in Kentucky by co-owner WinStar Farm, Quip is out of the Indian Charlie broodmare Princess Ash.

G M B Racing's Tom's d'Etat could also race back in the Whitney trainer Al Stall, Jr. said of the Stephen Foster's third-place finisher.

"It's possible, we haven't made any plans for him but we'll play it by ear," Stall said. "He came out of the race well so we'll nominate to the Whitney and the [$100,000] Alydar [on August 2 at Saratoga]."

Stall won the 2010 Whitney with eventual Champion Older Horse and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic-winner Blame.

Tom's d'Etat is a lightly-raced 6-year-old bay son of Smart Strike, who has won six of his 12 career starts. His last victory was a win in the Tenacious on December 22 at Fair Grounds.

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Kimmel to debut promising New York-bred juveniles this weekend

Trainer John Kimmel will saddle a pair of expensive juveniles purchased at the 2019 March OBS, both bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, this weekend at Belmont Park, with filly Gotta Go Mo entered in Race 4 on Saturday and colt Whichwaytomalibu entered in Race 6 on Sunday.

Owned by Kristen L. Esler, Matt Esler, and Tobey Morton, Gotta Go Mo brought $425,000, while Whichwaytomalibu, owned outright by Morton, was hammered down for $200,000.

"I trained for the breeder for many years and this is the first time that Mr. Broman has sold a majority of his stock in either yearling or 2-year-old auction. Knowing the families very well and having trained many of them, I watched those 2-year-olds breeze and thought they were the best of the New York-breds available and we went after them," said Kimmel.

Whichwaytomalibu, by Malibu Moon, is a sibling to stakes winners Haul Anchor, Hard to Stay Notgo, and Mark My Way. Gotta Go Mo, by Uncle Mo, is out of Hard to Stay Notgo, who won her debut by five lengths in 2014 at Saratoga.

Kimmel said he is impressed with how Gotta Go Mo is training into her debut.

"I know the filly was kind of pricey, but she looked quick and breezed extremely well at the sale. Her out time was as fast as anything I watched and she went out the half-mile in under 46 seconds," said Kimmel. "I liked her body type, she vetted well and she's handled her training well. She's a little on the high-strung side and like any of these 2-year-old races, I think if she breaks well, she'll run well."

Whichwaytomalibu is listed at 3-1 on the morning line for his Sunday debut and will depart from post 8 under Junior Alvarado, who was been aboard the colt during morning training.

"I liked his physical type too. He's by a good sire in Uncle Mo," said Kimmel. "To get two horses to the races before Saratoga is a pretty good feat, because it's tough to get them there. They've handled the pressure so far."

Kimmel sent out the promising Yankee Empire for a difficult, but impressive, debut on June 14. The Cairo Prince grey was last out of the gate but stayed on strong to finish third. The veteran conditioner said he is pleased with the crop of young horses furnishing his stable.

"It's maybe the nicest group I've ever had. If he [Whichwaytomalibu] breaks well, he'll run well. If he doesn't, it will be like that colt I ran last week [Yankee Empire] that didn't break well and got in a super amount of trouble in a four-horse field," said Kimmel. "If he breaks on top, they don't see anything but his tail. He was in trouble for three furlongs in a five-furlong four-horse field. It's hard to believe. I'll run him back in a maiden race - there's one more here before we leave for Saratoga."

Both Gotta Go Mo and Whichwaytomalibu breezed from the gate on June 9 in preparation for their career debut, which Kimmel said is enough to ready them for race day.

"Overdoing it with gate works can have a negative consequence. You're training them mentally and physically and overdoing it can result in more mental anxiety than being a little easier and letting them get the experience and be better for it the second time around," said Kimmel.

Kimmel also noted that his veteran stakes horses are in good order with Mr. Buff remaining on point for the $100,000 Saginaw on June 30 at Belmont and Pacific Gale, fourth last out in the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses, targeting the Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss on July 24 at Saratoga.

"He's doing terrific. I'll probably breeze him on Sunday," said Kimmel regarding multiple stakes winner Mr. Buff. "Pacific Gale will likely look at the Honorable Miss for her next spot. I was so disappointed last time. I thought she would handle those horses and was in tip-top shape going into the race. Joe [Bravo] maybe took a little more of a hold on her than he should have - it was a head scratcher for me. She's been good coming out of the race and we'll have to hope she shows up next time around."

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Point of Honor likely for Coaching Club American Oaks

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Stetson Racing's Point of Honor, an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan last out, continues to train forwardly for trainer George Weaver.

Although nominated to the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose at 1 1/16-miles on June 29 at Belmont, Point of Honor will likely make her next start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test on the Saratoga main slated for July 20.

"We most likely won't go to the Mother Goose. We just nominated to be safe in case it came up soft," said Weaver. "We'd like to keep her in two-turn races. The Coaching Club American Oaks will likely be next. She's been training fine."

R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables' Grade 2 Blue Grass winner Vekoma is looking for a return to action at Saratoga later this summer. The Candy Ride chestnut captured the Grade 3 Nashua as a juvenile at Aqueduct Racetrack and was last seen placing 12th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Vekoma was expected to point to the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer, part of the Stars & Stripes Racing Festival at Belmont on July 6.

"He grabbed his quarter on his right front foot a couple weeks ago, so we're missing the Dwyer but hopefully we'll get him back in action at Saratoga," said Weaver.

Pennsylvania-bred Daddy Is a Legend, a multiple graded stakes winner owned by Jim and Susan Hill, battled gamely up front with the victorious Rushing Fall last out in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game before finishing third, defeated a head for second by Beau Recall, on Belmont Stakes Day June 6.

Weaver is considering options for the 4-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy, who won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante at Del Mar as a 2-year-old and the Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga in her sophomore season.

"We like her at a mile better than a mile and a sixteenth, so we might run her against the boys at Saratoga. We just have to see how things fall," said Weaver. "It's hard to keep these mares at a mile. There's not really a high-class option for fillies and mares going a mile at Saratoga, so we'd have to run her against the boys or go a little further. We'll let the filly tell us when she's ready to run and pick a spot out for her."

The Grade 3, $150,000 Forbidden Apple, a one-mile turf test for 4-year-olds and up, is slated for Friday, July 12 on Opening Weekend at the Spa.

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Argonne possible for G2 Bowling Green

After a string of three straight victories, trainer Jimmy Bond said a stakes race is in order for recent allowance winner Argonne, who won going 1 3/8 miles over the inner turf in a second-level allowance event on Sunday afternoon.

Owned by William Clifton, Jr., the son of Tizway broke his maiden at sixth asking in his 4-year-old debut over the turf at Gulfstream Park in January before defeating winners at Belmont Park going 1 ¼ miles in April.

Bond specifically mentioned the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green on July 27 at Saratoga as a possible target.

"He came back to home base at Saratoga in good order and if all goes well, we'll run him in a stakes at Saratoga," Bond said. There's a spot in Canada and one out in California as well. We'll just see how he does going back to training. He went back to the track [Thursday] morning."

Bond and Clifton also trained and owned Argonne's sire Tizway, who won the Met Mile and Whitney Handicap [both Grade 1s] in 2011. Bond said Argonne has gotten better with age, which is a characteristic of most Tizway progeny.

"His father got better and better and a lot of Tizways do that. You can't rush them off of their feet when they're young," Bond said. "I'm very fortunate that Mr. Clifton allows me to be patient with his horses. Great owners make great horses. He's a pretty nice horse with a very interesting name. Mr. Clifton has been a long time client of mine and his grandfather won a Purple Heart at the Battle of Argonne [in World War I]. I guess he and his grandfather were pretty close."

Bond noted that NYRA TV analyst Maggie Wolfendale also shares an affinity for Argonne.

"He's just magnificent looking," said Bond. "I think Maggie has picked him in the paddock every time."

Bred in Kentucky by Phillip Robertson and Brenda Robertson, Argonne was purchased for $260,000 from the Ocala Breeders Sales Company's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in March 2017.

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Rowayton pointing towards Dwyer; Kanthaka to the sidelines

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has a small, but strong, presence currently stabled at Belmont Park with assistant trainer Don Chatlos.

OXO Equine's [Larry Best] Rowayton earned a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure in a winning Belmont debut last out. The Into Mischief bay finished second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and third in the Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita, both won by Game Winner, as a juvenile.

Chatlos said Rowayton is pointing to the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer slated for Saturday, July 6 as part of the Stars & Stripes Racing Festival.

"He's doing really good. We're hoping to work him on Sunday," said Chatlos. "I don't have 100 percent confirmation from Larry or Jerry, but more than likely that's the spot."

Kanthaka, a multiple graded stakes winner for owner West Point Thoroughbreds, breezed impressively at Belmont on June 9 and was slated to stretch out in last Sunday's Grade 3 Poker, but incurred a minor setback with a likely return to racing in the fall.

"Unfortunately, we had to stop on him," said Chatlos. "It was just a minor thing, so he'll get a break for 60 days and will be back."

OXO Equine's promising 2-year-old Vegas Strong, purchased for $850,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale, continues to train well towards his Saratoga debut.

"We've got a couple works into him and he's doing well. Once we get a couple more babies in here and we can put him in company it will go along a lot quicker," said Chatlos. "We've been fortunate to work him with a 2-year-old in Chad Summers' barn and that's helped us a lot."

Chatlos also noted that the graded stakes placed Sneaking Out, although nominated to the Mother Goose, is not likely to ship to New York.

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Espresso Shot looking for jolt in next workout to decide G2 Mother Goose fate

Trainer Jorge Abreu said he will need to see how Espresso Shot comes out of her next breeze before deciding to point her towards the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies on June 29 at Belmont Park.

The New York-bred Espresso Shot, owned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Maspeth Stables and Parkland Thoroughbreds, is stabled at Saratoga. The Mission Impazible filly is a two-time stakes winner, defeating state-breds in the East View to cap her juvenile campaign in December at Aqueduct Racetrack before starting her sophomore year with a three-quarter length victory in the Busher at one mile at the Big A.

"I was looking at the Mother Goose, but I'm not 100 percent sure yet," Abreu said Friday morning. "I have to breeze her one more time to make that decision to run there or not."

Espresso Shot is coming off a sixth-place finish in the seven-furlong Bouwerie last out on May 27 at Belmont.

"She's been doing really well. She's training well and looks great," Abreu said. "She didn't fire in her last race, which surprised me because she was training pretty well heading in. I guess it was just one of those days."

Both of Espresso Shot's stakes wins have come at one mile, which could set her up for the 1 1/16-mile Mother Goose. Abreu said the way the race unfolded contributed to her fifth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Gazelle on April 6 at Aqueduct.

"The distance won't be the problem. In the Gazelle, it was a little more issue with the pace. For the last race, I don't really have any excuses. She was just flat," Abreu said.

Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, Espresso shot is 3-1-1 in eight career starts, banking $278,725. After her last two breezes clocking it at 49 3/5 seconds, Abreu said he would like to see her workout times closer to the 48.09 four-furlong work she registered on May 19 over Belmont's main track.

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Avalina will look to race in Delaware to springboard summer; Tax eyes G1 Travers

John O'Hara's Avalina will target Delaware for her next start instead of the Grade 2 Mother Goose, trainer Danny Gargan said.

Avalina, 3-1-0 through her first four starts, has won two in a row by a combined 16 lengths, including an 8 ¼-length score last out in her stakes debut in the Parx Spring Oaks on May 20 in Pennsylvania.

The Tale of Ekati filly earned a personal-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure last out and has already won at three different tracks, including a 13-length romp in her debut on February 21 at Aqueduct and a 7 ¾-length win against optional claimers on April 26 at Belmont.

"She's doing really great," Gargan said. "We'll run over in Delaware and then figure out where to go."

Gargan said Tax continues to do well after a hard-fought fourth-place finish in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8, where he finished just 2 ¾ lengths behind winner Sir Winston in the 1 ½-mile "Test of the Champion."

Tax, owned by R.A Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, was the runner-up in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets in April at Aqueduct, earning the gelded son of Arch a trip to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, where he was placed 14th.

After running in two of the three Classics, Gargan said the plan is for Tax to continue to square off against the nation's top 3-year-olds. Heading into the Belmont, Gargan equipped Tax with new glue-on shoes, which he said had an impact for a horse who won the Grade 3 Withers in February at Aqueduct, building off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Remsen that capped his juvenile year in December.

"He came out of the race great. It's actually the best he's ever come out of a race," Gargan said. "After changing the shoes, he's been doing really well."

Claimed by Gargan for $50,000 following a two-length maiden victory over the main track at Keeneland in October, Tax has posted Beyers in excess of 90 in four of his first five starts for the conditioner. The Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 24 remains a possibility, Gargan said.

Bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, Tax is out of the Giant's Causeway broodmare Toll, who is out of two-time graded stakes winner Yell.