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Brown equals record for most Diana wins; graded stakes contenders on the work tab

by NYRA Press Office

• By Your Side looks to parlay G3 Sanford win to possible G1 Hopeful start; Boxwood to run in G1 Coaching Club American Oaks
• Baffert points Game Winner to G1 Runhappy Travers; McKinzie to G1 Whitney
• Serengeti Empress works over Saratoga main track
• Elate likely for G1 Personal Ensign following repeat Del 'Cap win
• Tagg pointing Highland Sky to G2 Bowling Green
• My Italian Rabbi hopes for kosher performance in stakes debut in Thursday's Stillwater
• Mitole and Midnight Bisou on the worktab

With Sistercharlie's victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Diana at Saratoga Race Course, trainer Chad Brown equaled Hall of Famer J. Elliot Burch's record for most wins in the historic event, named for the mythical goddess, which was inaugurated in 1939.

"It's quite an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as a great trainer like him," said Brown.

Owned by Peter Brant, defending Diana champion Sistercharlie returned from an eight-month layoff to secure a 1 3/4-length score, topping a Brown-trained trifecta that included runner-up Rushing Fall and Homerique.

Brown also captured the Diana with Zagora (2011), Dacita (2016) and Lady Eli (2017).

Burch, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980, won his first Diana in 1967 with Prides Profile and followed up a year later with Green Glade, who was elevated following the disqualification of Gamely. Glowing Tribute (1976) and Hush Dear (1982, 1983) complete his quintet of Diana victors.

Brown, a former assistant to Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel, holds the Diana in high regard.

"I've been very fortunate through the years to have these fillies that are good enough to win a race like the Diana," said Brown. "It's a race I hold in high regard and I feel very lucky for our team to have had this amount of success in this race."

In 2002, Brown's first year under Frankel's tutelage, he worked with Tates Creek, who nosed out Voodoo Dancer for a famous score in the Diana. Tates Creek won 11-of-17 starts and more than $1.4 million in purse earnings.

"I was lucky enough to work not only with Tates Creek, but a lot of other great turf mares," said Brown. "I learned so much working with him."

Brown said Sistercharlie, who earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in Saturday's score, Rushing Fall, Homerique and Thais, the pace-setter, all came out of Saturday's Grade 1 event in good order.

"They've all come of the race good, so far," said Brown.

The top-three finishers are likely to make their next start in the Grade 1, $600,000 Beverly D. on August 10 at Arlington Park. The 1 3/16-miles event contested on the Arlington Park turf is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Race offering a berth in the Grade 1 Filly and Mare Turf.

Brown, a three-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, maintains a bustling stable on the Saratoga backstretch. A number of his upcoming stakes hopefuls breezed on Saturday morning, including Guarana, Dunbar Road, and Looking At Bikinis.

Three Chimneys Farm's Guarana, an undefeated daughter of Ghostzapper, captured the Grade 1 Acorn last out at Belmont Park by a widening six lengths over Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress. The talented filly is pointed to the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20, a nine-furlong event on the main track for sophomore fillies.

"It was an outstanding performance. She's trained well since and she's on target for the Coaching Club," said Brown.

Guarana, out of the Distorted Humor mare Magical World, boasts significant pedigree as her fourth dam, Maplejinsky, produced Hall of Famer Sky Beauty, who won the 1993 renewal of the Coaching Club American Oaks.

On Saturday, Guarana worked four furlongs on the Saratoga main in company with Dunbar Road, with both fillies stopping the clock in 48.77 seconds.

Brown said Dunbar Road is likely to make her next start in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, a 10-furlong event for sophomore fillies set for August 17 at the Spa.

"She worked excellent. She'll likely train up to the Alabama," said Brown.

The Brant-owned Dunbar Road, by Quality Road out of the Bernardini mare Gift List, has won three of four starts, including scores in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and a last-out victory in the Grade 2 Mother Goose at Belmont Park.

Long Lake Stable, Madaket Stables, Thomas Coleman and Doheny Racing Stable's Looking At Bikinis worked four furlongs on Saturday in 50.04 on the Saratoga dirt training track. The 3-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky impressed on debut at Belmont, winning a 6 1/2-furlong maiden event on a sloppy track by 5 3/4-lengths.

Following an extended layoff, the talented bay returned on June 27 at Belmont to earn a half-length victory over graded-stakes placed New York-bred Not That Brady.

"He was outstanding. He didn't have a smooth trip in there, but he overcame it off a layoff and getting stopped a couple of times. He really showed a lot," said Brown.

Looking At Bikinis is under consideration for the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, a nine-furlong test for sophomores on July 27, or the $100,000 Curlin, also at nine furlongs for sophomores a day earlier.

"He worked really good and is training outstanding. We're looking at either the Curlin or the Jim Dandy," said Brown.

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By Your Side looks to parlay G3 Sanford win to possible G1 Hopeful start; Boxwood to run in G1 Coaching Club American Oaks

Anderson Stables' By Your Side is doing well after improving to 2-for-2 in his career following a three-length win in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds, trainer Eddie Kenneally said Sunday morning.

The Constitution colt earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure after staying just off pacesetter Tomato Bill's early fractions in the six-furlong sprint on the main track before the 7-5 favorite drew away for the victory in the five-horse field. Kenneally said By Your Side could target the Grade 1, $350,000 Runhappy Hopeful in the final juvenile stakes of the Saratoga meet on Closing Day, September 2.

"He's doing really well and came out of the race perfectly," Kenneally said. "He came out of it as good as you can expect a horse to come out of a race. He had a hard enough race, but I'm really happy with how he came back, and he looks fantastic this morning."

By Your Side, purchased for $240,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale, won his debut by a nose on June 14 at Churchill Downs before stepping up to stakes company. Kenneally said competing in the 105th running of the Sanford, which counts eventual Triple Crown-winners Secretariat in 1972 and Affirmed in 1977 among those who used the race as a springboard to memorable futures, could set up his campaign.

"It's a prestigious race and hopefully we can add to it," Kenneally said. "We'll certainly be looking at the Hopeful. We'll give him some time before we have to run back again. It's kind of open right now. We'll just play it by ear. There's other options and we'll look at them also. We'll definitely have a look at the Hopeful and go from there."

Keneally also said William Pape's Boxwood is likely to run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on Saturday at Saratoga. The 3-year-old English Channel filly will face graded stakes competition for the first time after starting her career 3-2-1 in six starts, including a victory in the Ginger Brew in January at Gulfstream Park.

Boxwood has already won at Kentucky Downs, Gulfstream Park and Churchill, from where she will ship into Saratoga after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Friday.

"She's training unbelievable well, so she'll run on Saturday in the Coaching Club," Kenneally said.

Parlor won his first stakes start for Kenneally on Saturday with a victory in the 7 ½-furlong Glasgow over the Delaware Park turf. The 5-year-old, sired by Lonhro, ran sixth in the 2017 Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame at Saratoga. Keneally said instead of running him back at the Spa, he will likely rum him next in the Bluegrass State.

"Parlor ran really well yesterday and the ground was so soft, but he handled it well and got the job done," Kenneally said. "He's also owned by Anderson Stables, so it was a big day for Brad Anderson. There's some options. He likes Kentucky Downs, so we'll be aiming there."

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Baffert points Game Winner to G1 Runhappy Travers; McKinzie to G1 Whitney

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won three editions of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers at Saratoga Race Course and plans on adding a fourth when he sends last year's Champion Two-Year-Old Game Winner to the Spa following an effortless victory in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby on Saturday.

Baffert and owners Gary and Mary West teamed up to win the Travers two years ago with West Coast, the eventual Champion Three-Year-Old. That score came one year after the memorable track record breaking performance from Arrogate, who also was trained by Baffert.

A Candy Ride bay colt, Game Winner bested a four-horse field in the Los Alamitos Derby and was geared down at the wire by jockey Joel Rosario as the 1-20 post time favorite.

"We were lucky the race even ran, but he's been really well. I expected a big race out him and a real positive race," Baffert said. "He went along there with the blinkers and when he asked him to go, he took off that last eighth of a mile. He got something out of it and we're happy with that. We did the same thing with West Coast and took the same route."

Baffert plans on making an earlier trip to the Spa with McKinzie, who will target the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 3. The 4-year-old bay son of Street Sense was most recently a troubled second to Mitole in the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap.

"He just had a little tough spin there on the inside, but we put that behind us. It's on to Cincinnati, as Belichick would say," Baffert quipped. "I was always really high on him as a 2-year-old. He was immature, but now he's starting to put it together. I don't think distance will be a problem. He just has to be ridden the right way and I think that [Hall of Fame jockey] Mike [Smith] has him figured out now."

Other possible entrants for the 1 1/8-mile test over the Saratoga main track are Vino Rosso, Yoshida, Quip and Tom's d'Etat.

McKinzie will seek his first Grade 1 win of the year. He won the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity at 2 and the Pennsylvania Derby and Malibu, both Grade 1 events, at 3.

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Serengeti Empress works over Saratoga main track

Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress recorded her first serious work over the Saratoga Race Course main track following the renovation break on Sunday morning, covering four furlongs in 47.69 under exercise rider Gilbert Concha.

Trainer Tom Amoss was pleased with the move and is still pointing the dark bay Alternation filly towards the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test on August 3, one of six graded stakes events scheduled for the Fasig-Tipton Racing Festival.

"Serengeti Empress had a very good workout today," Amoss said. "It was her first time over the Saratoga course. We went right after the break which is a very busy time and there was a lot of traffic throughout her workout she handled it fine and she was a pro when it comes to that, so I was very happy with how she did."

Serengeti Empress was second to Guarana in the Grade 1 Acorn on June 8 at Belmont Park last out after scoring a gate-to-wire victory in the Kentucky Oaks. Known for displaying a high cruising speed, Serengeti Empress was a previous runaway winner against Grade 2 company with a dominant 19 ½-length win in the Pocahontas in September at Churchill Downs and made her seasonal bow in the Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds, which she won by 4 ½ lengths.

Amoss was particularly satisfied with how easily Serengeti Empress was moving over the Saratoga course.

"She seems to be herself and that's good news," Amoss said. "I think the most important thing is to point out, and certainly what I observed, was how quiet the rider was on her during the last portion of the work and how well she was moving over the racetrack. We'll see her breeze again before the Test, maybe twice, and we'll take it from there."

A victory from Serengeti Empress in the Test would give Amoss his first Grade 1 win at Saratoga since Heritage of Gold won the Go for Wand in 2000.

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Elate likely for G1 Personal Ensign following repeat Del 'Cap win

Following a highly impressive repeat performance in Saturday's Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, Elate could make her next start in the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign on August 24 at Saratoga, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said.

A Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider homebred, Elate laid off the pace, made a strong bid around the far turn and was geared down by jockey Jose Ortiz to win by 4 ½ lengths as the 1-5 favorite. She was second to Eclipse Award winner Abel Tasman in last year's edition of the Personal Ensign, which is one of six events at such caliber slated for Travers Day.

"We would think about the Personal Ensign," Mott said. "It seems that she's doing very well. You'd have to like that race yesterday."

Elate, a winner of 7-of-16 career starts, struck Grade 1 gold twice as a 3-year-old when taking the Alabama and the Beldame against older fillies.

Elate is out of the Distorted Humor broodmare Cheery whose dam Yell was a two-time graded stakes winner.

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Tagg pointing Highland Sky to G2 Bowling Green

Graded stakes placed Highland Sky breezed four furlongs in 50.03 seconds over the Saratoga main track on Friday.

Trainer Barclay Tagg said the 6-year-old Sky Mesa gelding exited the work in good order and would next point to the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green on Saturday, July 27.

Highland Sky has improved in each of his three starts this year, beginning his campaign with a ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park followed by a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Pan American on March 30 and most recently a third-place effort in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational at 1 ½ miles on June 7.

Tagg said he is pleased with how his colt is training coming up into the 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green on turf.

"He's doing good heading into the Bowling Green" said Tagg. "His last race we were maybe reaching a little bit putting him in that spot, but the purse was good and he gave a good effort. I thought he ran decent."

Tagg said he is still exploring options on where he will point graded stakes winners Dr. Edgar and Tale of Silence.

The 6-year-old Looking at Lucky gelding breezed three furlongs in 39.69 seconds on the Saratoga main track on Saturday. Owned by Peter J. and Eloise Canzone, Dr. Edgar won the Grade 3 Appleton at a mile this winter at Gulfstream and followed with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy going 1 1/8 miles on May 4 at Belmont.

Last out, Dr. Edgar recorded a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Poker at a mile on June 16.

"I don't know where I'm going to run him next," said Tagg. "He's doing well. I'd like to maybe stretch him out a little, but I'm still debating it. He's pretty capable at a mile to a mile and sixteenth. He's an honest horse who's been good to us."

Tale of Silence is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Tale of Ekati, who Tagg also trained for owner and breeder Charles Fipke. He breezed four furlongs in 48.25 on the main track Sunday morning.

The 5-year-old Tale of the Cat horse finished eighth last out in the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap on June 8. His previous starts included a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Hal's Hope at Gulfstream and a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile.

"He had a nice breeze this morning," said Tagg. "We had another horse out there with him and he started out behind that horse and finished up in front of him. He's a nice horse. I also trained his full brother Tale of Ekati and won Grade 1's with him. He's talented, we just need to find the right spot for him next."

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My Italian Rabbi hopes for kosher performance in stakes debut in Thursday's Stillwater

Gold Square's My Italian Rabbi will look to build on an impressive debut score when she faces a six-horse field in the $100,000 Stillwater for New York-bred juvenile fillies on Thursday at Saratoga.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said My Italian Rabbi is training well heading into the six-furlong sprint following a 2 ½-length victory at five furlongs on May 30 at Belmont. After stabling at Saratoga since April, recording eight official workouts between the Oklahoma dirt track and the main track, the Competitive filly will race here for the first time, breaking from post 5 with jockey Luis Saez aboard.

"She's doing well. We had her up here this spring even headed into her first race," Englehart said. "It looks like a salty field. There's a couple of nice fillies in there. But she's training well and I think she should move forward off that first race."

Bred by Hidden Lake Farm and Anthony Grey, My Italian Rabbi was purchased for $160,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. She will have the chance to win her first stakes across the street from the sales pavilion.

"I thought we drew well and hopefully we can get the job done," Englehart said.

Take Me to Hardoon could be gearing up for her next start after not racing since February 3 following a third-place finish against optional claimers at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 3-year-old Violence filly started breezing again on July 5 and followed with another work on Saturday, going four furlongs in 54 seconds flat over the Oklahoma training track.

"She just came back on the worktab and had her first half [mile] yesterday. It was a little slower than I wanted, but she's doing well," Englehart said. "We'll look and hopefully by the end of the meet, she'll have a race up here."

Take Me to Hardoon was a first-out winner at Saratoga, posting a one-length victory on September 2. She followed with a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Frizette on October 7 at Belmont and ran third against fellow New York-breds in the Key Cents in November at Aqueduct before ending her juvenile year with a ninth-place finish in the East View against state breds on December 29 at the Big A.

Filly Dilly impressively won her debut on June 19 at Belmont, cappturing a six-furlong maiden race taken off the turf by 7 ½ lengths. Englehart, who owns the Majesticperfection filly, kept her at Belmont, where she last breezed on July 6, being clocked in 49.71 seconds over four furlongs on the main track.

"Filly Dilly came out of that race well and we [kept] her at Belmont. The team down there has done a really good job with her, so we'll see what's next on the horizon with her. I'm not really sure. I like to space her races out a little bit. I'll look for something four-to-six weeks back."

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Mitole and Midnight Bisou on the worktab

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen sent out graded stakes heavyweights Mitole and Midnight Bisou to breeze on the dirt training track on Sunday at the Spa.

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Mitole, recent winner of the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap, went five furlongs in 1:01.12 in preparation for the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred. G. Vanderbilt Handicap, slated for July 27 at Saratoga.

Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables Allen Racing's Midnight Bisou worked four furlongs in 49.71 in preparation for a possible start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Stakes on July 21. The last-out winner of the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont has the the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign, slated for August 24 at the Spa, as the long-term goal.