Chelsea Durand Photo

Country Grammer possible for Runhappy Travers (G1)

by NYRA Press Office

• Rookie Report: Gargan to debut first Runhappy offspring to race at Saratoga
• Undefeated juvenile Dayoutoftheoffice likely to make another Saratoga start after winning Schuylerville (G3)
• Palace Avenger puts longtime friends Ward, Cauthen in the winner's circle
• Beautiful Memories in good order; Casse barn loaded for upcoming Spa stakes

Following a victory in Opening Day's Grade 3 Peter Pan at Saratoga Race Course, Country Grammer is a likely candidate for the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on August 8, according to his connections.

Owned by Paul Pompa, Jr. and trained by Chad Brown, the 3-year-old son of second crop sire Tonalist notched his first graded stakes score in the 1 1/8-mile event for sophomores over the main track. Guided by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Country Grammer broke sharply from post 2, tracked in fourth off a moderate pace, found an opening along the rail around the far turn and established command at the top of the stretch holding off Caracaro to win by a neck, registering a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

"If he comes back well, the Travers would be the logical spot. It's coming back a little soon but so far, so good," Pompa, Jr. said. "We always have liked this horse, but the COVID-19 situation has created gaps, just due to lack of racing."

Country Grammer arrived at the Peter Pan off a third-place finish against allowance company at Belmont Park, running 6 ½ lengths to eventual Belmont Stakes fifth-place finisher Tap It To Win. After a fourth place finish in his career debut on grass, he switched to the main track, breaking his maiden by 3 ½ lengths at Aqueduct going the Peter Pan distance.

Pompa, Jr. said the 1 1/4-mile Runhappy Travers should suit Country Grammer.

"Chad always liked him, but he never trained well at Belmont for some reason," said Pompa, Jr. "We knew he would appreciate going two turns. Should we go to the Travers, we think the extra eighth of a mile is to his advantage."

Country Grammer, bred in Kentucky by Scott Pierce and Debbie Pierce, is out of the Forestry broodmare Arabian Song and his third dam Willstar produced Group 1 winner on turf Etoile Montante. He was purchased for $450,000 at the OBS April Sale in 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where he was consigned by Wavertree Stables.

Should Country Grammer move forward to the Runhappy Travers, he would be Pompa Jr.'s second contender in the "Mid Summer Derby". In 2016, he owned sixth-place finisher Connect, who went on to defeat that year's Kentucky Derby top three finishers in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby en route to a Grade 1 Cigar Mile triumph.

"He beat a real tough field in the Pennsylvania Derby that year," Pompa, Jr. said. "There were a lot of serious horses in the race that year and it was the first year they made it a Grade 1. Exaggerator, Nyquist and Gun Runner were all in there, so he beat a really nice field."

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Rookie Report: Gargan to debut first Runhappy offspring to race at Saratoga

Highly regarded freshman stallion Runhappy will have his first progeny race at the Spa when Peachy Queen faces a field of 10 juvenile fillies in Sunday's seventh race going 5 ½ furlongs over the main track.

Runhappy, the 2015 Champion Sprinter now standing at Claiborne Farm, captured that year's Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga for owner Jim McIngvale, traveling seven furlongs in a stakes record 1:20.54.

Owned by West Paces Racing, Peachy Queen is out of the Gio Ponti broodmare Year of Promise who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Smiling Tiger and She's a Tiger.

The bay filly has been training forwardly for Gargan at Saratoga most recently posting a bullet half-mile work in 48.20 seconds over the main track.

"She's doing really well," Gargan said. "I'd like to get her started and get a good race out of her. She's a really sweet filly and very laid back."

Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Heitrich III, Peachy Queen was purchased for $180,000 from last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Jockey Manny Franco will be aboard from post 6.

Live Oak Plantation homebred Our Flash Drive, a Florida-bred Ghostzapper filly, is training sharply for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and could provide steep opposition.

Our Flash Drive breezed a half-mile in 47.46 seconds on July 5 on the Belmont main track in company with Cotton, a 2-year-old New York-bred colt who finished a good second in his July 12 debut at Belmont which garnered a 54 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She outworked Cotton that day pretty handily," said assistant trainer Jamie Begg. 

Our Flash Drive will exit post 10 under Joel Rosario on debut and Begg said the filly will benefit from being outside horses.

"I'm happy she drew outside. I think with this filly it may suit her fancy," said Begg. "Joel is good at making them settle and the way the track played yesterday, she can pick up the speed."

Out of the unraced Dynaformer mare Dynamotor, her third dam, Slew City Slicker, produced Grade 1-winner Pool Land.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will debut Maryland-bred Lucifers Lair, a bay Quality Road filly owned and bred by Stuart Grant's The Elkstone Group.

Lucifer's Lair is out of the graded stakes-winning Put It Back broodmare Devil's Cave and arrives at her debut off a sharp breeze from the gate at Belmont Park going a half-mile in 48.04 seconds.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard from post 9.

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Undefeated juvenile Dayoutoftheoffice likely to make another Saratoga start after winning Schuylerville (G3)

Dayoutoftheoffice built on an impressive career debut by winning her first stakes appearance, posting a six-length score in the Grade 3, $100,000 Schuylerville on Saratoga's Opening Day Thursday card.

In besting a seven-horse field of juvenile fillies going six furlongs, Dayoutoftheoffice improved to 2-for-2 to start her career following her 4 3/4-length triumph in a 4 ½-furlong maiden race on May 14 at Gulfstream Park.

The Into Mischief filly gave trainer and co-owner Timothy Hamm his first graded stakes win since 2009 and his first stakes win ever at Saratoga. Her effort, which saw her win handily under jockey Junior Alvarado, earned her an 82 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She came out of the race great and ate everything up last night and this morning," Hamm said. "She doesn't look any worse for wear. It's really encouraging."

By stretching out, and showing the potential for even further distance, Hamm said Dayoutoftheoffice increased her potential options for future races.

"It's the kind of read we had on her training up to her first race. We thought the 4 ½ might be too short for her," he said. "But she got that down, and I was optimistic she wanted to run further than that. I believe if she stretches out, she'll be able to handle that as well. If you don't look good there, it closes a lot of doors. But if you win, you have options open, and you just want to lay out a good schedule now and get her where she needs to be."

That schedule could include another start at Saratoga, where Hamm said she could go to either the Grade 2, $150,000 Adirondack at 6 ½ furlongs on August 12 or wait for the meet's closing weekend and the Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway at seven furlongs on September 6.

"The Adirondack is a possibility and the Spinaway is possible. I don't know if we would do both or [just] one of the two. But we'll probably run her up back there at least once."

Bred in Kentucky by Siena Farms, which also co-owns Dayoutoftheoffice with Hamm, the dark bay filly gave her conditioner his third career graded stakes win and first since Afternoon Stroll won the 2009 Grade 3 Appalachian at Keeneland.

"It's definitely special," Hamm said. "We sell a lot of our young horses early. We've had a training center in Ocala [Florida] since the mid-90s. We broke 75 2-year-olds there this year. Sky Diva, who was Sky Mesa's first Grade 1-winner, came from us. So, we sell a lot of good, young horses off the farm. Horses off that farm have won more than 150 stakes, but a lot of times, we don't have them when they win graded stakes. We sell them prior.

"It's an awesome moment. It's a good spot to be in [the winner's circle], that's for sure," he added.

Hamm, who won his first race as a trainer in 1996, has amassed 1,305 career victories. And finally, a Saratoga winner.

***

Palace Avenger puts longtime friends Ward, Cauthen in winner's circle

Winning any race at Saratoga is highly rewarding for trainer Wesley Ward, but a victory from Palace Avenger in a Thursday six-furlong allowance held sentimental value for the conditioner winning on behalf of co-owner and longtime friend, Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen.

Ward, who was a jockey for five years before transitioning to training in 1989, grew up idolizing Cauthen, who piloted Affirmed to victory in the 1978 Triple Crown at the age of 18 before moving to Europe due to weight restrictions in the United States.

"He was my idol," Ward said.

Owned by Cauthen's Dreamfields in partnership with Don Brady, Mark O. Board and John Gaynor, Palace Avenger notched a second career win, arriving at the event off a runner-up finish at Churchill Downs at 29-1.

"It's always nice to win for a guy like Steve," Ward said. "He's really a class act. Just a guy you really want to win for because he's such a great person."

Ward began riding in 1984, just five years after Cauthen moved his tack to Europe, where he would go on to become a three-time champion jockey in Great Britain. During their careers as riders, both Cauthen and Ward were represented by agent Lenny Goodman.

Partnering in campaigning thoroughbreds together is something that both Cauthen and Ward had always talked about doing.

"I always watched him from afar," Cauthen said. "After I retired, I would see him at the sales and the track. We'd always stop and chat with each other and we would say 'We've got to get together' and we finally did."

While Cauthen made his mark in Europe as a champion rider in the 1980s, Ward is currently making a name for himself as a trainer. Ward is known for having a knack with training young horses and sending some of his talented young horses to Europe, including Lady Aurelia who was named European Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in 2016.

"I'd say his job was harder," Cauthen said. "It's a lot to take on going over there with a horse that's never run over a course like the ones in Europe, and he's figured it out. Not just at Royal Ascot, but at France and all over the place."

Cauthen has some familiarity with the family of Palace Avenger, having piloted the daughter of Palace's grand dam Chimes of Freedom to victory in the 1989 Group 1 Moyglare Stud and 1990 Coronation Cup, both Group 1.

"It's a good family," Cauthen said of the Private Account mare who also produced 2003 Champion Sprinter Aldebaran and multiple graded stakes winner Good Journey. "Chimes of Freedom was a chestnut with a white blaze so her and Palace Avenger are similar in that regard. They're about the same size, about 16 hands. The biggest similarity between the two is that they both try. That's the part you can't see when you buy them."

A start against stakes company could be on the horizon at some point for Palace Avenger.

"I think that's what we're on the lookout for somewhere. We've talked about it a little bit," Cauthen said.

***

Beautiful Memories in good order; Casse barn loaded for upcoming Spa stakes

John C. Oxley's promising 2-year-old Beautiful Memories, who was pulled up by Jose Ortiz in the stretch run of her stakes debut in the Opening Day Grade 3 Schuylerville, was in good order on Friday morning.

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the Hard Spun chestnut earned a 75 Figure in her 10-length debut romp in May at Churchill Downs.

"She's good this morning. She came out of the race fine," said assistant trainer Jamie Begg. "She stumbled pretty hard out of the gate and that's probably what caused the issue. It was good of Jose to take care of her. We'll get her back to the track soon and see how she's doing."

Live Oak Plantation homebred Tap It to Win breezed a half-mile in 48.09 Monday on the Saratoga main. With Hall of Famer John Velazquez up, the Tapit ridgling romped to an impressive five-length allowance win two starts back on June 4 in which Thursday's Grade 3 Peter Pan-winner Country Grammer finished third.

Tap It to Win exited the allowance win to finish fifth after setting the pace in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Begg said Tap It to Win will appreciate the turnback in distance next out in the Grade 1, $300,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial presented by Runhappy, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores set for August 1.

"He's looking good. We're going to the Allen Jerkens with him and he should fit well in there," said Begg. "I think the cutback to seven eighths is good and we'll be able to sit off the speed and make a run."

Begg said the barn won't be afraid to try stretching out Tap It to Win if the opportunity arises.

"Everything I've heard from Johnny, the result in the Belmont had more to do with the quick turnaround than it did with him not wanting to go that far," said Begg. "That said, if he does well here we'll keep him at winning ways."

Tracy Farmer's Grade 1-winner Perfect Alibi is training at Saratoga toward a start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Test, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies slated for August 8.

The dark bay daughter of Sky Mesa captured the Grade 2 Adirondack and Grade 1 Spinaway last summer at Saratoga in a memorable juvenile campaign that also included a second in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland and a fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita to close out the campaign.

Perfect Alibi was off-the-board in her belated seasonal debut on June 20 in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont.

"She's been here a few days now and has been galloping," said Begg. "We were going to breeze her tomorrow, but that's been pushed back now because of the rain so we might shift her work to Saturday. We're looking at the Test for her."

Cindy M. Hutson and Robert Masterson's Lashara, a British-bred daughter of American Pharoah, will make her stakes debut in Sunday's Grade 2 Lake Placid, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomore fillies.

A maiden winner at second asking in April traveling one mile on the Gulfstream Park turf, Lashara was a closing second last out to Lake Placid-rival Cat's Pajamas in a 1 1/16-mile Belmont turf allowance on Jun 14.

Begg said the added distance should benefit the talented bay.

"It's a good spot and It's a straight 3-year-old race," said Begg. "Last time, she ran out of real estate and it's not like she was running out of gas. I think the added distance is going to suit her well. She should come with a good run."

Begg said Lashara, who is out of the graded-stakes winning Smart Strike mare Marbre Rose, demonstrated early promise but needed time to mature.

"She had a few little baby issues and it took her awhile to come around," said Begg. "She's been pretty straightforward since she started running. We just needed her to grow up."

Gary Barber's speedy French-bred Jack and Noah, last out winner of the six-furlong Sir Cat, is on target for the Grade 3, $100,000 Quick Call, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint on July 24.

The Bated Breath grey, who boasts a record of three wins and one second from six starts, captured the six-furlong Atlantic Beach in November on the Big A turf in front-running fashion.

Last out, with Velazquez aboard in the afternoon for the first time, Jack and Noah again showed swift early foot en route to a one-length score that garnered a career-best 89 Beyer.

Jack and Noah worked a half-mile in 48.83 Monday on the Saratoga main and Begg said the colt is ready for his graded-stakes debut.

"He breezed well the other day," said Begg. "He's a horse that's real aggressive and has a lot of speed. We don't train him too hard. We just keep him happy."