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G1 Whitney sees showdown between old friends Lukas, Pletcher

by NYRA Press Office

• G1 Whitney sees showdown between old friends Lukas, Pletcher
• G1 Saratoga Derby contender Lion of War to campaign stateside
• Finley hopeful for a ‘Giant’ upset in G1 Whitney
• Alys Beach earns 60BSF for debut maiden win at the Spa
• Jersey Pearl brings perfect dirt form to G1 Test
• Rookie Report: First-time starter Bento looks to prove worthy of $600K purchase price
• Sunday’s Cross Country Pick 5 to feature stakes from Ellis Park and Saratoga Race Course

When discussing the accomplishments and accolades of Todd Pletcher, it’s impossible not to mention fellow Hall of Famer and former mentor D. Wayne Lukas. On Saturday, the two will square off in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney when Pletcher sends out Charge It and Lukas saddles Last Samurai – both multiple graded stakes winners.

Both Lukas and Pletcher have been synonymous with Grade 1 level thoroughbred racing for decades. After Lukas established a North American racing empire in the 1980s into the 90s, Pletcher, a former Lukas assistant, built a strong foundation in his own right after going out on his own in 1995. Fast forward to 2023, Lukas and Pletcher have won a combined 12 Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Trainer, 20 American Classics, 34 Breeders’ Cups and over 10,000 lifetime victories.

Lukas and Pletcher also are familiar with capturing the nine-furlong Whitney en route to Eclipse Award honors at year end. Lukas saddled Hall of Famer Lady’s Secret to a triumph in the 1986 Whitney against males before the daughter of Secretariat won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and was subsequently named Horse of the Year. Four years later, Lukas campaigned 1990 Whitney winner Criminal Type, who earned Horse of the Year as well as Champion Older Horse honors at the conclusion of the season.

Pletcher’s first two Whitney winners Left Bank [2002] and Lawyer Ron [2007] both were named Champion Older Horse at the end of their respective campaigns.

Lukas and Pletcher have gone head-to-head many times at Grade 1 level, but always with a strong mutual respect.

“He’s what I consider to be the greatest trainer in North American history, with or without the guys who work for him,” Pletcher said. “He was going to make whoever worked for him better. We were all very fortunate to be a part of the team.”

Pletcher isn’t the only Lukas alum to build their own racing foundation – former assistants Dallas Stewart, Kiaran McLaughlin, Mark Hennig, Mike Maker and

George Weaver also came up under Lukas’ tutelage.

“Todd’s done a tremendous job of putting together a nice set of horses and I think he deserves any accolades or superlatives that you can mention,” Lukas stated. “It’s fun to compete against some of those guys. Mark Hennig, him, Dallas [Stewart], Kiaran McLaughlin, all those guys. I’ve had to compete against them a lot of times.”

Lukas humbly stated that Pletcher, as well as his other former pupils, would have prospered even without his help.

“I’ve said it before: those guys, Todd included, that came up under me, they were going to be successful even if they had never met me,” Lukas said. “They were great people that had a lot of talent, and the right work ethic. They met me and we teamed up and did some really special things, but they were all going to be successful regardless. A lot of times when I’m reflective of my career and look back 30-40 years, I’m not so sure that they didn’t pick me up and carry me to some of these records, rather than me helping them. It was a two-way street. They covered a lot of bases and I had a great network, but I had to have some exceptional people around me to be able to pull that off.”

As for the Whitney, both Pletcher and Lukas will be focused on besting 1-2 morning line favorite and four-time Grade 1 winner Cody’s Wish, rather than on each other.

Charge It [post 2, John Velazquez, 5-1] enters from a frontrunning victory in the Grade 2 Suburban going 10 furlongs at Belmont Park, while Last Samurai [post 4, Flavien Prat, 15-1] looks to recapture his winning form from earlier this season when collecting Grade 3 Oaklawn Park conquests in the Razorback in February and the Essex in March.

“We’re both up against it in there. It’ll be a tough order to beat Cody’s Wish, but my horse is doing well and it’s exciting to give it a try,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said attention to detail and commitment have been the biggest lessons he learned when coming up under Lukas.

“He still has remarkable work ethic and that’s the one thing I think he instilled in his protégés,” Pletcher said.

While being of the old school, Lukas expressed appreciation for all young and up-and-coming trainers.

“Thank God for the young ones. If there weren’t any young ones, there wouldn’t be any old ones,” Lukas said.

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G1 Saratoga Derby contender Lion of War to campaign stateside

Qatar Racing’s Charlie Johnston-trained Lion of War looms a contender in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational and is on a one-way trip to campaign stateside. Part of an expanding American footprint for the claret and gold silks, the three-time winner from nine starts strikes an imposing figure that connections hope will translate into North American success.

“He’s a big horse with a great temperament and he will improve with age,” said Fergus Galvin, U.S. Racing Manager for Qatar Racing. “He shipped in very well, is now stabled with Brendan Walsh, and will stay with him after the race. Sheikh Fahad [bin Abdullah Al Thani, principal of Qatar Racing] knows there’s a nice middle-distance, 10-to-12-furlong turf program for him here, with races at places like Kentucky Downs and the Jockey Club Derby here in New York. For the most part, Sheikh Fahad is over here in the States and likes to see his horses run, so this colt is obviously part of [increasing the size of his U.S. stable].”

From the lone northern hemisphere crop of turf Champion Kitten’s Joy’s best son and Qatar Racing’s top-rated racehorse thus far, Roaring Lion, Lion of War has been well-regarded from the outset, announcing himself with two quick wins at two.

Eye-catching among those was a 10-length drubbing of a Newcastle novice field in June 2022, despite carrying a 12-pound winner’s penalty. His two subsequent stakes ventures, including a fifth-of-5 in the Group 2 Superlative, did not go to plan, so a more conservative route was taken.

Following a closing win in the nine-furlong Edinburgh Cup Handicap at Musselburgh on June 3, he was a good second in the 10-furlong Golden Gates at Ascot three weeks later astern Burdett Road, who would go on to finish a respectable fifth in Thursday’s Group 3 Gordon at Glorious Goodwood.

“He had a couple mediocre runs after his big wins, but it looks like he’s doing well this year,” Galvin said. “He’s got a bit to find on the book, especially if you do a line of form from Far Bridge and The Foxes, but he is improving. He probably needs quicker ground, but his experience on softer ground—while it may not suit other horses—will help him a lot if it turns up that way. It’s a matter of who gets it best.

“I’m looking forward to down the road with him as a 4-year-old next year,” he continued. “I’m hoping for a respectable showing on Saturday and if he happens to win, it would be great for the team. Roaring Lion was very near and dear to the team and especially to [Qatar Racing’s European Racing Manager] David Redvers, who picked Roaring Lion out as a yearling and saw him do so well. We are looking for something to build on with this colt. David will actually be coming over for the race.”

In August 2019, just after his first season at stud, 2018 European Horse of the Year Roaring Lion suffered a severe bout of colic and was euthanized in New Zealand. Group 1-placed at two, he was a force at three, winning four consecutive Group 1s against older horses, including a 3½-length walloping of a Juddmonte International field that included Poet’s Word, Saxon Warrior, Benbatl, Without Parole, Latrobe and Thunder Snow - 13 Group 1 wins among them. His single crop also includes Group 1 winner Dubai Mile, who was a respectable fifth in this year’s Group 1 2000 Guineas.

Oisin Murphy, who rode Roaring Lion in 12 of his 13 races, takes the reins on Lion of War in Saturday’s race. The pair break from post eight of nine.

The superstar mantle of Qatar Racing has passed to another flashy gray in the Brad Cox-trained Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint champ Caravel, who seeks her sixth consecutive stakes win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Troy.

The 6-year-old’s surprise 42-1 win at Keeneland last November proved a springboard to the consensus title of America’s top grass sprinter, with three subsequent stakes wins, including an emphatic win in June’s Grade 1 Jaipur at Belmont.

Caravel is co-owned by Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables and will break from post four of eight on Saturday. Regular pilot Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard.

“She just goes from strength to strength and it’s amazing that a mare of her age is getting better,” Galvin said. “At the Breeders’ Cup, they thought it was a one-off, but she just kept improving and never slowed down. She’s at the top of her game at age six and Brad even says she could be getting better. It’s remarkable.”

Qatar Racing and Gaffalione will also team up on Saturday with the Cox-trained Everso Mischievous in the seven-furlong allowance that goes as Race 11. From three starts, the son of Into Mischief has one win and two seconds.

“Brad is really high on him,” Galvin said. “He’s lightly raced and we bought him [for $85,000 at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale] last fall. He was unraced and there was no pressure. He hadn’t done much and was part of a dispersal. He’s a good-looking horse who has really come along well.”

Qatar Racing’s busy Spa Saturday is capped by Irish-bred Beuys, who breaks from post 12 in the 1 1/16-mile turf allowance. Co-owned by Detampel, the bay 5-year-old was purchased by Galvin for $82,000 at Keeneland’s April Horses of Racing Age Sale and was previously in the colors of Peter Brant. He had two wins from four starts for Jean-Claude Rouget in France before returning from a 525-day layoff earlier this year in the barn of Chad Brown, for whom he made two starts, including a runner-up and sixth-place finish in Gulfstream Park allowance-optional company.

“He’s a new addition and a good-looking son of Siyouni and we really like him,” Galvin said. “Oisin will ride for Brendan. Hopefully it stays on the turf.”

Qatar Racing, owned solely and in partnership, has approximately 30 horses in stateside training, split among trainers Walsh, Cox, Wesley Ward and Jack Sisterson.

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Finley hopeful for a ‘Giant’ upset in G1 Whitney

Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds has been around long enough to know that Saratoga Race Course can provide upsets at a high level, which is one reason why an audible was called with Grade 1, $1 million Whitney aspirant Giant Game as he pursues a breakthrough win in the historic nine-furlong test at the Spa.

Trained by Dale Romans and co-owned by Albaugh Family Stable, Giant Game appears to be rounding into form as he enters the Whitney from a pair of two-turn gate-to-wire victories. After defeating allowance company on May 11 at Churchill Downs, he shipped to Iowa to capture the Grade 3 Cornhusker on July 8 at Prairie Meadows, earning a career-high 99 Beyer in the latter.

Giant Game will have his work cut out for him Saturday as he faces Cody’s Wish, who enters from a string of four Grade 1 wins. Giant Game drew post 3 in the six-horse Whitney and is tabbed the longest shot in the field at 20-1 odds.

Giant Game was initially under strong consideration for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on September 2 at Del Mar or the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on August 25 at Charles Town.

“It was a matter of a short field and when we looked at the probables, Dale thought we’d have a shot to be the lone speed in here,” Finley said. “The Albaughs are great partners and true sportsmen. They have a great program. This is a game where you’ve got to compete, and that’s what we’re going to do on Saturday. He’s a very talented horse with a very good year. Dale Romans has said it many times: ‘Saratoga is the Graveyard of Champions.’ He said it before he won the 2015 Travers with Keen Ice. I know one thing, he feels very good that we’re going to run our race.”

Giant Game is one of three progeny from the final crop of multiple Champion-producing sire Giant’s Causeway.

“The last two times he’s run, he’s shown he can get into a street fight turning for home,” Finely said. “When you get a good Giant’s Causeway, you don’t want to get engaged into a street fight with them. They’re tough and very courageous horses with great constitutions. I think this horse fits that mold and he’s an exciting colt to own.”

Giant Game was a promising 2-year-old, finishing third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November 2021 at Del Mar after breaking his maiden in his two-turn debut at Keeneland. Following a pair of eighth-place finishes on the 2022 Kentucky Derby trail, Giant Game was sidelined and recorded one fourth-place finish and two runner-ups at one-turn allowance level at Gulfstream Park this winter.

“It took us a little bit of time, but I think he’s got his confidence. Dale’s record of success speaks for itself, and I know he’s always thought highly of this colt,” Finley said.

West Point also will be represented by Battle of Normandy in the Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational, one race before the Whitney. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the son of City of Light is in search of his first win since a triumphant debut over the Spa’s inner turf last August. The $500,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale followed up with a narrow defeat in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at the Spa followed by unplaced efforts in the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Belmont at the Big A and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.

Battle of Normandy finished second in his two starts this year, both nine-furlong allowance turf tests. That latter of the pair, a late-closing effort at Pimlico Race Course on Preakness weekend, gave his connections the confidence to try the Saratoga Derby.

“He’s always acted and trained and looked like he’d be an upper level horse,” Finley said. “I was surprised a couple weeks ago when Shug said we should consider the Saratoga Derby. He’s not one to make decisions and moves that are not calculated. This colt has really given him good signals, especially in the race on Preakness weekend.”

Finley spoke high volumes of Battle of Normandy’s second-crop sire City of Light.

“We’ve been fans of City of Light from the very beginning,” Finley said. “We’ve been very supportive of him at the sales and some of our partners are shareholders in him. He’s a horse that we knew wouldn’t have as many early 2-year-olds, but we’re starting to see them really perform in the middle of their 3-year-old years. I think he has a shot to be a very impactful stallion in the coming years.”

In the race following the Whitney, West Point’s Signator will make his first start since a 4 1/2-length maiden victory in October going a one-turn mile at Belmont at the Big A. The Shug McGaughey-trained Tapit gray was a $1.7 million purchase at the 2022 OBS April 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale and is out of the multiple black type producing Seeking the Gold mare Pension.

“We’re happy with his progress,” Finley said. “It could be a cool day. We’re in three straight races with three horses that we’re hoping can show their talent.”

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Alys Beach earns 60BSF for debut maiden win at the Spa

Greg Tramontin’s Alys Beach stalked and pounced to a gutsy debut maiden score on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course, getting her head down in time to take the 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for juvenile fillies. The effort was awarded a 60 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trained by Tom Amoss, the daughter of freshman sire Omaha Beach tracked in fourth under Tyler Gaffalione behind pacesetter Mugen before challenging for the lead in the stretch in tandem with the rallying Life Talk. The pair passed a tiring Mugen and battled strongly to the wire before a resolute Alys Beach got the better bob and completed the course in 1:18.58.

“She’s good and already back on the track,” said Amoss. “Often times when you run a young horse, you’ve got a really good line on just how precocious they are. One thing that stood out to us about Alys Beach was that she’s a real fighter in her workouts – she didn’t want to get beat. She needed that when she ran. It’s always nice, specifically with a young horse, to see them to display the same characteristics you see in the mornings.”

Amoss said Alys Beach would likely target a stakes engagement next, but that he has not made a decision on when or where that would occur.

“She certainly deserves a chance in a stakes race, there’s no question about that,” said Amoss. “As to leaving her at the one-turn distance or stretching her out to two turns, that is yet to be determined.”

Upcoming American stakes events for juvenile fillies include the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway at seven furlongs on September 2 at Saratoga and the Grade 3, $300,000 Pocahontas at one-mile on September 16 at Churchill Downs, among others.

Amoss also provided an update on Gold Standard Racing Stable’s graded stakes-winner Hoosier Philly, who scratched the morning of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 22 due to a minor foot issue. Amoss said the daughter of Into Mischief will not contest the 10-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on August 19 here and will be rerouted to other stakes engagements this summer.

“She’s doing good. I brought her back to Kentucky because there’s nothing else for her up here,” said Amoss. “The Alabama is a mile and a quarter, and with the time she’s missed, it wouldn’t be in her best interest. We’re going to take a little bit of a different path.”

Amoss said he has nominated Hoosier Philly to the Grade 3, $750,000 Charles Town Oaks on August 25 at its namesake track and that the seven-furlong test for sophomore fillies is, “a possibility.”

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Jersey Pearl brings perfect dirt form to G1 Test

Silverton Hill’s stakes-placed Jersey Pearl, who boasts a perfect 3-for-3 record on dirt, makes the step up to the graded ranks for the first time in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Test, a seven-furlong main track sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Darrin Miller, Jersey Pearl enters off back-to-back six-furlong optional-claiming scores in Kentucky, taking a May 27 tilt against fellow sophomores in May at Churchill Downs before defeating elders by 9 1/2 lengths on July 8 at Ellis Park. The daughter of Bee Jersey debuted on turf for trainer Brian Lynch before a second-out graduation over the main track in October at Keeneland.

Jersey Pearl made her first two starts for Miller over the Turfway Park synthetic, but relished a return to dirt in her May 27 win when increasing her lifetime-best Beyer Speed Figure by 20 points [87]. She improved that number further in her latest outing when traveling the same distance nearly a half-second faster and garnering a 93 Beyer.

“She’s good, I’m pleased with her and she shipped up fine,” said Miller. “I’m looking forward to seeing her run. This is a big step up for her, but that last race gave us confidence. She had time off preparing for her start at Churchill and she’s been very good since we put her on dirt. Now that we know what we know, I think we can throw out the poly races. She’s kind of kept improving and it was a lesser bunch last time, but she handled it and was enthusiastic in her stretch run. That was good to watch.”

Jersey Pearl led at each point of call for the first time in her most recent effort, but Miller is confident the chestnut filly can sit a good stalking trip behind speedy competitors like Munnys Gold and Maple Leaf Mel, or inherit the lead if the race does not unfold how it appears on paper.

“I don’t think she needs the lead. I think she can sit comfortably,” said Miller. “It’s kind of a funny race because I think everyone has the same mindset of what will go on with the style of most of the fillies in there, but it may not be how it goes at all. She seems like she’s comfortable off the pace too, so we’ll see.”

Miller is in pursuit of his first graded win at the Spa, but secured a black type win with Ruby Notion in the $200,000 Caress in 2018. The Kentucky-based conditioner is no stranger to bringing a live longshot to Saratoga, having finished second in both the Grade 2 Amsterdam and Grade 1 King’s Bishop [now the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial] in 2003 with Great Notion, who was sent to post at odds of 21-1 and 16-1, respectively.

“Any race up here is great, but a race like this is especially so,” said Miller. “I can’t even really put it into words.”

Bred in Kentucky by Charles Fipke, Jersey Pearl, who finished third in the Gowell over synthetic in December, was a $12,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She has banked more than 17 times her purchase price with total purse earnings of $206,225 through a consistent record of 6-3-1-1.

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Rookie Report: First-time starter Bento looks to prove worthy of $600K purchase price

In October, owner D.J. Stable went to $600,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale to secure the winning bid on a yearling Tapit filly out of multiple graded stakes-winner Carolyn’s Cat. Ten months later, the filly, now named Bento, makes her debut on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in hopes of living up to her early appraisal.

Bento is entered in Race 2 on Sunday’s 10-race program, a six-furlong maiden special weight for juvenile fillies. She had her first breeze for Casse in March at his Ocala, Florida training center, and has since posted an additional nine works. She most recently covered five furlongs in 1:01.33 on July 26 over the Spa’s main track, one week after blitzing through a half-mile in 47.84 seconds.

“She’s by Tapit and cost a lot of money. She can run, too. She’s been looking good in the mornings, but she’s got a little bit of Tapit in her,” Casse said, with a laugh about the filly’s temperament.

Bento’s dam, Carolyn’s Cat, was a dual graded stakes-winner who won the six-furlong Grade 3 Cicada in 2008 and the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Vagrancy in 2009. Bento is a full-sister to graded stakes-winner Mufajaah, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Bayakoa in 2015, and a half-sister to the stakes-placed Aunt Kat.

Her third dam, the multiple graded stakes-placed Cassowary, was a prolific producer whose progeny include multiple graded stakes-winner and sire Meadow Flight and graded stakes-placed Known Feminist, who produced Grade 3-winner Starforaday.

Bred in Kentucky by Newtown Anner Stud, Bento has been assigned post 7 with Dylan Davis in the irons.

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Sunday’s Cross Country Pick 5 to feature stakes from Ellis Park and Saratoga Race Course

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Sunday featuring stakes action from Ellis Park and Saratoga Race Course.

The Cross Country Pick 5 requires bettors to pick the winner of five select races from tracks across the country. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country with each week featuring a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5, boasting a low 15 percent takeout, offers sequences with races from Saratoga Race Course and partner tracks across the country.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Sunday, August 6

Leg A: Ellis Park - Race 6, KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint (3:18 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Ellis Park - Race 7, KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (3:50 p.m.)

Leg C: Ellis Park - Race 9, KY Downs Preview Turf Cup (4:55 p.m.)

Leg D: Saratoga Race Course – Race 8, G3 Adirondack (5:10 p.m.)

Leg E: Saratoga Race Course – Race 9, Starter Allowance (5:44 p.m.)

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Belmont spring/summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.