Coglianese / NYRA Photo Photo

Imperial Hint earns 114 Beyer for track record G1 performance

by NYRA Press Office

• Tax emerges from G2 Jim Dandy in good order, points to G1
• Runhappy Travers; Tacitus to target Travers; War of Will in good order
• Channel Cat in fine fettle following G2 Bowling Green victory; Pletcher readies Whitney Stakes Festival contingent
• Thunder Snow posts first major work heading into G1 Whitney
• McLaughlin to saddle entrants for Turf Triple's Saratoga Oaks and Derby; Lucullan points to Fasig-Tipton Lure
• Quip likely to target G1 Pacific Classic
• St. Lewis will be back at the Spa with Forewarned for the G1 Whitney
• Mr. Buff likely to skip Whitney and point to Evan Shipman
• Well-related Lexintonia impressive in debut win

Raymond Mamone's Imperial Hint brought the Saratoga faithful to their feet with a jaw-dropping performance in Saturday's Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap.

Multiple Grade 1-winner Mitole and Strike Power tussled through a swift opening quarter-mile in 21.77 seconds, but when Hall of Famer Javier Castellano asked Imperial Hint to move, the 6-year-old son of Imperialism responded with an impressive turn of foot to mark the half in 44.21 en route to covering six furlongs in a track record 1:07.92. In the process, he lowered the mark first set by Spanish Riddle, who ran six furlongs in 1:08 in 1972 and Speightstown, who captured the 2004 renewal of the Vanderbilt, in 1:08.04.

Trainer Luis Carvajal, Jr. said he enjoyed all the emotions of the moment, particularly when the Saratoga patrons rose to their feet to cheer Imperial Hint as he entered the winner's circle.

"Last year, we won this race and it was the first Grade 1 for the horse, for the owner, and for me. It was great, but this time, it just gave me goosebumps to bring him back to the winner's circle and everyone was standing up cheering for him," said Carvajal, Jr. "Imperial Hint deserves all the credit. He's not a big-sized horse and he doesn't have the perfect pedigree, but he's all heart. It's amazing what this animal can make you feel.

"Just hearing the people cheering for him, it was special," added Carvajal, Jr. "We have a small stable and for something like this to happen to me, at 47-years-old, it's hard to believe. It probably won't sink in for a few more days. To see my horse on the cover of the paper, it's incredible."

Imperial Hint was making his first start since finishing third in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March. Carvajal, Jr. said he wasn't expecting such an outstanding effort off the layoff.

"As a trainer, sometimes you think you undertrain a horse and sometimes things don't go according to plan. We missed a work before we came here because of the weather," said Carvajal, Jr, who trains Imperial Hint from his base at Monmouth Park. "To face Mitole, who is a great horse and winning all these Grade 1s, you need to be prepared. I thought my horse would run a good race, but I didn't expect him to win it the way he did it. This little rocket, he keeps surprising me."

Carvajal, Jr., said Imperial Hint, who shipped into trainer Chad Summers' barn for the Vanderbilt, benefited from local hospitality and was relaxed on Saturday afternoon ahead of his record-setting performance.

"I left the barn to go and get changed and when I came back later, Imperial Hint was laying down sleeping, just resting up for the race," said Carvajal, Jr. "He's very happy here in Chad Summers' barn. We used to run against each other with Mind Your Biscuits and Chad loves this horse. He gave us everything we needed and if the horse is comfortable, I'm comfortable."

Imperial Hint will continue to enjoy his time at Saratoga on Sunday, particularly as his stall in Summers' barn offers a view of the main track, before heading home to New Jersey later this evening.

"He ate up good and went out for a walk and grazed a little bit. All is good," said Carvajal, Jr. "He's going to be watching all the races today through his window in the back of the stall. I'm sure he'll be entertained all afternoon watching the races. On the track in the morning, he just loves to stand and watch the horses going by. I think he loves it here at Saratoga."

Carvajal, Jr. said Imperial Hint will likely follow the same schedule as last year and point next to the Grade 1, $300,000 Vosburgh, a six-furlong sprint at Belmont Park which offers a 'Win & You're In' challenge race offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

"If everything is going well, we'll follow the same path and run back in the Vosburgh and hopefully get a ticket to the Breeders' Cup," said Carvajal, Jr.

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Tax emerges from G2 Jim Dandy in good order, points to G1 Runhappy Travers; Tacitus to target Travers; War of Will in good order

All was well with Tax following his second graded stakes victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy presented by NYRA Bets, where he broke on top and led the race into the first turn but was passed up by War of Will at the quarter-mile mark.

Around the far turn, Tax was back in command and managed to keep Tacitus at bay at the top of the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length.

Owned by R. A. Hill Stable in partnership with Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, the gelded Arch bay was fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in his prior start. The Jim Dandy gave Tax his second graded stakes win after he won the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct in his 2019 debut.

"He came out well. He walked great, and looks good," trainer Danny Gargan said Sunday morning. "I'm really happy with how he came out of the race."

Gargan made notable changes to Tax's training, including using glue-on horseshoes, which proved to be beneficial.

"He's just getting better with age," said Gargan. "Obviously, we changed some things to try and get him a little bit better and it's worked out on our benefit. We changed his shoes and since that, he's really improved.

"Since we glued his front shoes, he had that bruise in his foot and that's gone away," Gargan added. "He's a different horse. He showed it yesterday. I think the further they went, the further he was going to win by."

Gargan said that the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 24 will be his likely next start, with the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, a nine-furlong test at Parx on September 21 also under consideration.

"That's what we're shooting for," Gargan said. "There are other options, but we're trying to get to the Travers and win it. We'll have to figure it out. The Pennsylvania Derby is a big race for a million dollars so that's an option, too."

The competitive Jim Dandy field included Grade 1 Preakness winner War of Will as well as two-time graded stakes winner Tacitus, but Gargan was still highly confident in his horse, who was sent off at odds of 9-2 odds.

"I was pretty confident in him. I told people all week that I thought I was going to win the Jim Dandy," Gargan said. "His work was tremendous. He's doing better than he's ever done. He likes it up here and likes this track so that plays into our favor a lot."

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Tacitus also emerged from the Jim Dandy in good order.

The gray or roan son of Tapit, out of Eclipse Award winning broodmare Close Hatches, stumbled badly coming out of the gate but managed to make up enough ground to be competitive, finishing second.

Three starts back, Tacitus bested Tax by 1 ¼-lengths in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets at Aqueduct.

"We got lucky. He's good," Mott said.

Mott said Tacitus will continue on a path towards the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

War of Will, trained by Mark Casse for owner Gary Barber, finished fifth after setting the pace in the Jim Dandy. Assistant trainer Jamie Begg said War of Will came out of the race in good order.

"He came out of the race great. We were a little puzzled because he didn't go crazy fast on the front end. He's never really tried to make a move that early," said Begg. "He was also down on the rail, which a lot of people thought wasn't a good place to be."

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Channel Cat in fine fettle following G2 Bowling Green victory; Pletcher readies Whitney Stakes Festival contingent

Conditioner Todd Pletcher said Channel Cat has returned from his victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green in good order.

The 4-year-old English Channel homebred for Calumet Farm showed a new dimension under Luis Saez on Saturday going to the lead from the 12-horse field and responded late in the stretch to earn the victory by a half-length for his first win from four starts this year and first career graded stakes victory.

"I was very proud of his effort. I thought he ran a big race," said Pletcher. "To set the pace like that and get headed inside the eighth-pole and fight back like he did and win pulling away, it was a very courageous race and a strong effort. I told Luis before the race that I didn't think there was much pace in there and he found his way on the lead."

The Elkstone Group's Social Paranoia and graded stakes winner Sombeyay breezed five furlongs in company on Saturday in 1:04.04 on the Oklahoma turf course.

Social Paranoia is targeting the inaugural $1 million Saratoga Derby, the second leg of the NYRA Turf Triple Series for 3-year-olds. Sombeyay will point to the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

A son of Street Boss, Social Paranoia has only one win but has finished no worse than third from nine career starts including third-place finishes in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill and Grade 3 Pennine Ridge at Belmont in June. He will look to improve off a second-place finish last out in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on July 6 at Belmont Park, the first leg of the Turf Triple series.

"He worked good yesterday and came out of it in good shape today," said Pletcher. "He's been knocking on the door, it would be great to be able to win a race like that and I think he's in good form and ran well here last year, so I hope he can keep moving forward."

Sombeyay will look to regroup, entering the Hall of Fame off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Quick Call on July 11 at Saratoga.

"He handled the five and a half [furlong] distance on the grass okay last time, but the ground had a little cut to it on opening day and I think he'll appreciate some firmer ground."

Repole and St. Elias Stable's multiple graded stakes winner Vino Rosso was also on the work tab Saturday breezing four furlongs in 48.88 seconds on the Oklahoma training track. Pletcher said the 4-year-old Curlin colt, who has been unraced since winning the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in May, looked in top form heading into next Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney.

"He's doing excellent," said Pletcher. "He worked well yesterday and has comeback good. All systems are go for the Whitney."

Plectcher also reported Three Diamonds Farm graded-stakes placed Kiss the Girl would be under consideration for Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack or train up to the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on Sunday, September 1.

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Thunder Snow posts first major work heading into G1 Whitney

Godolphin's multiple Group 1 winner Thunder Snow returned to the main track on Sunday for his last major work heading into Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Handicap.

With exercise rider Walter Lynch up, the 5-year-old breezed seven furlongs in 1:27.31 to the delight of Tommy Burns, traveling assistant for conditioner Saeed bin Suroor.

"He's worked well," said Burns. "Initially, Saeed wanted 1:28 so we got what we wanted. There was another horse working around the same time in front us, so that gave him something to aim at. I was pleased with that and once he went past that worker, he pulled up which is what he would do if he was working with a lead horse back home."

The two-time Group 1 Dubai World Cup winner and richest active horse in racing with $16,511,476 in purse earnings, Thunder Snow is in search of his first Grade 1 in North America. Last year, he finished second in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont and third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

Last out, the bay son of Helmet finished third in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont.

Burns said Thunder Snow has adapted to Saratoga with aplomb.

"The best I've ever seen of him in America is on this surface," said Burns. "He just seems to be thriving here and moving so well. We usually work him with cheek pieces on in America because in the past he's been a bit lazy, but he's shown no signs of that. All the factors say he's handled himself fine. Nothing seems to faze him."

Burns said a decision would be made later in the week regarding a potential blowout ahead of Saturday's nine-furlong test on the Saratoga main.

"If anything, he may do a two or three furlong blowout on Thursday. We'll see how he is and what Saeed will want to do."

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McLaughlin to saddle entrants for Turf Triple's Saratoga Oaks and Derby; Lucullan points to Fasig-Tipton Lure

Godolphin's Lucullan will return to stakes company in the seventh running of the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure on Whitney Day, August 3, at Saratoga, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Sunday morning.

The 5-year-old son of Hard Spun earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure following a 1 ¼-length victory against optional claimers at the Lure's distance 1 1/16 miles on July 3 at Belmont Park. Bred by Darley in Kentucky, that effort marked his first race in 14 months. He will now face a Lure field for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded stakes this year.

"He won off a long layoff and has since trained well," McLaughlin said. "We'll be in restricted company with non-winners of a sweepstakes this year, but it's a tough race. He's doing very well. We're looking forward to it. We were happy that he ran so well off the layoff. He's a stakes horse, so we're happy to get back to stakes."

Lucullan proved he was a stakes horse in both his sophomore and 4-year-old campaigns, running second by a neck to Yoshida, who has gone on to win two Grade 1s, in the 2017 Grade 3 Hill Prince at Belmont and last year ran third in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy in May 2018 before his respite.

In his return, Lucullan defeated a salty group of stakes winners, including Maraud, Therapist, Force the Pass and Noble Indy over the firm Belmont turf. He will now return to Saratoga for the first time since running third in July 2017 in an allowance one start after breaking his maiden at third asking.

Lucullan breezed Friday at the Saratoga-based private Greentree Training Center, going four furlongs in 50.80 seconds solo.

Leonard Green's A Thread of Blue also worked at Saratoga, with a four-furlong bullet in 47.40 on Saturday as he prepares to run in the inaugural edition of the $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 4. The workout was the fastest of 53.

The second leg of NYRA's first-year Turf Triple series for 3-year-olds, the Saratoga Derby will be contested at 1 3/16 miles on the inner turf. The Mike Maker-trained Henley's Joy won the opening sequence with an upset win in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational on July 6, and the final leg will be the $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational on September 7 at Belmont, which will also serve as a "Win and You're In" qualifier to the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Longines Turf in November at Santa Anita.

The Hard Spun colt started his sophomore year with back-to-back wins, starting with a 3 ½-length victory in the 12-horse Dania Beach in February at Gulfstream Park before winning the Grade 3 Palm Beach in March at the same track. His overall three-race winning streak was stopped when he ran a game second to Digital Age in the Grade 2 American Turf on May 4 at Churchill Downs at 1 1/16 miles before cutting back in distance, running fourth in the Grade 2 Penn Mile last out on June 1 at Penn National.

Stabled at Belmont from May until arriving in Saratoga earlier this month, A Thread of Blue has registered three official workouts here, with two on the main track and the bullet breeze on the Oklahoma turf surface.

"He's doing very well and worked great yesterday," McLaughlin said. "It's a tough race, obviously. But we think he deserves a chance. We think the extra distance should help, and there's tight turns. We think it's better staying at home and not having to ship."

Purchased for $430,000 at the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sale, A Thread of Blue was bred by Flaxman Holdings in Kentucky and is 4-2-1 in nine career starts, including 3-2-1 in seven races on grass.

Shadwell Stable's Alasaayil was entered on Sunday for the Turf Tiara's $750,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational for August 2. A daughter of Hard Spun, Alasaayil ran second in her only previous stakes start, finishing 2 ¾-lengths back to Regal Glory in the Penn Oaks on June 1 before besting allowance company by a neck at 1 1/16 miles on July 5 at Belmont.

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Quip likely to target G1 Pacific Classic

Barring any major defections from Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said he will likely ship dual graded stakes winner Quip to the West Coast for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on August 17 at Del Mar.

Owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing, the 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt was second in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs last out, a subsequent start following a narrow victory in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap.

"Quip will breeze [Monday] and on Tuesday morning we'll have to call the racing office to make sure everyone went in the [Whitney] the way it's supposed to be," Brisset said. "If one of the top contenders ends up not running we could look at the Whitney, too, but as of now we are leaning towards the Pacific Classic."

Quip's runner-up effort in the Stephen Foster put his career earnings over the $1 million mark. His bankroll now stands at $1,054,100. He gave Brisset his first graded stakes win as a trainer when taking last year's Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby.

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

Brisset went on to speak of impressive maiden winner Off the Record, who scored his career debut on July 17 at the Spa by two lengths over a sloppy main track. The WinStar Farm-owned sophomore will likely face winners next out. Like Quip, Off the Record also is by Distorted Humor.

"He worked [Sunday] morning and it was a nice 50 on the bridle," Brisset said. "It looks like he bounced back pretty well. We did like the horse before the race and I think we like him even more now. We're going to stick him in an allowance. The way he worked this morning, maybe give him one more work and open the condition book and find a spot for him first or second week of August."

The well-bred bay is out of the Medaglia d'Oro broodmare Savvy Star, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winning millionaire Bluegrass Cat.

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St. Lewis will be back at the Spa with Forewarned for the G1 Whitney

Trin-Brook Stables' Forewarned will likely be a David among Goliaths in Saturday's Whitney, but trainer Uriah St. Lewis has enough confidence to enter his Ohio-bred stakes winner in the major test.

St. Lewis has had a presence in the Whitney the past two years with Discreet Lover, who ran a respective fifth and third.

Last out, the Flat Out bay was second against allowance company on July 1 at Parx Racing.

"He's been training fantastic. He's been super," St. Lewis said from his Parx Racing base. "We ran about the beginning of the month. We've been training him every week. He worked a minute flat last week. We're targeting that. It'll be a tough race a bunch of nice horses in there but I think that he's a nice horse himself."

Forewarned was acquired by St. Lewis at the Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic Mixed Sale in December, where he was purchased for $40,000. The six-time winner's lone stakes win took place in the Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup last June at Thistledown.

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Mr. Buff likely to skip Whitney and point to Evan Shipman

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff, well-named at 17.2 hands tall, has made a habit of muscling his way to the lead with front-running scores in five of his last eight starts.

The New York-bred son of Friend Or Foe has notched restricted stakes wins in the Alex M. Robb, Commentator and Saginaw during his recent good stretch, which had trainer John Kimmel considering the Grade 1 Whitney.

Mr. Buff breezed five furlongs in 1:01 flat on the Saratoga main track on Sunday morning and Kimmel said the strapping chestnut is more like to contest the restricted Evan Shipman, a nine-furlong test on August 7 at the Spa.

"He worked well this morning. We might opt to run in the Evan Shipman, avoid those heavy horses, and if everything goes well come back in the Woodward," said Kimmel.

On August 22, in his lone start around two turns at Saratoga, Mr. Buff romped to a nine-length score in an optional-claiming event. Kimmel said Mr. Buff is thriving in his training.

"He seems to be doing fine. He's a very confident horse right now," said Kimmel. "He seems to handle the two turns here very well. He just gets his lead changes down smoother and he's got good tactical speed and becomes more dangerous on the two-turn track up here."

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Well-related Lexintonia impressive in debut win

Castleton Lyons' Lexintonia, a 3-year-old bay daughter of Malibu Moon, impressed on debut in Saturday's second race, covering six furlongs on the main track in 1:10.38 with a prominent performance that earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Lexintonia is out of stakes winner Antonia Autumn. Her second dam, Chipeta Springs, produced $518,734 earner Bon Jovi Girl and the brilliant multiple Grade 1-winner and three-time Eclipse Award-winning Gio Ponti, who Clement also trained for Castleton Lyons.

"She's a nice filly. We had her last year but she had an injury, so we sent her back to the farm," said Clement. "She came back to us this year and always trained forwardly. She trained with Tomato Bill, who finished second in the Sanford, and she trained well with him."

With Joel Rosario up, Lexintonia took command through a half-mile in 45.73 and cruised home a two-length winner, in hand.

"Overall, Joel was very happy. He said she was very professional, and that she was always in control which is great," said Clement.

Gio Ponti, who banked in excess of $5 million, earned Eclipse Award-honors as Champion Grass Horse and Champion Older Horse in 2009. He repeated as Champion Grass Horse in 2010.

Despite that pedigree, Clement said he has yet to train Lexintonia on the turf.

"She trained too well on dirt. She's by Malibu Moon and very different physically," said Clement. "I very much like everything I saw here this afternoon, I'm excited about it. I called my owner right away to thank him."

The second race on the Jim Dandy undercard was named the John Cansdale Memorial after the former executive director of the New York Racing and Wagering board. A Buffalo native, Cansdale passed away in October at the age of 54.

A large group of family and friends were on hand to celebrate the moment and present the winning connections with a trophy and a humidor of fine cigars.

Clement posed for photos with Cansdale's family and friends following Lexintonia's impressive debut.

"I'm going to go home and smoke one of these cigars with my wife and enjoy the moment," grinned Clement.