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Impressive maiden winner Pony Express possible for G2 Jim Dandy pres. by Mohegan Sun

by NYRA Press Ofiice

• Impressive maiden winner Pony Express possible for G2 Jim Dandy pres. by Mohegan Sun
• Clement set to debut promising 2-year-olds; Pandagate eyes $250K Albany
• Ba Dee Yah to Woodbine Oaks; Lady Orient possible for P. G. Johnson
• Rookie Report: Authentic Gallop, Filoso to debut in stacked Saturday MSW

Talla Racing, Three Chimneys Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds’ eye-catching maiden-winner Pony Express is possible for a start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun, a nine-furlong route for sophomores, on July 27 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by John Sadler, Pony Express was last seen dominating a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on June 15 at Santa Anita Park when leading at every point of call and drawing off with ease under Umberto Rispoli to graduate by nine lengths in a final time of 1:43.15. The effort was awarded an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, said the talented son of Gun Runner has been well worth the wait.

“He is a horse that John and the team have loved, and we had to give him a little time last summer, which was a bummer, but it was certainly the right thing to do,” said Blewitt. “He was really good last out and he’s trained even better coming out of the race.”

Blewitt said Pony Express is nominated to the Jim Dandy and will be nominated to the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby on August 4 at Mountaineer with both races in play for his next outing.

“He’s fast, he’s explosive, and if you’re talking a compact field in the Jim Dandy, he might be a fun horse to have up here. But, it’s up in the air. We’ll take a look at the nominations and try to figure out what makes the most sense,” Blewitt said. “John doesn’t ship with regularity, so there’s a reason he’s going to ship.”

Pony Express was a $500,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the dual graded stakes-winning Quiet American mare Quiet Temper, who produced dual stakes-placed Collaborate. He has improved with each race as distances have increased, something Blewitt said can be expected considering the colt’s breeding.

“He’s bred to go long, Gun Runner and the female family of his is blue-blooded; a collector’s item type family,” said Blewitt. “Distance and stamina should not be an issue. He’s a beautiful, well-put-together horse, and the pedigree is there. It’s just a question of him now fulfilling that potential, and that first step was the maiden win. Let’s see how he does against better horses.”

Pony Express’ fourth dam is Reine de Course mare Blitey, a Phipps homebred who produced multiple graded stakes winners Dancing Spree and Furlough, and graded stakes winners Fantastic Find and Dancing All Night. His family also includes Hall of Famer Heavenly Prize and multiple Grade 1-winner Finder’s Fee.

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Clement set to debut promising 2-year-olds; Pandagate eyes $250K Albany

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, and Brandon M. Dalinka’s Vekoma colt No Evidence looks to debut a winner for trainer Christophe Clement in Race 1 on Friday at Saratoga Race Course - a 5 1/2-furlong sprint on the Mellon turf course for juveniles. No Evidence will have Hall of Famer Joel Rosario in the tack from the outermost post 8.

Vekoma currently sits in second on the freshman sire list behind Complexity with 11 winners from 20 starters and nine of those winners being first time starters.

No Evidence, out of the winning The Factor mare Hidden Facts, comes into this first assignment off a strong half-mile gate work on July 1 in 49.10 at the Oklahoma dirt training track which preceded a half-mile leg stretch over the Oklahoma turf course in 51.88 seconds around the dogs on July 8.

He is a $325,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase where he worked 10 flat over the Tapeta down in Ocala. Clement's son and Saratoga-based assistant, Miguel, is encouraged with the way the colt is coming into the race.

“Excited! With first time starters you never know about many new variables. Nevertheless, at home he has been training like a proper horse. Joel loved his work the other day on the grass and it’s time to go,” Miguel said.

In Race 1 on Saturday here, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juveniles, the Clement barn sends out another for debut in Hands of Time. The stout gray son of Liam’s Map and the Bernardini mare Rolexa will exit post 7 under Rosario.

Bought from the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling sale for $180,000, he is campaigned by Alan Quartucci, Steven C. Duncker, Vicarage Stable, and St. Elias Stable. Hands of Time worked a bullet from the gate on the Oklahoma track on July 3 covering four-furlongs in 50 flat, ranked the fastest of 14 works at the distance. On July 12, he took a half-mile spin around the Oklahoma training turf in 50.45 seconds.

Miguel was bullish on how the horse was coming into his debut.

“Joel was in the saddle the last time he worked on the grass. It was a good work, we are encouraged,” offered Miguel. “We are aware of several fancy maidens in the race. Several horses who seem to be the buzz horses on the backside all wound up in the same maiden, nevertheless he is training well so it is time to go.”

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco, and William Branch’s 6-year-old gelding Big Everest eyes a potential start in the Spa’s $135,000 Listed Fasig-Tipton Lure on August 3, a 1 1/16-mile turf event for older horses which have not won a graded sweepstakes in 2024.

Christophe, on his way back to Saratoga from Belmont this morning said, “We are strongly considering the Lure for him. He is training well at Belmont.”

By The Gurkha and out of the Whywhywhy mare Long Face, Big Everest is a nine-time winner over the grass with four stakes wins to his name. Last out, he won a 1 1/16-mile turf optional claiming event by a neck over Major Dude on June 23 during the Belmont at the Big A meet.

Silver Skillet, fresh off a win in the New York-bred $125,000 Port Washington on July 7 at the Big A for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco, could potentially look to exit state-bred company and be seen at Saratoga in the July 31 Listed $135,000 De La Rose, a one-mile inner turf event for older fillies and mares which have not won a graded sweepstake in 2024.

The daughter of Liam’s Map and the stakes winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star boasts a record of 5-3-2 from 14 lifetime starts with three stakes wins. Silver Skillet is undefeated on the Saratoga turf course in two efforts, both in New York-bred company.

While Monday was a dark day for Saratoga racing, the Clement barn enjoyed a trip west to Finger Lakes Racing and Gaming with Pandagate for the New York Derby, a 1 1/16-mile event for sophomore New York-breds.

Campaigned by Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables, Corms Racing Stable, and On the Rise Again Stable, the son of Arrogate and the winning Sky Mesa mare Kitty Panda, returned from a valiant third to Japan-based Forever Young in the Group 2 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse to win a Derby of his own.

Breaking from post 4 under Dylan Davis, Pandagate crossed the line three-quarter lengths in front of Doc Sullivan while earning a new lifetime best Beyer Speed Figure of 89 in victory.

Miguel, who traveled with the horse to both Meydan in March and Finger Lakes, said he was pleased with the performance from Pandagate, who will now target the nine-furlong $250,000 Albany for fellow state-bred sophomores on August 25 here.

“He is a fun horse that has taken us all over the world. Who would have guessed that his last start would be Dubai and then we would end up at Finger Lakes in our next start,” Miguel said. “Nevertheless, he is a very fun New York-bred that could win at the highest level. I was delighted to win first off the layoff and we expect him to train forwardly ahead of the Albany Stakes.”

Other horses in the barn with potential stakes targets at the Spa include Parnac, Avenue Niel, Le Mehana, and Atomic Blonde all with the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls, a 1 1/2-mile mile turf test for older fillies and mares on August 1 as a landing spot.

Grade 3 Gotham winner Deterministic and Grade 1 Summer winner Carson’s Run could either be seen in the Grade 1, $600,000 Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, a 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf test for sophomores on August 3 or the Grade 2, $500,000 National Racing Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, a one-mile turf test for sophomores on August 2.

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Ba Dee Yah to Woodbine Oaks, Lady Orient possible for P. G. Johnson

Gold Standard Racing Stable’s stakes-winner Ba Dee Yah will make her next start in Saturday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, a nine-furlong Tapeta test for Canadian-bred sophomore fillies, at Woodbine Racetrack.

Trained by Tom Amoss, the Uncle Mo bay out of the multiple stakes-placed Bernardini mare Pearl Turn, was purchased for $485,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc., Ba Dee Yah is a half-sister to Grade 1 turf winner Gretzky the Great, who is also a maiden winner on Tapeta to go along with a stakes-placing at Turfway Park.

“She's never run on the artificial surface before, but her family has had a lot of success on it,” Amoss aid. “We're comfortable that transition will go well, and we feel like she'll be competitive in there.”

Ba Dee Yah graduated at third asking in November at Fair Grounds in a 1 1/16-mile main track event and two starts later captured the off-the-turf LaCombe Memorial at one mile and 70 yards over the same surface. She was off-the-board in the Grade 2 Fantasy in March at Oaklawn Park and returned from a more than two-month break to finish third in the one-mile Panthers on June 8 at Prairie Meadows.

“I think that's a race that she needed, and we certainly needed that race to be able to go this far on Saturday. It served a good purpose for us,” Amoss said.

Ba Dee Yah worked a half-mile in 50.83 Friday over the Saratoga main track and left for Woodbine earlier this morning. Luis Contreras will have the call in the Woodbine Oaks.

Joel Politi’s Kimchi Cat graduated at second asking here Sunday, scoring gate-to-wire under Tyler Gaffalione in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight over the main track for 2-year-old fillies.

The Twirling Candy dark bay showed the way through splits of 22.03 seconds and 45.94 en route to a 3 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:06.04. The winning effort garnered a 63 Beyer Speed Figure, matching the number earned in her June 14 debut at Churchill Downs when second to Viggiedal, who exited that effort to run sixth as the favorite in the Listed Schuylerville here last weekend.

“With young horses, it's so hard to tell race-to-race what they ran against because there's always going to be some inconsistencies with the learning curve,” Amoss said. “In our opinion, Kimchi Cat's first race was a great education and one we thought she would win, but we were just outdueled down the lane.

“She came back and ran well,” Amoss added. “She's not a learned horse yet, nor should she be with just two starts but Tyler was saying at the three-eighths pole when she cleared the field, she started playing around and didn’t know what to do. And again down the lane once she cleared, she started playing around, so the race is maybe better than the time was.”

Amoss said he will evaluate how Kimchi Cat comes out of the race before determining a next start.

The $185,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the winning Sky Mesa mare Winter Dawn, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner Summer Cruise.

Richard J. Emmet’s Lady Orient made an auspicious debut in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for juvenile fillies on July 13 at Ellis Park, overcoming a slow start and traffic trouble behind dueling leaders at the top of the lane before tipping out and arriving in the final jump to post a head score over Don’t Call Me Babe. The winning trip, engineered by Jareth Loveberry, garnered a 72 Beyer.

Amoss said the Liam’s Map bay could stretch out for her next start in the 1 1/16-mile $150,000 P.G. Johnson on August 28 at the Spa.

“She had a very troubled trip and still won. She's a horse that wants to stretch out,” Amoss said. “There are some opportunities down there but there's some opportunities here, too. You might see her up here perhaps for the P. G. Johnson.”

The $170,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Second Coming, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Are You Kidding Me.

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Rookie Report: Authentic Gallop, Filoso to debut in stacked Saturday MSW

The well-related Authentic Gallop will debut in Race 7 on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, a six-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds that features 10 contenders made up of nine first-time starters.

Trained by Tom Amoss for owner Gregory Tramontin, Authentic Gallop [post 2, Tyler Gaffalione], by Authentic, was a $300,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase.

The dark bay colt, bred in Kentucky by Tall Oaks Farm, is out of the Victory Gallop mare Galloping Ami, who has produced a trio of graded stakes-winning half-siblings to Authentic Gallop in Kopion, Amis Gizmo and Ami’s Flatter as well as stakes-winner Aragorn Ami. All four of those half-siblings won on debut.

Authentic Gallop started his training in Kentucky and has now breezed twice over the Saratoga main track, including a five-eighths breeze Saturday in 1:02.77.

“He has prepared very well. You don't come up to Saratoga with any empty wagons and we don't think we did, but this is a very good race,” Amoss said. “He is a big, imposing horse on looks, but he's more athletic than he is body appearance - a lot of bigger, stronger-made horses, you might be nervous about going a short race with, but in this case he has been very athletic for us and we think he can handle it.”

Amoss assembled an experienced team of friends to evaluate prospects at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, including Julie Cauthen; former assistants Brent Sumja and Chris Richard; as well as Ron Faucheux, who retired in April 2023 on the heels of three consecutive training title wins at Fair Grounds.

Last year, Amoss and Tramontin teamed up with a smart debut winner here in Alys Beach, a $120,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, who went on to finish third in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland.

Amoss said the solid result last summer fueled enthusiasm for a return visit to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale with an eye on two-turn prospects, including Authentic Gallop.

“Greg attended the sale with us and we had a team that bought for him. This was a horse we were really excited to get,” Amoss said. “He was very active at the sale. It all started right here at Saratoga last year. He had Alys Beach win first time out here and that enthusiasm and enjoyment carried over to the sale this year and getting more involved. Everything we bought was designed to be a horse that can stretch out and go two turns.”

Amoss said all of the connections are looking forward to Saturday’s unveiling as maiden special weight races at Saratoga are as much a part of the fanfare as stakes races.

“Saratoga has these maiden races on Saturday and Sunday for a reason,” Amoss said. “Greg is flying up for the race to give you an idea of his excitement. We think he's one of the better 2-year-olds we have in the barn, so we're excited about it as well.”

The Chad Summers-trained Filoso [post 9, Dylan Davis], by City of Light, has trained forwardly into his debut for owner Al Gold’s Gold Square.

Filoso worked six times over the Belmont Park dirt training track led by a half-mile gate work in 48.22 on June 29 that was ranked 3rd-best of 184 efforts at the distance. Filoso worked in company that day with the Bruce Levine-trained New York-bred Joker On Fire, who is entered in Race 6 on Friday at the Spa.

“He worked pretty well and was able to put away the other horse at the end of the work,” Summers said.

Filoso then shipped upstate to Saratoga to post a bullet half-mile from the gate in 47.63 in company with a pair of Melanie Giddings trainees on July 10 over the main track that was ranked best-of-50 efforts at the distance.

“They worked in a set of three. Dylan Davis was aboard for that gate work and got to know him a little bit and learn about him,” Summers said. “For first time starters, 2-year-olds especially, if you can get a jock on them once to breeze and get to know them, I think it gives you a little bit of an advantage.”

Filoso is named for owner Gold’s friend Lou Filoso, who was in attendance at Saratoga for Opening Day but will be at Monmouth Park this weekend for Saturday’s NYRA Bets Haskell Day card.

"Lou Filoso is a gem of the earth kind of guy and this is a really cool horse. He's come together really well for us,” Summers said. “We'll hope this horse gets better as he gets on. This race is a starting point to get to know him and as the races get longer it will be to his advantage, for sure. He's quick enough that you're not afraid to run him three-quarters, but we look forward to him a little bit further along as they get to stretching out.”

Filoso was bred in Kentucky by Hunter Valley Farm and Irish jockey Oisin Murphy – although Dylan Davis will have the honors from post 9 aboard the dark bay on Saturday.

The $210,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the stakes-winning Bodemeister mare Kenda. Her second dam, the stakes-winning Cherokee Run mare Indian Legend, is a full-sister to graded stakes-winner Cherokee Queen.

“He was one we liked the more and more that we saw him,” Summers said. “He was a stand out on the physical and when you see him Saturday, he will make his presence known. He's a very pretty horse.”

Hall of Famer Bill Mott will debut Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Cooper [post 1, Junior Alvarado], a bay son of Nyquist out of the Bernardini mare Apiary, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Frosted.

Cooper is a half-brother to sophomore stablemate Jefferson Street, who earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for an eight-length romp here last month in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance against older horses.

The well-related colt has worked weekly at Saratoga, including a half-mile breeze from the main track gate in 49.82 on Monday.

Mott will also send out Ranger Battalion [post 6, Jose Lezcano], a Kentucky homebred for Peachtree Stable by Omaha Beach. The half-brother to stakes-winner Full Nelson worked a bullet half-mile from the gate over the Oklahoma training track in 48.48 on July 5 in company with unraced filly Ragtime – a Union Rags chestnut out of Grade 2-winner Burmilla.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will send out BC Stables’ Perfect Force [post 5, Ramon Vazquez], a $625,000 Gun Runner colt and half-brother to multiple graded stakes-winner Scuba.

The $625,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is the lone runner in the field with experience, having finished fourth on debut in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on June 23 at Churchill Downs.

The Chad Brown-trained Volatile colt Incentive Pay [post 4, Joel Rosario], who was a $315,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, has worked extensively over the Saratoga main track led by a half-mile breeze from the gate [hopping at the start] Sunday in 48.25 seconds, working to the inside of an unnamed Into Mischief horse.

Incentive Pay, owned by Klaravich Stables, is out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Distinguishable, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Mo Cuishle. He also worked a half-mile from the gate on June 24 in 49 flat over the Oklahoma training track.

Dual Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will send out Calumet Farm’s Kentucky homebred Track Ranger [post 8, Manny Franco], by Hightail and out of the Grade 3-winning Oxbow mare Oxy Lady, from a series of consistent works in Kentucky that includes a pair of gate breezes at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a pair of firsters in Be Real [post 7, John Velazquez] and Social Hour [post 10, Brian Hernandez, Jr.]

Be Real, by Curlin and out of the graded stakes-placed Speightstown mare Island Saint, worked a half-mile solo from the main track gate in 48.25 Saturday. He was a $300,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase.

Social Hour, by Practical Joke, was purchased for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. His second dam, the graded stakes-placed Touch Gold mare Chasethegold, is a half-sister to 2009 Grade 1 Donn Handicap-winner Albertus Maximus.

He worked a half-mile from the main track gate in 47.47 Saturday to the inside of unraced 2-year-old colt Noble Confessor, an effort ranked 5th best out of 103 efforts at the distance.

A stacked field includes Dapper Moon [post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], a Louisiana-bred Malibu Moon colt for trainer Dallas Stewart, who already has a 2-year-old winner at the meet in Tough Catch.