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Keep It Easy ups the difficulty in G2 Saratoga Special

by Christian Abdo

St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Thoroughbreds’ Keep It Easy was strong in his last effort and will up the difficulty in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Dale Romans, the Hard Spun dark bay graduated at second asking when drawing off to win a six-furlong sprint by four lengths last-out on June 27 at Churchill Downs. The winning effort earned a career and field-best 79 Beyer Speed Figure, improving greatly upon a 46 earned on debut for a seventh sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at the same site on June 6.

“I think this is a good spot. He is a good horse,” said Romans. “Physically, he is a big, strong, pretty horse. He was a pretty horse at the yearling sale when we bought him. He just continues to get better. He is a good workhorse and a good horse all around.”

Keep It Easy returned to the work tab on July 20 with a half-mile bullet in 47.85 seconds over the Spa main track, fastest-of-77 workers at the distance. He has since worked twice more, including a breeze over the same course and distance in 49.96 on Sunday.

“He worked this morning and worked very well,” Romans said. “He’s had three good works up here and is ready to go. Today was his third work and it went very well.”

Bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. William L. Pape, Keep It Easy, out of the stakes-winning English Channel mare Boxwood, was a $435,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Junior Alvarado has the call from the outermost post 9.

Stepping up in class after a maiden score is the story for a good portion of the nine-horse field, including Harrell Ventures’ Showcase, who did indeed showcase his potential in a 7 1/2-length debut romp traveling 5 1/2 furlongs on July 6 at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the Uncle Mo gray stalked the pace under Irad Ortiz, Jr. before drawing off with ease, earning a 58 Beyer in victory.

“He trained very well and it was a very professional debut. We were hopeful,” said Pletcher. “He kind of came in advertised as being pretty forward, and he’s been very professional – relaxed, but professional at the same time.”

Showcase, a $300,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of graded stakes-placed Violence mare Buy Sell Hold, a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Volatile.

Ortiz, Jr. will be back aboard from post 2.

Hall of Famer Mark Casse will be represented by K E M Racing Stable’s debut-victor Global Legend. The Global Campaign dark bay graduated by three comfortable lengths sprinting 4 1/2 furlongs versus fellow Florida-breds on sloppy and sealed footing in June at Gulfstream Park.

“He looks like a sprinter, but I wouldn't say he won't go around two turns at some point. But right now, these sprint races are right up his alley,” said Shane Tripp, assistant trainer to Casse. “He's so athletic and does it right within himself. He gets across this track like you want one to.”

Out of the winning Henny Hughes mare Im a Dixie Diva, Global Legend was an $80,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS Winter Mixed Sale. His second dam is graded stakes-placed Im a Dixie Girl, who produced multiple Grade 1-winner Mor Spirit.

Dylan Davis is up for the first time from post 3.

Three Chimneys Farm’s homebred Touchy [post 5, Joel Rosario, blinkers OFF] enters from a runner-up finish when making an ambitious first outing in the 5 1/2-furlong Listed Tremont on June 6 here. Trained by Wesley Ward, the Nyquist bay showed the way before being overtaken by the victorious Studlydoright, who won by 1 3/4 lengths and subsequently finished second in the local Grade 3 Sanford.

Out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Touch the Moon, Touchy is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner Royal Approval.

Valene Farms’ Louisiana-bred Smoken Wicked [post 1, Tyler Gaffalione] is also stakes-placed, finishing second last-out in the six-furlong Listed Bashford Manor on June 30 at Churchill Downs. The Bobby’s Wicked One chestnut was making his first start for trainer Dallas Stewart after a debut score for conditioner Sturges Ducoing in a state-bred sprint on June 1 at Evangeline Downs.

In the Bashford Manor, Smoken Wicked was reluctant to load and clipped heels coming to the five-sixteenths, dropping to 10th-of-12 before coming on again with a seven-wide rally to get up for second. He has since worked four times over the Oklahoma dirt training track, including a bullet five-eighths in 1:00.25 on July 20, fastest-of-10 at the distance.

“It was very good. He’s a nice horse who has trained very well here, so we are looking forward to the Special,” said Stewart.

Lea Farms’ Noble Force [post 7, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] was an eye-catching 9 1/2-length winner going five furlongs on June 21 at Monmouth Park. Trained by Jorge Delgado, the Cairo Prince gray sported blinkers for the big debut victory that earned a 50 Beyer.

Noble Force, a $110,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the winning Proud Citizen mare Guess What. His second dam is multiple Grade 1-placed Biofuel, Canada’s 2010 Horse of the Year.

Rounding out the field is first-out maiden winner First Resort [post 4, Flavien Prat], a Godolphin Kentucky homebred for trainer Eoin Harty; maiden-winner Good Directions [post 8, Manny Franco] for conditioner Kevin Rice; and fourth-out maiden claiming winner Ace It [post 6, Luis Saez] for conditioner James Chapman.

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The Grade 2, $300,000 Troy, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, August 3, was canceled and re-scheduled for Saturday, August 10 due to heavy rainfall.

The 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older horses, originally carded with twelve horses including one main track-only entrant, was brought back as an extra with entries taken Sunday and attracted a field of 13 including two main track-only entrants.

The group of 11 main-body entrants is led by Cogburn [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], who set a North American record for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf [59.80 seconds] in his last-out Grade 1 Jaipur presented by Resolute Racing score on June 8 here for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen.

The lone defection from the field was the Charlie Appleby-trained Mischief Magic, while Grade 2-placed Step Forward [post 3, John Velazquez] is a new face in the group for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

Completing the field are Witty [post 1, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Elizabeth Merryman; Outlaw Kid [post 2, Flavien Prat] for trainer George Weaver; Thin White Duke [post 5, Luis Saez] for trainer David Donk; Big Invasion [post 6, Tyler Gaffalione] for trainer Christophe Clement; Dancing Buck [post 7, Manny Franco] for trainer Michelle Nevin; Xy Speed [post 8, Junior Alvarado] for trainer Michael Lerman; Grooms All Bizness [post 9, Dylan Davis] for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr; Sosua Summer [post 10, Joel Rosario] for Hall of Famer Bill Mott; and Mischievous Angel [post 11, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for Jorge Abreu.

Disarmed and Surveillance, who was not in the original entries, are entered for the main track-only.

The Saratoga Special is slated as Race 8, and the Troy as Race 9, on Saturday’s 12-race program that is headlined by the Grade 1, $500,000 FanDuel Fourstardave [Race 10]. The card also features the Listed $150,000 Galway [Race 12], plus the rescheduled Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational [Race 6]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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

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