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Nest keeps the tide rolling in G1 Alabama; Charge It to miss G1 Runhappy Travers

by NYRA Press Office

                   ·    Nest keeps the tide rolling in G1 Alabama; Charge It to miss G1 Runhappy Travers

·    Caravel returns to winning form in Smart N Fancy

·    Echo Again earns 94 Beyer Speed Figure from debut triumph

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House’s Nest flew to the top of her division with a dominant victory in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama at Saratoga Race Course. 

The now three-time Grade 1-winning daughter of Curlin solidified her rightful place as leader of the 3-year-old filly division with a 4 1/4-length score in the prestigious ten-furlong test. Despite stumbling at the start, Nest was able to secure her desired forward position to track longshot She’s Keen’s early fractions before making a sweeping move around the far turn under her own power. She drew off to an in-hand victory under Irad Ortiz, Jr., producing a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for the win. 

“Good, excellent,” said Pletcher when asked how Nest looked on Sunday morning. 

Pletcher added that he had watched replays of Nest’s superb Alabama victory several times. 

“I thought it was more impressive watching the replay because watching it live, I couldn’t fully appreciate how quickly she accelerated off the turn there,” Pletcher said. “I was impressed watching it live and even more so watching the replay. Especially the start.” 

Nest entered the Alabama off four week’s rest, capturing the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 23 at the Spa by 12 1/4 lengths. Her highly prosperous sophomore season also includes a win in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland and runner up efforts in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets against colts. 

The victory provided Pletcher with a fourth Alabama victory, saddling CCA Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar [2013] and Stopchargingmaria [2014] to scores in both races. He also won last year’s Alabama with Malathaat, who was subsequently crowned Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. 

“The Alabama is the premier 3-year-old filly race of the summer,” Pletcher said. “To pull off the double in the Coaching Club and Alabama, both four weeks apart in two blowout performances, it can’t get much more impressive than that. She’s got phenomenal stamina. What’s so impressive about it is she also has a turn of foot. It’s a pretty dangerous arsenal.” 

As far as the rest of the Nest’s year is concerned, Pletcher said she could either train up to the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on November 5 at Keeneland, or target the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame on October 9 at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet or the Grade 1, $600,000 Spinster on the same day at Keeneland. The Grade 1 Cotillion on September 24 at Parx would likely not be a viable option. 

Although Nest has been capable of being competitive against colts, Pletcher said he would stick to running against fillies for the time being. 

“I think we just stay against our own gender for right now,” Pletcher said. “Things can change in this game. If there’s a few defections along the way, who knows? But for right now, I think we’re focused about running against fillies.” 

Nest, bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stable, brags a 9-6-2-1 record and $1,735,550 in lifetime earnings.

Pletcher also spoke of third-place finisher Goddess of Fire, who garnered Grade 1 black type for the first time with a third-place finish in the Alabama. The Red Oak Stable homebred could be a likely candidate for the Cotillion. 

The daughter of Mineshaft earned Grade 2 black type when second in the Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds Race Course and the Gulfstream Park Oaks. She also was a distant third in last year’s Grade 3 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs. 

“I thought she ran great, I was proud of her,” Pletcher said. “She ran gamely for third and it was a good Grade 1 placing for her. We’ll talk about the Cotillion, maybe.” 

There was both good news and bad news out of the Pletcher barn on Sunday morning as graded stakes winner Charge It was ruled out of Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers with an abscess on his right front foot. 

Initially scheduled to have his final breeze for the Travers this weekend, Charge It was out for a Sunday morning gallop. 

“He galloped super, but you could tell jogging back he was a little bit tender on it,” Pletcher said. “It’s one of those things where if we didn’t need to breeze again, we might be able to get it healed up before the race, but needing to get another work into him, it’s just unfortunate timing.” 

Pletcher said Charge It could target the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on September 24 at Parx. 

“That’s our next possible target, but the foot is going to dictate when he’s going to be ready to breeze again,” Pletcher said. 

Pletcher added that Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables’ multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control, a half-brother to Goddess of Fire, will target the Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic on August 26. The Stay Thirsty bay is a dual Grade 1 winner at the Spa, and defeated Grade 1-winning multi-millionaire Hot Rod Charlie in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile on June 18 at Monmouth Park last out. 

“He ran well going two turns last time, he’s been good around two turns and it’s a significant purse,” Pletcher said.

***

Caravel returns to winning form in Smart N Fancy 

Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables’ Caravel returned to winning form in Saturday’s $150,000 Smart N Fancy, posting a half-length score as the betting public’s second choice, at Saratoga Race Course. 

The gray or roan mare has now crossed the finish line first in 3-of-5 starts this campaign, recording wins at three different tracks [Turfway Park, Belmont Park and Saratoga] and has also recorded wins at Penn National, Presque Isle Downs, Pimlico and Monmouth Park. 

Conditioned by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old Mizzen Mast mare was prominent throughout under Luis Saez in the 5 1/2-furlong Smart N Fancy over firm Mellon turf, posting a half-length score over a rallying Change of Control to register a 94 Beyer. The victory came on the heels of a troubled trip in the Grade 3 Caress on July 23 here, where she finished last-of-9.

“She’s one of the top filly and mare turf sprinters in the country,” said Cox. 

Cox said that the Smart N Fancy was originally not on the radar for Caravel, but he felt the horse earned another race at Saratoga after not getting to show her true colors in the Caress. 

“We didn’t come up here with plans on running in this race,” said Cox. “With what happened in the last one, we definitely found ourselves taking a shot yesterday. 

“It plays a big role in the decisions you make when there are options. It was kind of a late audible just to run there. I spoke to the owners the week of and thought we should at least enter and look at it. With the post we got, we thought it made sense to give her a shot,” added Cox. 

Cox said Caravel will target the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters on September 19 at Presque Isle Downs. 

Bred in Pennsylvania by Elizabeth Merryman, Caravel is a lifetime winner of $647,777 and boasts an impressive record of 10-0-3 in 17 career starts.

***

Echo Again earns 94 Beyer Speed Figure from debut triumph 

Echo Again, a fourth-generation Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred, was superb in his Saturday career debut, breaking his maiden by 6 3/4 lengths in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga Race Course. 

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the son of Gun Runner led through every point of call, extending his advantage throughout and completing the distance in a final time of 1:15.80. The win garnered a 94 Beyer Speed Figure – the second highest figure for a 2-year-old this year. 

“We thought he was good, but I’m not sure any of us were expecting the performance he put in yesterday,” said David Fiske, racing and bloodstock advisor to Winchell Thoroughbreds. “That was eye-popping. I talked to [owner] Ron [Winchell] about three times yesterday and I told him, ‘I don’t know what you want me to tell you because I’m speechless.’” 

Fiske spoke high volumes of Gun Runner, who also was owned by Winchell and trained by Asmussen. The leading second crop sire has been highly prolific for his former connections who have campaigned last year’s Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Echo Zulu, and Grade 1 winner Gunite among others. 

“They just don’t stop. The mantra from Steve last year when talking to jockeys was, ‘Just don’t give up on them, keep going’,” Fiske said. “You kind of see that in some of Gunite’s performances, and the two we’ve run up there this year. They run through the wire and look like they want to go further. They’re an impressive bunch.” 

Echo Again is out of the Tapit mare Teardrop, a half-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Pyro. His fourth dam is Carols Christmas who was claimed for $25,000 and has become a prolific blue hen mare for the Winchell family. 

“Carols Christmas – the gift that keeps on giving,” Fiske said. “The best $25,000 claim in the history of $25,000 claims. We’ve been living off her DNA for decades. It’s just amazing.” 

Fiske said Echo Again’s next start is yet to be determined with the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November  at Keeneland as the long term goal.

“I think [Asmussen] is still thinking about it. He came out of the race great and was doing super this morning,” Fiske said. “I think all options are on the table and when you have one break their maiden like that, you start to think backwards from the Breeders' Cup. Wherever he can run that gives him the best opportunity for prep for the Breeders’ Cup will probably be where he ends up.”