Francesca LeDonne Photo

O'Brien's Turf Triple contenders train at Saratoga

by NYRA Press Office

• Preservationist, 3-1 on the morning line, looking for successful cut back in distance in G1 Whitney
• St. Lewis is taking the same Whitney path with Forewarned; Discreet Lover taking a break for the rest of the year
• Thunder Snow finalizes G1 Whitney preparation with strong gallop
• McKinzie in good spirits at the Spa
• Quartorolo, Paolucci looking to give Imperative another chance in the Whitney
• Saez a 'perfect fit' for Jeltrin
• Fast Scene tentatively pointed to G1 Spinaway
• The Rookie Report: Clement debuts son of Tonalist; Spendthrift sends out $750K purchase

The contingent from the barn of trainer Aidan O'Brien were sent to the Saratoga main track for some light exercise on Thursday morning in preparation for their respective starts in the $750,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational and $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational.

Both races are the second legs of the newly designed Turf Triple Series. The Saratoga Oaks, slated as Race 9 on Friday's card, marks the second jewel of the Turf Tiara while the Saratoga Derby, its male counterpart set for Race 9 on Sunday, is the second race in the Turf Trinity.

After clearing quarantine, Oaks contenders Coral Beach and Happen followed Saratoga Derby contenders Cape of Good Hope and Mohawk to the main track under the supervision of travelling head lad T.J. Comerford.

"We went to the bottom of the home stretch and trotted the whole way around to the winning post and turned around," Comerford said. "It was just a gentle canter past the winning post, pulled up and then walked all the way home."

Comerford was pleased with the way the four horses traveled over the Saratoga main track.

"No problems, they look well," Comerford said. "They're grand, they have a bit of sun on their back and obviously coming from being warm. It's particularly warm here, they're very good."

It will be the second start in the United States for Cape of Good Hope and Coral Beach, who both raced in the first leg of the Turf Triple. The former was eighth in the Belmont Derby while his stablemate was seventh in the Belmont Oaks.

Cape of Good Hope, a full-brother to seven-time Grade/Group 1 winner Highland Reel, has not raced since the Belmont Derby while Coral Beach subsequently was fifth in the Group 2 Kilboy Estate on July 21 at The Curragh in her native Ireland.

"They ran well and look a bit better as well, health wise," Comerford said.

Comerford expressed confidence in the two newcomers Happen and Mohawk, both of whom are group stakes winners in Ireland this year. Happen, a bay daughter of War Front, won the Group 3 Coolmore EBF Athasi at The Curragh two starts back before finishing sixth in the Group 1 Coronation at Ascot. Mohawk, a chestnut Galileo colt enters the Saratoga Derby in winning form having taken the Group 3 Meld at Leopardstown last out.

"They're in good shape," Comerford said. "Happen is coming from better races and Mohawk was a winner last time and won very easily at Leopardstown."

Happen is out of three-time Group 1 winner Alexandrova, who won the Epsom Oaks Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks in 2006 and also was conditioned by O'Brien.

"Her mother was particularly good. This one has good weight, has settled in well and she takes everything in well," Comerford said. "There's never any problem with her. Mentally, she's very well. You have to be to travel all the way here."

Jockey Wayne Lordan will ship from Ireland to pilot Happen in the Oaks and also Mohawk in the Derby. Hall of Famer and five-time Saratoga leading rider John Velazquez will guide Coral Beach in the Oaks while Julien Leparoux has the call aboard Cape of Good Hope in the Derby.

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Preservationist, 3-1 on the morning line, looking for successful cut back in distance in G1 Whitney

Centennial Farms' Preservationist is training well heading into Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Thursday.

Preservationist drew the outside post in the eight-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile Whitney, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 2 at Santa Anita. He lightly galloped in the morning.

"It's not ideal, but everything has been good leading into the week," Jerkens said about breaking from post 8. "He's eaten everything up and seems happy here."

Both Preservationist and Thunder Snow are listed as 3-1 on the morning line, with McKinzie the favorite at 7-5.

Preservationist is coming off a 4 ½-length win in the 1 ¼-mile Grade 2 Suburban on July 6 at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old son of Arch earned a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure for that gate-to-wire victory, where he kicked away from runner-up Catholic Boy and third-place Pavel in besting a talented 11-horse field. He will now be cutting slightly back in running at the Whitney distance for the first time.

"It's always a little tricky cutting back in distance, but he is a horse who has plenty of natural speed," Jerkens said. "He's not a plodder by any means. He was right there on the pace all the way. On Whitney Day, the track will probably be pretty fast. They usually make them a little faster on the big days. He has enough lick to be there if he has to be."

Preservationist has never finished out of the money in eight career starts, posting a 5-1-2 record, and enters the Whitney with three straight wins. After making just one start before his 4-year-old year as he battled physical issues, including foot problems, he will now be running in his first career Grade 1 just four weeks off the Suburban.

Jockey Junior Alvarado has been aboard for all four of Preservationist's previous starts this year, resulting in a 3-0-1 record. He will be in the irons again on Saturday.

"It's good to have someone who's been aboard before. He certainly should know him by now," Jerkens said.

Jerkens is no stranger to big races at Saratoga, saddling two Travers winners with V.E. Day in 2014 and Afleet Express in 2010. He will be looking for his first Whitney winner as he saddles his first starter in the race since Effinex ran fourth in 2016. Wicked Strong also finished fourth, in 2015. His father, the late Hall of Famer H. Allen Jerkens, famously won the 1973 Whitney when Onion upset Secretariat.

"I haven't had too much luck in it so far," Jerkens said. "Wicked Strong and Effinex finished fourth. That's the best I've done in it. It'd be nice. I've had good luck in the Travers but in the Whitney, we need to start showing up there a little better."

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St. Lewis is taking the same Whitney path with Forewarned; Discreet Lover taking a break for the rest of the year

Last year, owner and trainer Uriah St. Lewis brought Discreet Lover into the Grade 1 Whitney knowing that his horse was a longshot. However, St. Lewis and Discreet Lover shocked many with his six-wide move in the stretch to eventually finish third to Diversify and Mind Your Biscuits at 38-1.

The 61-year-old Trinidad and Tobago native is taking the same approach with Forewarned, as the 4-year-old is a 30-1 longshot against favorites McKinzie, Preservationist, and Thunder Snow.

Forewarned has won 2-of-6 races and has been training fast at Parx since St. Lewis purchased him for $40,000 in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Mixed Sale in December.

Based on Forewarned's improving races and training, St. Lewis believes his horse is better than Discreet Lover, who came back to win last year's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup for his ticket into the Breeders' Cup Classic.

"I think this horse is better than Discreet Lover," St. Lewis said. "Discreet Lover is a nice horse, but this horse likes to win. He should have won his last race, but the horse kept boxing him. He trains better than Discreet Lover. He breezes like a champion. He trains fantastic. I am 100 percent confident. I think if we get a good ride and stay off their flanks, we'll run over them."

Forewarned has proven to be versatile in running style, distance, and surface. St. Lewis would like to see a pace scenario between McKinzie and Preservationist that could benefit his horse.

"The race should set up good. They got speed," St. Lewis said. "McKinzie is not going to let Preservationist go because if he lets that horse go, the race is finished. I hope we sit in the catbird seat and my jockey just makes the right call. I think he has a good shot of finishing first, second, or third. I will be disappointed if he finishes further back than that. If I didn't think he was that good, I wouldn't come."

Meanwhile, Discreet Lover has raced just once this year with a last-place finish in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. St. Lewis plans to give the 6-year-old a break before considering any plan - that could include retiring him - for next year.

"We are giving him some time because he had little problems," he said. "He is going to the farm next week and will stay there until December. When he comes back in December, we will reevaluate him to see if everything is good. For some reason, if he says he doesn't want to do it no more, we will retire him."

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Thunder Snow finalizes G1 Whitney preparation with strong gallop

With only two days remaining until Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney, Godolphin's Thunder Snow visited the Saratoga main track on Thursday for a strong gallop in his final preparations for the race.

"He looked very good this morning," said conditioner Saeed bin Suroor, who arrived from the Glorious Goodwood meet in England on Wednesday.

Last out, Thunder Snow finished third in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 8. Bin Suroor said the two-time Group 1 Dubai World Cup winner should appreciate the added eighth of a mile for the nine-furlong Whitney.

"He looks even better than when he arrived to America ahead of his last race at Belmont," said bin Suroor. "He's exceptionally fit and in good condition. I'm very happy with him. We just wanted a strong gallop, a blow out this morning, and he proceeded to do it well. Nine furlongs should be a better distance for him than the mile last time. He showed plenty of speed and ran well in that race [Met Mile] and we hope to continue that moving forward into this race."

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McKinzie in good spirits at the Spa

McKinzie shipped into Saratoga on Tuesday afternoon ahead of a start in Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney, andhas settled into life at the Spa in fine fettle said Jimmy Barnes, assistant to Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert.

"He shipped in great and is in good shape," said Barnes. "The weather's a little muggy this morning, but he went over the track well and we expect big things from him."

Installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite from post 6 for the Whitney, the 4-year-old son of Street Sense for owners Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman will look to improve making his fourth start of the year and first start since finishing second in the Grade 1 Met Mile at Belmont Park.

"Since the Met Mile, he's come out of that race great and continued to progress," said Barnes. "We worked light yesterday over the track and today we just did a little more. He's in top form so we're happy to be here."

Barnes said Baffert, who arrives Thursday, would oversee the remaining schedule for McKinzie heading into Saturday.

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Quartorolo, Paolucci looking to give Imperative another chance in the Whitney

Owner Ron Paolucci and trainer Anthony Quartarolo are looking to give Imperative another chance by supplementing him into Saturday's Whitney before determining the end of his career. The 9-year-old gelding is breaking from the rail with just one win in an allowance race this year.

"It was Ron's decision," Quartarolo said. "We know he's up against it, but he's a great old horse. He's in great shape. Dr. Palmer went over him yesterday. He checked him and said the horse looks fabulous and in great shape."

Over his 49-race career, Imperative has won seven races while earning just over $3.2 million. He is a two-time winner of the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic and has finished in the money in other graded stakes races in California. Until his victory at Thistledown on June 10, Imperative had not won a race since the Charles Town Classic in April 2017.

"Anything can happen in a horse race," Quartarolo said. "If he runs well, which I think he will, maybe we'll find him some spots. If we're not happy with the run, then he'll be retired. As long as he is happy and doing what he's been doing, then give him a few more runs. Eventually, he's going to be retired."

Team Paolucci and Quartarolo will run maiden Mylastfirstkiss in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack for 2-year-old fillies running 6½ furlongs. The 2-year-old daughter of Flatter has been unlucky in both starts, including her recent race during Saratoga's opening weekend when she stumbled out of the gate.

"This filly can run," Quartarolo said. "She has a lot talent, but she hasn't shown it because she has had two issues at the gate. Both times, she stumbled badly. She has a motor. If she breaks clean, she will show it."

Quartarolo also indicated that multiple stakes winner Uno Mas Modelo is slowly coming back into training. The six-year-old gelding, who had won back-to-back races here at Saratoga last year and won four listed stakes at Gulfstream Park over the winter, has not raced since finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes and seventh in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland.

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Saez a 'perfect fit' for Jeltrin

Owner and trainer Alexis Delgado believes everything is perfect for his filly Jeltrin in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test at 7 furlongs.

"She has been doing good," Delgado said. "I think Luis Saez is a perfect fit. The seven furlongs is good for her. She can also run at a mile. Hopefully, she can get a pace to run at in the Test."

Earlier this year, Jeltrin won the Grade 2 Davona Dale at a mile with Saez aboard at 51-1. It was the first graded stakes win for the Venezuelan native, who has been training horses on his own in the United States since August 2017.

The daughter of Tapizar was originally bought as a yearling for $7,000 at the Keeneland sales in September 2017 before trying to get sold again for $27,000 by C&J Stable in April 2018. After there were no bidders, Delgado purchased the filly through a private sale.

Recently, Jeltrin finished third to Dunbar Road in the Grade 2 Mother Goose and unbeaten Guarana in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes. Jeltrin meets a competitive field in the Test that includes Bellafina, Covfefe and Serengeti Empress.

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Fast Scene tentatively pointed to G1 Spinaway

Owner and trainer Tim Hamm decided that unbeaten Fast Scene would pass on Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack for 2-year-old fillies following her five furlong work in 1:04.90 on July 28 over the main track.

"She breezed OK," said the 53-year-old Hamm. "It was her first work over the track. She has been training and running on the synthetic surface over the last couple of months. We won't run in the Adirondack. She would have needed another breeze before we would have considered that race."

Fast Scene, who was purchased for $32,000 at the Keeneland Yearling Sales in September, made a strong impression over the Woodbine synthetic surface with an easy maiden win followed by a four-length victory in the My Dear Stakes last month.

Hamm, who is based in Ohio, said he may entertain the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on September 1 for Fast Scene.

"She has done everything right," he said. "So, we are not going to dictate her. We will let her tell us what she wants."

Hamm also represents Blazing Meadows Farm where he helps develops horses in Ocala, Florida. Over the winter, Hamm worked with about 50 young horses that have raced well, including Fast Scene and Adirondack nominee Angelcents, who he was a consignor for Patricia Hope's LLC and trainer Larry Rivelli.

"The babies have been running awesome," Hamm said. "There have been four individual stakes winners and several first-time winners [that have come out of the Ocala farm], but this is something we have been doing for years."

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The Rookie Report: Clement debuts son of Tonalist; Spendthrift sends out $750K purchase

While much of the focus of Saturday will be on the three graded stakes carded for the second day of the Fasig-Tipton Racing Festival, two competitive maiden special weight fields will draw interest early in the card.

Race 1 on Saturday is a 1 1/16-mile event for juveniles over the Mellon turf course, which features a well-bred pair from the barn of trainer Chad Brown.

Klaravich Stables' Policy Option, an Empire Maker bay colt out of the More Than Ready broodmare Starlight Tiara, is a first-time starter is from the same family as three-time Irish Group 1 winner Air Force Blue. He was purchased for $240,000 from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Brown also will send out Peter Brant's Brewmeister, who was bought for $300,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by Joe Anzalone, the Point of Entry chestnut is the first foal out of the Giant's Causeway broodmare Wonder Brew, who hails from the same family as Canadian champion Ginger Brew and six-time graded stakes winner on turf Bourbon Bay.

Trainer Christophe Clement will debut Shamrocket, by freshman sire Tonalist, who also was conditioned by Clement and gave the trainer his only American classic winner when taking the 2014 Belmont Stakes. Owned by Jerry Crawford's Donegal Racing and bred in Florida by Rustlewood Farm, the bay colt is out of the unraced Storm Cat broodmare Zehoor, who also produced turf sprint stakes winner Believe in Charlie. His Grade 1-winning grand dam Nany's Sweep was also a black type producer.

"He's very athletic, a good mover and a little bit one paced," Clement said. "I think it can be a very grueling race sometimes to go on dirt first time out, so I figured it would be a bit kinder for the horse to run him on grass first time out. Doesn't mean he won't go back on dirt, we'll keep our options open. I think this race will teach him more than any work at this stage, so it's time to go. He's a very good mover and Tonalist was a very good mover as well."

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out Waterford Stable homebred Eternal Summer in the same event. The son of multiple graded stakes winning millionaire and freshman sire Summer Front is out of the Arch broodmare Celtic Arch.

"I think he's the kind of horse that will benefit from the experience of a race," Pletcher said. "We've been training him in blinkers trying to get him a bit more focused and we've got some good solid works into him. He's fit enough. I just hope that he's focused and professional enough."

In Race 3 on Saturday, a field of 10 juveniles hit the main track for a seven-furlong event, where Spendthrift Farm and MyRaceHorse Stable send out Wayne O, a $750,000 purchase from the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the bay colt is by Spendthrift sire Into Mischief and is out of the Unbridled's Song broodmare Silky Serenade, who also produced Grade 1 winner Restless Rider.

"We've sold a portion to My Racehorse so he has many, many owners that have a fractional interest in him," said Spendthrift Farm's General Manager Ned Toffey. "I would encourage fans to go to myracehorse.com or download their app. It's a great way to get into fractional race horse ownership."

Toffey expressed excitement about Wayne O's debut.

"He's a horse that we still own a piece of and we're very excited about him," Toffey said. "The early reports from the Asmussen barn are very good on him. Earlier in the process in Ocala, with Raul Reyes where he was broken, they were always quite high on him. All the early indicators are good, so now he has to go out to do it. Hopefully the timing will prove good going into the [Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling] Sale. There's about 16 Into Mischiefs catalogued."

Pletcher will send out China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's Glory Road for his career debut. He is by three-time graded stakes winner Commissioner, who also was trained by Pletcher, and is out of the unraced Quality Road broodmare Highest Quality. Purchased for $220,000 from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the dark bay colt is from the same family as Grade 1-winners Fantastic Find and Finder's Fee.

"I see some physical similarities between Glory Road and Commissioner," Pletcher said. "They have similar physiques and head shapes. Glory Road appears to have a little more early speed than Commissioner did at this stage in his career."