On Leave faces deep field in Fasig-Tipton De La Rose

by Najja Thompson

Fresh off a victory in the Perfect Sting at Belmont Park on July 1, On Leave will take on a talented field of 12 in the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up at one mile on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

A 4-year-old home bred daughter of War Front for Stuart S. Janney III, On Leave began her season on May 20 at Pimlico Race Couse, where she finished second in the Grade 3 Gallorette.

With a perfect 3-for-3 record at the distance, including a win in the Risaverse at the Spa last year before going on to capture the Grade 2 Sands Point at Belmont, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is encouraged with how she is doing heading into the race.

"Both her races this year have been good," said McGaughey. "She didn't have the cleanest of trips in the Gallorette coming off the layoff, but the Perfect Sting was encouraging and it's gotten her back going heading into Saturday."

Regular rider Jose Ortiz will be aboard as the pair will break from post 7.

Entering for trainer Brad Cox and owners Sheep Pond Partners and Michael Ryan is Sassy Little Lila. The 4-year-old filly by Artie Schiller has three wins and four second-place finishes from eight starts. Exiting the Grade 1 Just a Game, in which she just got caught at the wire to lose by three-quarters of a length, Cox believes she is primed for another big effort.

"We gave her some time off after the Just a Game and coming into this race she's been doing well," said Cox via telephone. "She's had a couple of breezes over the [Oklahoma] turf course and is looking good. Anywhere between a mile to a mile an eighth I think she's most effective, but she's also versatile, even though she's been on the front in the majority of her races."

With Luis Saez in the irons, Sassy Little Lila will depart from post 2.

Meet leading trainer Chad Brown will enter a pair of Irish-bred runners in Elysea's World and Light In Paris.

A 4-year-old Champs Elysees filly owned by Sheep Pond Partners and All Pro Racing, Elysea's World has made her last four starts against graded stakes competition picking up a pair of second-place finishes in the Grade 3 Suwanee River at Gulfstream Park on February 11 and the Grade 2 Hillsborough on March 11 at Tampa Bay Downs. She then entered the Grade 3 Gallorette where she finished third, a half-length behind On Leave, and most recently ran fifth in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial on July 4.

Light In Paris, owned by Martin Schwartz will look to improve off a seventh-place finish in the James Penny Memorial. A 5-year-old daughter of Aussie Rules, she has four wins from eight starts at the distance including a victory in the Plenty of Grace at Belmont on April 5.

Joel Rosario will be aboard Elysea's World in post 10 with Light in Paris just to her outside in post 11 with Manny Franco up.

Rounding out the field is Bar of Gold for Chester and Mary Bromans and trainer John Kimmel, who will make her second start on the turf following a solid second-place finish on the green in an optional-claimer at Belmont on July 14; Sky My Sky, for trainer Mark Casse and owner John Oxley; Puca for Hall of Famer Bill Mott and owner Donegal Racing; Freudie Anne, for trainer Tom Morley and owner Marc Detampel; Boreale, for trainer Graham Motion and West Point Thoroughbreds, and Laur Net and Proper Discretion for Loooch Racing Stables. Clipthecouponannie is a main-track only entrant for Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole.