Phileas Fogg wires G2 Suburban presented by Subourbon, may target G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup
- Phileas Fogg wires G2 Suburban presented by Subourbon, may target G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup
- Casse off to strong start at July 4th Racing Festival; Sandman works for G2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun
- Plans in flux for dual Grade 1-winner Carson’s Run
- Echo Sound earns 101 Beyer Speed Figure for G3 Victory Ride
- Plans for Kingsolver still to be determined after Listed Schuylerville score
Jupiter Stable’s Phileas Fogg set the pace and held off Antiquarian by a head to win Friday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban presented by Subourbon, a 1 1/4-mile test for older horses, during the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Gustavo Rodriguez earned his first graded stakes score, and he said the 5-year-old Astern gelding exited the race well and may target the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 10-furlong “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, on August 31 here.
Rodriguez said he prefers the timing of the Jockey Club Gold Cup over the local Grade 1 Whitney, a nine-furlong “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, on August 2.
“The horse came out of the race in great shape. I just looked at him, he’s beautiful. A little tired, which is normal, but other than that, beautiful,” said Rodriguez. “I think the Whitney is a little too soon for us. I have to talk to my owner and discuss what we are going to do, but I think we are going to lean to the Jockey Club Gold Cup.”
In Friday’s victory, Phileas Fogg led at each point of call under Kendrick Carmouche, holding what appeared to be a comfortable three-length advantage at the stretch call, until the Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher-trained Antiquarian made things interesting with a rapid late bid.
Phileas Fogg kept his head in front in a final time of 2:02.97, which registered a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure. It was 6 1/4-lengths back to the Pletcher-trained dual Grade 1-winning favorite Locked in third under Jose Ortiz.
“Kendrick came by this morning, and he said, ‘Maybe we should cut the distance a little bit.’ I’m OK with the distance because the one Pletcher horse almost beat us, but if you look for the third horse, he’s six lengths behind,” said Rodriguez. “Yesterday, the track was tiring. Even Jose Ortiz said in the paper the track had horses struggling. I was watching the early races and the track looked fast, but I don’t know, sometimes the track changes from one race to another.”
Phileas Fogg was claimed for $62,500 last July at Saratoga and is now 5-for-7 for new connections with two near miss seconds.
“Man, I think we are very blessed, very lucky to have that kind of horse. Very blessed and very lucky,” Rodriguez said.
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Casse off to strong start at July 4th Racing Festival; Sandman works for G2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun
Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has picked up two Listed $150,000 stakes wins from three attempts so far at the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, taking the Wild Applause on Thursday with Classic Q and the Harvey Pack on Friday with Bring Theband Home. His lone non-winner being a runner-up effort from My Sweetheart in Friday’s Schuylerville.
Casse will look to add to his good fortune on Saturday with four starters across three stakes, including Strategic Risk and Blinging It Back in the Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford in Race 3; Win for the Money in the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso in Race 10; and rising star Nitrogen in the Grade 1, $500,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational in Race 11.
Live Oak Plantation’s Bring Theband Home, with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano up, zipped through splits of 21.51 seconds, 43.52 and 54.28 over the firm Mellon turf, crossing the wire a 4 1/4-length winner in a final time of 59.90, just one-tenth off the track and North American record of 59.80 set by Cogburn in last year’s Grade 1 Jaipur. The win registered a lofty 109 Beyer Speed Figure.
“Impressive,” Casse said of the effort. “I always thought he was a Breeders' Cup horse, and he had disappointed me. Yesterday was what I had been expecting of him. I said to Javier before the race that I always thought this horse was better than he’s shown and I think we saw that yesterday.”
Bring Theband Home is likely to target the Grade 2, $300,000 Troy on August 3 here over the same course and distance – and could be joined in that event by dual Grade 1-placed My Boy Prince, the near-millionaire Ontario-bred and runner-up in the Grade 1 Jaipur here last month, who Casse noted could also come under consideration for a lucrative event one day earlier in the Grade 1, $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave, a one-mile test for older horses offering a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Casse said Hugh Dailey, Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Classic Q exited her Wild Applause score in good order. The Classic Empire grey made every pole a winning one, stopping the clock for one mile over the inner turf in 1:33.21 to earn a career-best 87 Beyer.
A logical next local start for Classic Q could be the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George presented by Surfside on July 26 to try and gather up needed graded earnings for a long-term goal of the Grade 2, $2 million [$1 million KTDF] Music City, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies on September 6 at Kentucky Downs.
Casse said he also considered Classic Q for the Grade 2, $400,000 Lake Placid going one-mile on August 23 here, but the timing to the Music City would not be ideal.
“I have to figure out what I'm going to do with her. I can come back in three weeks in the Lake George, but three weeks back is a little quick,” Casse said. “I want to take her to Kentucky Downs and run her 6 1/2-furlongs up the hill, but I was looking at that puzzle last night and still haven't figured it out. Maybe I’ll run her back quick, knowing I get six weeks [gap to the Music City]."
Casse had two of his barn stars work over the Saratoga main track on Saturday, including Sandman, who NYRA clockers caught solo in 59 and 2/5 and out in 1:13 as he prepares for a start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on July 26; and La Cara, who NYRA clockers timed traveling a half-mile in a swift 46 seconds, breezing for the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19.
D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables’ Sandman captured the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in March at Oaklawn Park before closing from 18th-of-19 to finish seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs. He followed with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Preakness in May at Pimlico Race Course and shipped to New York for a brief stay at Belmont Park before heading upstate to Saratoga where he has now worked three times over the main track.
Jose Ortiz, aboard for the Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby efforts, will return to the saddle in the Jim Dandy. Hall of Famer John Velazquez piloted Sandman in the Preakness as Ortiz committed to Clever Again after Casse had initially decided not to run Sandman in the Preakness.
“He worked great this morning,” Casse said. “Today was his big work. I wanted to get a good blow into him, and he galloped out good. He got something out of it. I told [the rider] to get after him a little bit the last part because he does lose a little focus. I had thought about working him with La Cara...she also worked super this morning.”
Casse said Sandman was feeling good after the breeze.
“He's usually quiet but he was standing on his back two legs after the work,” Casse said, with a laugh.
Sandman has been working in blinkers since the Preakness and Casse said that equipment will stay on for the Jim Dandy.
Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, was also onsite for the breeze and was pleased with the effort.
“I was able to watch him around the quarter pole. It looks like he’s training super,” Blewitt said. “He trained in a small pair of blinkers, and I think that was his third breeze with blinkers on. He’s trained excellent in them. Having seen him in person today, I think he’s gotten a little longer and stretchier in terms of his physical development.”
Tracy Farmer’s Kentucky homebred La Cara, a Street Sense bay, was last seen wiring the Grade 1 DK Horse Acorn here on June 6 for her second top-flight score having taken the Ashland in April at Keeneland. Casse indicated last week that La Cara and Nitrogen, who impressed with her off-the-turf score in the Grade 3 Wonder Again here last month, could face off later this meet in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales, a 10-furlong main track route for sophomore fillies on August 16.
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Plans in flux for dual Grade 1-winner Carson’s Run
West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey’s dual Grade 1-winner Carson’s Run is nominated to Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Bowling Green at Saratoga Race Course, but will likely be given more time before his next start.
Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, said trainer Miguel Clement is inclined to take his time with the chestnut after an uncharacteristic off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 8 here.
“Miguel wants to give him a little more time and watch him train for a few more weeks before running him back,” Blewitt said. “If Miguel and the team aren’t 100 percent confident the real Carson’s Run will show up, he won’t race.”
In the nine-furlong Manhattan, the 4-year-old Cupid chestnut finished seventh, eight lengths back of his victorious stablemate Deterministic, in an effort that came on the heels of a 4 1/2-length second to Deterministic in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy on May 3 at Belmont at the Big A.
Blewitt noted Carson’s Run will also be nominated to the Grade 2 United Nations on July 19 at Monmouth Park, but that spot is also not definite.
Carson’s Run graduated in July 2023 over the Spa turf and followed with a half-length second one month later in the local Grade 3 With Anticipation. He made the grade with a rallying effort in the Grade 1 Summer at Woodbine ahead of a ninth-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita Park.
The popular chestnut won 3-of-6 starts last year, taking the Tale of the Cat at Monmouth in June, the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational in August and the Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational in October at Belmont at the Big A.
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Echo Sound earns 101 Beyer Speed Figure for G3 Victory Ride
Gabriel Duignan’s Echo Sound stormed home a 4 1/4-length winner in Thursday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Victory Ride, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies during the July 4th Racing Festival, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Rusty Arnold, the Echo Town bay pressed the pace through a half-mile in 44.85 seconds on the fast main track and separated from the field down the lane to surge through the wire to win in a final time of 1:15.49.
The performance earned a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure. Arnold reported Echo Sound exited the strong showing in good order.
“She looks good. She came out of the race good,” said Arnold. “She’s good and healthy, and back in her feed good, with no issues. That was quite a performance. I thought she stepped up, she ran better; it was probably her best race and hopefully she is one on the improve because each race is going to be a little tougher.”
The logical next spot would be the Grade 1, $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, on August 2 here.
Interestingly, Arnold trained Victory Ride through a 9-5-1-2 record that included a score in the 2001 Grade 1 Test here over eventual Hall of Famer Xtra Heat.
“It would be hard not to go there if everything is good. If she comes back and trains well that would be where we would go,” Arnold said. “You don't know until you do it, but you would think seven furlongs is within her realm, so we will give it a try."
Echo Sound improved to 6-5-1-0 with additional stakes scores in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness on May 16 at Pimlico Race Course and the Myrtlewood in October at Keeneland, as well as a runner-up effort in the Fern Creek in November at Churchill Downs.
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Plans for Kingsolver to be determined after Listed Schuylerville score
Trainer Rodolphe Brisset began training for Ted and Mary Nixon’s Storyteller Racing in 2022, and just three short years later, brought them to the Saratoga Race Course winner’s circle for a stakes triumph with Kingsolver in Friday’s Listed $150,000 Schuylerville for juvenile fillies.
“The Nixons started with us three years ago from nothing and we have built quite a group of horses,” said Brisset, who also trains multiple graded stakes-placed Liam in the Dust for Storyteller. “We have bred in partnership with them, too, and all around, they told me they want to have fun. That’s what we try to do. There’s no more fun than winning a stakes at Saratoga.”
Storyteller Racing co-owns Kingsolver alongside Michael Schroeck, Open Gate Horse Ventures, Brian Cahoe, Scott Catlett, Dave Russel, Matthew Ransdell, Michael Motley and Joel Braun.
“The whole group, some of the clients are new and are friends with Ted and Mary, and some of them have been with us for quite some time,” Brisset added. “It’s just fun.”
The adventure could be just beginning with Kingsolver after her Schuylerville score, which came with a prominent trip engineered by Flavien Prat, who allowed Kingsolver to duel for early command before conceding the lead to a hard-sent My Sweetheart. Kingsolver was roused in the turn to set her sights on the leader and dug in down the lane to collar her foe and win by two lengths, completing the six furlongs in 1:13.17.
“She looked good today. We are very happy with the race,” Brisset said. “They walked home, and were struggling at the end, so I’ll see how she bounces back from that.”
The next spot for juvenile fillies on dirt at Saratoga is the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3, $175,000 Adirondack on August 3, but Brisset said the Omaha Beach dark bay could have a future on the turf.
“I can’t commit to any race. I may have one in the Adirondack, but it may not be her,” Brisset said. “We’ll see. I’m going to keep all my options open. The grass could be something we end up doing, too. We’ll enjoy the one from yesterday and go from there.”
Brisset said the filly’s pedigree, along with an eighth of a mile breeze in 10 seconds flat before selling to Storyteller for $95,000 at this year’s OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, leads him to believe Kingsolver could thrive on turf.
“The breeze at OBS, and she looks a little turfy on her physical, too,” Brisset said. “Hopefully she’ll grow a little bit, and I don’t know if she wants to go too far. Omaha Beach can give you anything – obviously she’s a stakes-winner on the dirt, but sometimes you’ve got to look past that. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up on the green stuff.”
Brisset also provided an update on last year’s Grade 1 Forego-winner Mullikin, who was last seen finishing second to Book’em Danno in the Grade 3 True North on June 7 here. Campaigned by WinStar Farm, the son of Violence is targeting the six-furlong Grade 2, $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 19 at the Spa.
Brisset said Mullikin is “doing good” and that he is scheduled to breeze tomorrow at Keeneland in company with dual stakes-placed Green Light.
Mullikin returned from a five-month layoff in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 3, finishing a close fifth to Mindframe over sloppy and sealed footing. He would again race over the same going next out in the True North, where he attended the pace and led into the stretch before being passed late. He earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.
Brisset said he is pleased with Mullikin’s two races this year.
“He hasn’t won a race this year, but he’s done well,” Brisset said. “The race off the layoff was huge and in a tough spot, and he caught a sloppy track, which I don’t think is his best. Then he got another sealed track in the 6 1/2-furlong True North. Looking back, the Churchill Downs came back really fast, and the last race came back super-fast. I love the way he’s been training.
“Last year, we thought he’d enjoy a little time between races just because we wanted to make sure he didn’t get a tick light on us, but this year he looks even stronger and he hasn’t tucked up from the True North,” Brisset continued. “I was debating if I should pass the Vanderbilt and go straight to the Forego, but I think he’s shown enough speed where we can cut him back to six furlongs and he’ll do just fine.”
Brisset’s other talented sprinter World Record, winner of last year’s Grade 2 Amsterdam at the Spa, is on track for a start in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 26 at Del Mar, a possible audition for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint to be held there this November.
“Mullikin has run at Del Mar already and we know he likes the track, but World Record we want to try to find this out,” Brisset said. “They kind of separate themselves, and it just makes sense.”
Campaigned by WinStar and BBN Racing, World Record was last seen finishing a prominent second in the Grade 3 Aristides on May 31 at Churchill Downs. He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a 2 1/2-length optional claiming win on May 1 at Churchill that garnered a 100 Beyer.