Reagan’s Wit fits the G3 Manila, Strate Cash to scratch

• Reagan’s Wit fits the G3 Manila, Strate Cash to scratch
• Tank steadily improving for G1 Belmont Derby Invitational
• Think Big stretches out for G3 Kelso
• Neat cuts back in G3 Kelso
• Flying Mohawk to scratch from G1 Belmont Derby Inv.
• Kingsolver looks to graduate in style in Listed Schuylerville
• Touchy could target G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial
• G2 Troy moved back one day to Sunday, August 3

West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo and CJ Stables’ Reagan's Wit was a last-out 3 1/4-length winner of the one-mile James W. Murphy on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course and returns to that distance in Friday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Manila for sophomores on the inner turf, during the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the Authentic chestnut looks to make the grade in his second attempt, landing fourth ahead of the James W. Murphy in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Transylvania on April 7 at Keeneland. That race was won by Test Score, who is 4-1 in Friday’s local Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.

“So far, so good,” DeVaux said. “Last time was a lighter field, and he has to continue to move forward again to be this caliber, which he does have in him. He just needs to connect the dots.”

Before the Transylvania, Reagan’s Wit closed for a neck second to Zulu Kingdom in the one-mile Columbia on March 8 at Tampa Bay Downs despite flopping leads late. That rival exited to win the Grade 1 American Turf in May at Churchill Downs and re-opposes as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the Manila.
“He has taken a step forward since then,” said DeVaux. “He just needs to mature mentally, which he has. Hopefully, he continues that trajectory.”

Reagan’s Wit, with regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard from post 5, is tabbed at odds of 7-2.

DeVaux also entered Strate Cash in the Manila, but she said the Tiz the Law dark bay will be scratched.

“He is going to scratch and point to an allowance race,” DeVaux said. “He is doing well, [scratching him] was just having two in there.”

The Manila drew a field of 12 and goes as Race 8 on a stacked Independence Day card headlined by the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational in Race 9. The program is supported by the Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban presented by Subourbon in Race 10; the Listed $150,000 Harvey Pack in Race 11; and the Listed $150,000 Schuylerville in Race 2. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services’ British-bred Rebel Red is nominated to the 11-furlong turf Grade 2, $200,000 Bowling Green on July 12 at Saratoga, but DeVaux said the 5-year-old Frankel chestnut is probable for the Grade 2 United Nations on July 19 at Monmouth Park. 

“He’s nominated to the Bowling Green, and we are going to keep the option open, but he’s likely for the United Nations,” DeVaux said.

The popular one-eyed Rebel Red captured the Listed Chorleywood going 11 furlongs on June 14 at Churchill Downs, earning a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the two-length closing score.

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Tank steadily improving for G1 Belmont Derby Invitational

Arindel’s Florida homebred Tank has won three consecutive stakes and steadily improved ahead of Friday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational, a nine-furlong Mellon turf route for sophomores, on Day Two of the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Carlos David, the Adios Charlie bay most recently took the 1 1/16-mile Not Surprising by three lengths in wire-to-wire fashion on June 7 at Gulfstream Park. He entered from a prominent score in the state-bred Sophomore Turf in March at Tampa Bay Downs and the English Channel in May at Gulfstream.

“After winning the Sophomore Turf at Tampa, he was kind of on his way up,” said David. “Then he won the English Channel and Not Surprising. This will be another step up in class, but he looks good in there. He is one with speed that can get the distance, so hopefully we get nice weather and another win under his belt.”

Tank makes his graded debut Friday with Luis Saez aboard from post 1, tabbed at morning line odds of 12-1.

“Looking at the form, people will see how forwardly placed he is,” David said. “He can still be rated, he definitely can sit off the pace a little bit, it just depends on how the race goes. He’s left the one post before, so that doesn’t really bother me too much.”

David said Tank has already bulldozed through all of his original expectations.

“At first, he was running for 50 [thousand tag]. We thought he’d be good enough for Florida, but then he ended up strong in open company,” David explained. “He definitely has proven himself a little bit, but this is another step up in class. He will really have to run to his full potential to be able to win.”

David also updated on Evolution, another Arindel Florida homebred, entered in Friday’s Listed $150,000 Schuylerville, a six-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies. The Brethren chestnut graduated second-out gate-to-wire sprinting five furlongs on May 15 at Gulfstream.

“We have to take advantage of these 2-year-old races,” David said. “Everybody is kind of spread out with their 2-year-olds, so this makes sense after winning at Gulfstream Park. I think she is in a good spot. She has a little bit of speed, but that doesn’t mean she needs to be on the lead every time.”

Evolution breezed a bullet five furlongs in 1:01.05 on June 29 at Palm Meadows Training Center in company with multiple stakes-winning 3-year-old filly Win N Your In.

“She breezed with a stakes filly, Win N Your In, and she hung on at a good pace with the older 3-year-old filly,” David said. “That was a really nice workout.”

Evolution, with Saez named to ride, is tabbed at odds of 7-2 in the Schuylerville.

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Think Big stretches out for G3 Kelso

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Think Big will stretch out to a two-turn mile in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso, a one-mile inner turf test for older horses, at the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Michael Stidham, the 4-year-old Twirling Candy bay has won four of his last six outings which were all made traveling 5 1/2-furlongs. Among that streak were stalking Grade 2 scores in the Shakertown in April [101 Beyer Speed Figure] at Keeneland and Turf Sprint [100 Beyer] in May at Churchill Downs.

Think Big arrives from an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Jaipur over good going on June 8 here where he was anxious in the gate and broke last-of-10 while failing to fire his usual shot.

"He took a step backwards right as they sprung it,” Stidham said. “He was acting a little bit unruly in the gate prior to that and on that particular day, with the turf being soft from the rain, it looked like if you weren't at least close or stalking on that course, you had no chance. Down the backside we were last, so with the combination of him starting poorly and losing position it eliminated him from having a chance."

Think Big, a maiden winner at seven furlongs on dirt last July at Colonial Downs, has not raced at one mile or beyond since a pacesetting eighth in a nine-furlong Keeneland allowance over the main track in October.

However, Stidham said he is keen to see how his charge would handle the mile on turf.

"We've always thought that at least a mile was within his range and right now looked like a decent spot to try the mile," Stidham said. "We have some sprint races coming up and this was an opportunity to see if that window opens up for him to go further than 5 1/2 to six furlongs. We'll take a shot and see what happens."

Think Big has worked back twice going a half-mile over the Delaware Park main track, including in 49.60 on June 28.

"He came out of the race great. He did not take any steps backwards and both of his works have been maintenance moves, but done the right way,” Stidham said.

With Ben Curtis riding at Prairie Meadows on Saturday, Jose Ortiz picks up the mount from post 3 as Stidham hopes to see a familiar stalking trip.

"There's a decent amount of speed in the race, so the last thing we want to do is get in any kind of speed duel,” Stidham said.

Stidham said CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing’s dual stakes-winning Ontario-bred Tom’s Magic exited his recent Tale of the Cat score at Monmouth Park in good order and will point to the CAD$1 million King’s Plate, a 10-furlong Tapeta test and first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown on August 16 at Woodbine Racetrack.

The Justify chestnut has made all five career starts traveling 1 1/16-miles on turf, graduating at second asking in December at Fair Grounds and following up next out at the Louisiana oval with a two-length win in the Black Gold in March. He endured a troubled trip when off-the-board in the Grade 3 Transylvania over good ground in April at Keeneland but returned to winning form last out with a stalking score in the Tale of the Cat over firm footing.

"We've had the King's Plate on our calendar for quite some time. After he won the stake at Fair Grounds we started thinking about it,” Stidham said. “The Keeneland race was run on a soft turf course that he didn't handle at all, but we got him up to Monmouth and back on a firm course and he ran a big one. The King's Plate is definitely our goal."

Stidham said Tom’s Magic, who has worked on synthetic at both Turfway Park and Fair Hill, will train straight up to the King’s Plate.

“He ran really well with a decent gap last time, so we'll probably train him right up to the King's Plate with him being fresh and not trying to squeeze another race in,” Stidham said. “He actually trained at Turfway as a 2-year-old and trained really well there. While he was at Delaware, there were two or three mornings where we had a sloppy track at Delaware, and we shipped him over to Fair Hill to work him on the Tapeta and he worked exceptionally well.”

Bred by Sean Fitzhenry and Dorothy Fitzhenry out of the stakes-placed Rahy mare Dixie Chicken, Tom’s Magic is a half-brother to Grade 1-placed Dixie Moon, who captured the 2018 Woodbine Oaks en route to an off-the-board effort in that year’s Queen’s Plate.

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Neat cuts back in G3 Kelso

Red White and Blue Racing and CMNWLTH’s multiple graded stakes-winner Neat chases millionaire status in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso, a one-mile inner turf test for older horses, at the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Rob Atras, the 4-year-old Constitution chestnut has banked $920,630 through a 14-6-0-1 ledger that includes a graded win over course and distance in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in August.

Atras said Neat, who was taken up by Hall of Fame jockey Joel Rosario last out in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Dinner Party on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, should relish a return to the Spa.

“That's one of the reasons why I wanted to run him in Saratoga, he seems to have an affinity for the course and the timing was good,” Atras said. “Since his last race, he just had a little issue we had to deal with that wasn't anything serious. This timing worked and he worked good going into this race. Hopefully, we can move on from the past couple mishaps and get going again. It's a deep race and I think it's a wide-open race, but I think we fit well.”

Neat picked up his first of four stakes wins last January with a prominent effort in the Texas Turf Mile over yielding footing at Sam Houston. He added a pair of pressing stakes scores with a nose victory over Cugino in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Transylvania last April at Keeneland and the Grade 3 Manila last June at Belmont at the Big A.

Neat is in search of his first win against elders after a trio of off-the-board efforts in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe in March at Santa Anita Park and the Listed Henry Clark in April at Laurel Park.

Junior Alvarado, aboard for the Manila and Hall of Fame scores, has the call aboard Neat from the inside post.

“Our horse is pretty versatile. He can be right up there or he can close,” Atras said. “He packs a pretty good punch wherever he seems to be placed. Junior gets back with him and he knows him well, so that helps, too.

“I think that's the cool thing about the horse - he can do whatever,” Atras added. “He's been on the lead and won. He's been pressing and shown that punch or he can close from far back. If the pace is hot, he'll probably sit back a little bit and if it's a mediocre pace he can sit a lot closer. We'll leave it up to Junior.”

Atras indicated Alipony Racing Saints or Sinner’s Train the Trainer is targeting the $150,000 New York Derby, a 1 1/16-mile test for New York-bred 3-year-olds on July 14 at Finger Lakes.

The Dialed In gelding, bred by Hibiscus Stables, made his start for trainer Mark Glatt in April at Santa Anita Park, finishing a prominent second to next-out optional-claiming winner Goal Oriented, who was fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness. The third-place finisher in that event, the New York-bred Sierra Silver, graduated on June 14 at Santa Anita while earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

Train the Trainer subsequently shipped to New York and transferred to trainer Rob Atras, scoring by five-lengths in a 6 1/2-furlong optional-claiming sprint against elders over a muddy and sealed strip on May 4 at Belmont at the Big A. He was last seen taking his stakes debut in frontrunning fashion with an authoritative 2 3/4-lengths score in the state-bred Mike Lee going seven furlongs here during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Train the Trainer scratched from a June 27 allowance won by Touchy at Belmont at the Big A and will now point to a first two-turn try in the New York Derby.

“We nominated for it and we're pointing towards that race. We'll look at the noms, and see how he's doing and maybe take a shot at Finger Lakes,” Atras said. “He's a big horse, tall and has a nice, long stride on him. You don't know until you do it, but I definitely think he has the ability to do it [stretch out] and the size - these are things you want to see in a horse that's going to stretch out.”

Twin Creeks Racing Stables and CMNWLTH’s multiple stakes-winner Chasing Liberty will look to return to winning ways when he cuts back in distance for Friday’s $150,000 Dade Park Dash, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomores at Ellis Park.

The Constitution chestnut boasts an 8-4-1-1 ledger for purse earnings of $884,659, boosted by a victory via disqualification in the 6 1/2-furlong Listed Juvenile Sprint in September at Kentucky Downs. He has since bolstered his stakes record with wins traveling one-mile in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in November at Del Mar and the Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile in January at Sam Houston.

Chasing Liberty returns to sprinting Friday following a narrow head defeat in an off-the-turf edition of the Caesars Handicap over one mile and 70 yards of sloppy and sealed going on May 14 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He graduated on debut over course and distance at first asking last July at Ellis.

“I’ve had a little bad luck with him this year. His last race was off the turf and then we were looking at the Penn Mile, but everything in the 3-year-old division was coming off the turf,” Atras explained. “We had him in Kentucky and so we decided to run at Ellis. We were looking for something between six [furlongs] and a mile - this is 5 1/2 furlongs and sometimes it's tough to cut back like that. He's been doing really well and is very sharp in the morning, so hopefully we can get him back on track, too."

Florent Geroux is named to ride Chasing Liberty from post 8-of-9.

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Flying Mohawk to scratch from G1 Belmont Derby Inv.

Two Eight Racing, Berry Family Racing and Kaleta Racing’s graded stakes-placed Flying Mohawk will scratch from Friday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational at Saratoga Race Course after co-owner Jayson Werth announced the Whit Beckman-trained colt underwent emergency colic surgery on Thursday.

“Update from the barn: Flying Mohawk had emergency colic surgery this morning,” Werth said in a post on “X.” “He’s recovering well thanks to Whit’s team but will scratch from the Belmont Derby.

“Being new to the sport, I’m just thankful he’s gonna be ok,” added Werth, who co-owned last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-winner Dornoch. “Some of the stuff I was reading online was pretty bleak. Serious and scary stuff this colic.”

The son of Karakontie was last seen finishing a troubled 18th in the Kentucky Derby on May 3. The two-time winner on turf was a deep-closing second to Final Gambit in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks in March at Turfway Park.

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Kingsolver looks to graduate in style in Listed Schuylerville

Storyteller Racing, Michael Schroeck, Open Gate Horse Ventures, Brian Cahoe, Scott Catlett, Dave Russel, Mattew Ransdell, Michael Motley and Joel Braun’s Kingsolver will attempt a stylish graduation in Friday’s Listed $150,000 Schuylerville, a six-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, on Day Two of the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the Omaha Beach dark bay enters from a fifth in her June 11 debut at Churchill Downs sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs against maiden special weight company. There, she tracked in third under Florent Geroux and appeared poised to make a strong move in the turn, but spun her wheels into the lane before brushing with a foe and running on evenly to finish 2 3/4 lengths back of the victorious Smell the Lilies. Kingsolver received a 68 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“The filly has been working OK in the mornings and we liked her enough where we thought she could be competitive to win first time out,” Brisset said. “I thought that maiden was actually one of the best maidens for 2-year-old fillies we had all spring at Churchill, and the number came back fast enough. She got a good stalking position and looked like she was going to make a run, but she got a bit of a bump and stopped running for a while and was looking around a bit. It was just one of those things. All around, it was not a bad race at all and I’m sure she’s going to learn a lot from it.”

Brisset said he will leave Friday’s tactics in the capable hands of Flavien Prat, who will pilot the filly from post 2 [3-1ML] in the field of six.

“I’m going to leave it to Flavien. Even as a maiden, we are not in the wrong place here,” Brisset said. “She’s already stalked and taken the kickback, so I’m not too worried. I’ll let Flavien do his job.”

The daughter of Omaha Beach was a $95,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the unraced Speightstown mare Famous Writer, a half-sister to stakes-placed Cyber Ninja.

As for upcoming talent at the Saratoga meet, Brisset is ready to debut Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds’ Kentucky homebred Ginger Ale sometime in the coming weeks. The daughter of Into Mischief is entered for the main track-only in a maiden tilt on Saturday here, but with the current forecast, Brisset will likely need to wait for another spot.

“We kind of like this one. She’s done everything right for us at Keeneland and we just have to try and keep these nice 2-year-old fillies separated,” Brisset said. “It doesn’t look like we’ll be off the turf this weekend, but you should see her back on the overnight pretty quickly.”

The bay filly, out of the graded stakes-placed Candy Ride mare Co Cola, boasts a strong female side of her pedigree as she is a half-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Search Results. Ginger Ale has worked steadily since May at Keeneland, including a half-mile in 48.20 seconds from the gate on June 29.

“She’s super classy, doesn’t make noise around the barn and hasn’t missed a grain or a step,” Brisset said. “She’s a lovely filly to be around and lovely to train. She’s done everything with ease and we feel it’s time now to show her what it’s all about.”

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Touchy could target G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial

Three Chimneys Farm’s Kentucky homebred Touchy could be on track for a start in the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course after a determined optional claiming conquest on June 27 at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Welsey Ward, the son of Nyquist stumbled at the start before going to the front under Hall of Fame rider Joel Rosario to set a pressured pace early in the seven-furlong sprint, an unusual approach for the typically off-the-pace Touchy. He responded to the pressure by putting up a four-length lead down the backstretch, which waned to one length at the stretch call as Sand Devil closed in. The Grade 3-placed New York-bred Sand Devil came charging on the outside, but Touchy held on by a head while completing the course in 1:22.13.

Ward said after the race that he was happy to see his colt turn back the challenge of the Linda Rice-trained Sand Devil.

“Joel takes him back because that’s his style, but he didn’t [this time], he let him go,” Ward said. “I really was proud of him. He’s a little bit of an underachiever his whole career, and I thought so highly of this colt early on even before he ran. For him to show some grit against that nice horse of Linda’s there on her home track, it showed that he’s hopefully come around.”

Touchy, who has finished on-the-board in 5-of-6 stakes attempts, entered from a closing 1 3/4-length second in the Listed Chick Lang on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, where he added blinkers for the first time since a debut second in the Listed Tremont last year at Saratoga.

Ward said he will likely consider the seven-furlong Jerkens off the strong effort as opposed to the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam presented by Albany Med Health System on July 25 here.

“The Amsterdam may be coming up a little too quick, so I think we’ll go to the Grade 1 after that if everything works out,” Ward said following the race.
Touchy is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Touch the Moon, who also produced Grade 3-winner Royal Approval. Touchy is also from the family of Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winner Summerly.  

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G2 Troy moved back one day to Sunday, August 3

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced it has moved the Grade 2, $300,000 Troy back one day from the Saturday, August 2 Whitney Day Card to Sunday, August 3.

The Troy, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up, joins an August 3 card that includes the Grade 3, $175,000 Adirondack, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies.

The August 2 Whitney Day card will host four Grade 1s led by the $1 million Whitney, a storied nine-furlong test for older horses. Completing the top-level Whitney Day races will be the $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Mile; the $750,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational [up from $600,000] at 1 3/16 miles on turf for sophomores; and the seven-furlong $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster for sophomore fillies on the dirt. The Whitney Day card will be bolstered by the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles.

For the complete Saratoga stakes schedule, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/stakes-schedule/.