SR Photo

Roses for Debra and Dontlookbackatall lead $150K Smart N Fancy

by Christian Abdo

Trainer Christophe Clement holds a strong pocket pair of Pennsylvania-breds with Roses for Debra and Dontlookbackatall in Friday’s Listed $150,000 Smart N Fancy, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

Roses for Debra [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 124 pounds], campaigned by Cheyenne Stable and John O’Meara, captured last year’s running of the Smart N Fancy with an impressive 3 1/4-length score that garnered a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

The 5-year-old Liam’s Map gray, a dual Grade 3-winning turf sprinter in April’s Giant’s Causeway at Keeneland and last July’s local Caress, was favored for a title defense in this year’s Caress presented by Albany Med Health System before scratching due to a fever.

“She is doing very well after the setback,” said Clement. “We were disappointed not to run last time when she got sick on us but she has come back to her usual happy self. She has been training forwardly and looks ready to run.”

In Roses for Debra’s last effort, she was upset by returning foe Future Is Now over Friday’s course and distance in the Grade 2 Intercontinental presented by MTV Solutions on June 7 here.

Bred by Blackstone Farm, Roses for Debra, out of the Bernardini mare Essential Rose, was a $25,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She boasts a record of 13-8-2-1 with $619,868 in career earnings.

After Roses for Debra scratched from the Caress, it was up to stablemate Dontlookbackatall [post 1, Joel Rosario, 124 pounds] to avenge the heartbreaking head defeat in the Intercontinental, and she got the job done by a neck.

The 4-year-old Peace and Justice dark bay, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Scarlet Oak Racing and Titletown Racing Stables, collared the pacesetting Future Is Now late with enough of a jump on Danse Macabre, who closed for second along the rail.

Dontlookbackatall went off at odds of 8-1, but that price was likely more due to the classy field of 10 rather than anything she had done wrong. She entered off turf sprint scores in the Listed License Fee in May at Belmont at the Big A and the state-bred Power By Far in June at Parx Racing.

“She is doing great. She was very impressive here last time,” Clement said. “I need to keep an eye on the competition, but she has earned her spot in the division. She is on a little winning streak at the moment.”

Dontlookbackatall, a $150,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the winning Arch mare Celtic Arch, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed En Wye Cee.

R. Larry Johnson’s Future Is Now [post 7, Paco Lopez, 124 pounds] may not have come out on top in the Caress, but she certainly ran a strong half-length third after setting fractions of 21.49 and 43.82 seconds over the firm turf.

Trained by Michael Trombetta, the 4-year-old Great Notion bay had previously traveled one length back early during her Intercontinental triumph, and 2 1/2 lengths behind before closing to win the The Very One in May at Pimlico Race Course, earning a 97 and career-best 98 Beyer, respectively.

“If she can stalk a hot pace, she’s probably the most effective doing that, but you’ve got to play the hand you are dealt,” said Trombetta. “Last time, she had an inside post and broke running. They put a lot of pressure on her from the outside and put the rider in a position where he had to go on and do some running early.

“She fought it off really well, and it just caught up with her in the last little bit,” said Trombetta.

During the late stages of the Caress, jockey Paco Lopez lost his crop.

“I know he was disappointed. I don’t know if it was just getting beat or maybe combined that he could have continued on a little more and she would’ve done a little better,” said Trombetta.

The favorite in the Caress was Godolphin’s British-homebred Star Guest [post 3, Flavien Prat, 118 pounds] who traveled towards the back of the field and closed for sixth. Trained by turf titan Charlie Appleby, the 4-year-old Dubawi bay hit the board in all eight of her prior outings, each made in her native Great Britain.

Star Guest has not won in two efforts this year, but should she return to last summer’s form that saw her capture two handicap sprints at Newmarket, she would be a win candidate.

Lawana L. and Robert E. Low’s Grade 1-placed Munnys Gold [post 6, John Velazquez, 118 pounds] is a new challenger to her rivals and turf in general. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Munnings dark bay holds a 4-for-8 lifetime record on dirt, including a 17 1/4-length romp of the Sophomore Fillies versus fellow Florida-breds last March at Tampa Bay Downs, which earned a field-best 106 Beyer.

Munnys Gold worked a half-mile in 49.77 seconds over the Oklahoma turf on August 16. Pletcher said that he is still undecided whether to run her in the Smart N Fancy or Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap, contested at seven furlongs on the main track.

“I haven’t made a decision yet. She’ll either go in the Smart N Fancy or the Ballerina. She could possibly be entered in both,” said Pletcher.

Munnys Gold looks to rebound from a fourth as the favorite in the six-furlong Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap on July 24 here.

Rounding out the field are stakes-winner Lady Milagro [post 2, Luis Rivera, Jr., 118 pounds] for trainer Carlos Martin and three-time winner Glitter Up [post 5, Dylan Davis, 118 pounds] for conditioner Timothy Hills. Everyoneloveslinda is entered for the main track-only.

The Smart N Fancy is slated as Race 5 on Friday’s 12-race card that also features the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign in Race 10. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.