Sandman set for Spa return in G2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun; Ewing works for G2 Saratoga Special

• Sandman set for Spa return in G2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun; Ewing works for G2 Saratoga Special
• Mindframe remains under consideration for G1 Whitney
• Halina’s Forte earns 92 BSF for G2 Honorable Miss, will consider G1 Resorts World Casino Ballerina
• G1 A.P. Smithwick-winner Historic Heart could look for more Spa success next

D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables’ Sandman returns to the scene of his second-out graduation in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the Tapit colt edged clear to a 1 3/4-length score in August sprinting seven furlongs to secure his first win in his only previous Spa start.

Sandman emerged as a sophomore to be reckoned with over a trio of stakes starts at Oaklawn Park, rallying from last-of-9 to finish a one-length second in the Grade 3 Southwest in January; closing from 13 lengths off the pace to land a 1 3/4-length third in the Grade 2 Rebel in February; and breaking through at the top-flight by closing from 13 lengths back to post a 2 1/2-length score in March in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby when stretched out to nine furlongs for the first time.

He endured a troubled trip over a sloppy and sealed track, closing from 18th and 15 lengths back to finish seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May won by returning rival and subsequent Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets-winner Sovereignty, who has been installed as the 2-5 morning-line favorite here Saturday.

Sandman enters the Jim Dandy, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, from a rallying 2 3/4-length third in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course. He shipped to Belmont Park following his Preakness effort before heading upstate to Saratoga where he has worked in blinkers as he readies for his Spa return.

“He's happy and he looks well. We know he likes this racetrack - this is home field for him,” said Casse, who recently picked up his 4,000th career win in North America.

Sandman, listed as the 6-1 third choice on the morning line in a compact field of five, will exit post 2 in rein to Jose Ortiz, who was aboard for the Arkansas Derby score and is currently second in the Spa jockey standings with 16 wins heading into Thursday’s card.

Casse said he is hopeful the addition of blinkers will help hone Sandman’s closing kick in the Jim Dandy, the traditional local prep for the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 23 here.

“The blinkers will make him a little more eager early. It may work and it may backfire,” Casse said. “I think he's probably going to be a little more aggressive early, which means he'll be a little bit closer to the pace. Hopefully, that works. It's better to find out in the Jim Dandy than in the Travers.

“There's not a ton of speed in here,” Casse added. “So, just the pace scenario alone should put him closer. Jose knows him well and knows how he wants to run.”

Sandman, a $1.2 million purchase from the 2024 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music, is a half-brother to Grade 3-winner She Can’t Sing. His second dam, Music Room, is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winner Music Note, the dam of Group 1-victor and 2020 Jim Dandy-winner Mystic Guide. 

The well-regarded Ewing, who earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure for his first-out graduation on July 5 here, worked back a half-mile in 48.66 seconds over the main track Thursday.

Campaigned by D.J. Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and Kenneth Freirich, the well-named Knicks Go colt is pointing to the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special at 6 1/2-furlongs for 2-year-olds on the August 2 Whitney Day undercard.

“He went real easy,” Casse said. “He's a machine. He went in 48 and 3 and would have went in 46 if he'd dropped his head. He came out of the race great. He does everything just effortlessly.”

The $585,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase led at every point of call in his 5 1/2-furlong debut under Jose Ortiz, marking off splits of 22.42 seconds, 45.58 and 57.80 over the fast main track en route to a 12-length score in a final time of 1:04.42.

Tracy Farmer’s Kentucky homebred La Cara, who had to scratch from last weekend’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks after Barn 28 here was placed under a precautionary quarantine, is expected to return to the work tab on Friday.

The sophomore daughter of Street Sense won the Grade 1 Ashland in April at Keeneland and the Grade 1 DK Horse Acorn here in June and will now point directly to the 10-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales on August 16 here.

Casse said he prefers to train up to the Alabama rather than look for a bridge race out of town.

“She's not a great shipper. So, you'll see us put faster works into her than normal. We have time between races, and we'll want to keep her pretty tight,” Casse said.

August 16 will be a busy day for Casse across the continent as he will send out at least two contenders in the $1 million King’s Plate, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, a 10-furlong Tapeta test for Canadian-bred sophomores, at Woodbine Racetrack.

Leading the charge for Casse’s Plate brigade is the Gary Barber-owned filly No Time, who drew off to a 3 3/4-length score in Saturday’s nine-furlong restricted Woodbine Oaks. With Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard, the Not This Time dark bay topped a Casse-trained trifecta that included Grade 3-placed runner-up Shifty and third-place Winterberry.

No Time tracked in sixth position early and advanced to second as dual stakes-winning pacesetter Winterberry reached three-quarters in 1:10.97. No Time progressed through the far turn and took command at the eighth pole, powering away from the chasing Shifty to win in a final time of 1:50.14 – besting the final time of 1:50.37 posted by the Barb Minshall-trained Sedburys Ghost one race earlier in the Plate Trial.

“It was a legit pace and a legitimate time. They ran faster than the colts,” Casse said. “Johnny said when he asked her to go, she took off. I have to think she'll be fairly tough in the King's Plate.”

No Time, out of the graded stakes-placed Red Ransom mare Count to Three, is a half-sister to dual Grade 1-winners Count Again and Ransom the Moon. She was bred in Ontario by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse, and was purchased for $250,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.

Casse, in search of a fourth Plate win, said he also expects to send out Gary Barber and Archer Racing’s stakes-placed Ashley’s Archer, a Karakontie colt bred in Ontario by Jayson Horner.

Ashley’s Archer crossed the wire first in the Cup and Saucer, a 1 1/16-mile turf test versus fellow Canadian-breds in October at Woodbine but was disqualified and placed fifth. He recently returned from a three-month layoff to finish a neck second in an optional-claiming event versus elders on July 13 at Woodbine.

“We've struggled with his feet,” Casse said. “He's had a quarter-crack, a foot abscess. We ran him in an allowance race last week and he ran very well. If that races move him forward, he'll run good.”

Ashley’s Archer, out of the Distorted Humor mare Certainly Special, is a half-brother to Coltimus Prime, who ran ninth in the 2014 Queen’s Plate before winning the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown – the Prince of Wales – over dirt at Fort Erie.

Casse noted that multiple graded stakes-winner Get Smokin [33-8-7-3, $2,144,220], who was recently scratched from the Grade 2 United Nations at Monmouth Park due to the Barn 28 precautionary quarantine, is currently in Saratoga and will soon return to Woodbine.

Casse said he will need to find a bridge race for the 8-year-old Get Stormy gelding as a potential route to the Grade 1, $750,000 Canadian International on October 4 at Woodbine.

“He needs to train over the synthetic every day,” Casse said. “Now we have to re-group. We'll aim for the International with one race in between.”

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Mindframe remains under consideration for G1 Whitney

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s millionaire Mindframe, undefeated in three starts this year including back-to-back Grade 1 victories, remains under consideration for the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney August 2 at Saratoga Race Course.

The 98th running of the 1 1/8-mile Whitney for 4-year-olds and up is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic November 1 at Del Mar and the headliner on a program featuring five graded-stakes worth $3.2 million in purses.

Owner Mike Repole and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher already have Fierceness pointed to the Whitney. The three-time Grade 1 winner and Champion 2-Year-Old Colt of 2023 lost for the first time in four starts at Saratoga when he was second in the Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap June 7.

“We’re going to breeze Mindframe on Saturday and make a decision,” Pletcher said. “Talking to Mike, there’s a good chance we’ll enter both and make a decision about Mindframe on race day.”

The Maryland-bred Mindframe was first or second in four starts as a 3-year-old, including runner-up finishes in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and Grade 1 NYRABets Haskell. After more than seven months away he launched his comeback with a victory in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile March 1, and followed up with scores in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs sprinting seven furlongs and Grade 1 Stephen Foster going 1 1/8 miles.

Pletcher said the usual factors will come into play when deciding whether to run Mindframe in the Whitney, a race he has won previously with Left Bank [2002], Lawyer Ron [2007], Cross Traffic [2013] and Life Is Good [2022].

“Just everything – post position draw, how the race is shaping up, how the breezes go this weekend,” he said. “We want to keep all our options open. As we all know, things can change quicky in this game.”

Of his other horses nominated to Whitney, Pletcher said Centennial Farms’ Grade 3 winner Antiquarian, most recently second in the Grade 2 Suburban presented by Subourbon July 4, will be pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup August 31 at Saratoga [a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic], while no decision has been made on the next spot for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Grade 1-winning millionaire Locked, third as the Suburban favorite.

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Halina’s Forte earns 92 BSF for G2 Honorable Miss, will consider G1 Resorts World Casino Ballerina

Rigney Racing’s Halina’s Forte rallied up the rail to launch a 24-1 upset in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss, a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Phil Bauer, the 4-year-old Mitole bay traveled off the pace under Irad Ortiz, Jr., before closing inside of the pacesetting R Disaster to win by a half-length in a final time of 1:09.87 on the sloppy and sealed main track. The victory earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure, matching her career-best when third in the six-furlong Cheryl S. White Memorial to cap her past campaign at Mahoning Valley Race Course.

“She came out of the win as good as she could have,” said Bauer. “Today was her first day back to the track and she showed really good energy, just an easy day, but she responded well and has a bright attitude.”

Bauer was proud to see Halina’s Forte avenge a half-length second to Faith Alone when making her seasonal debut in the Prairie Rose on June 6 at Prairie Meadows.

“I thought her morning-line was fair based on the uncertainty of her as a 4-year-old. I was glad to see her run well against horses of that caliber,” Bauer said. “She proved to us that she is taking a step forward at four and hopefully we can continue to build on it.”

Bauer said he will consider running Halina’s Forte in the local Grade 1, $500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina, a seven-furlong sprint on August 23 DraftKings Travers Day offering a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

“I think we’ll nominate and see how the race develops,” Bauer said. “There’s some real quality fillies and mares in this division and we’ll see how it shapes up. I think, first, she’ll tell us if she's raring to go, and then second, we’ll make sure we are content on who we’d have to compete with. In Grade 1s, hitting the board is a big deal, so it is not necessarily about if you can win it, but running a competitive race and getting a placing makes it worth running sometimes.”

Bauer also sent out Rigney Racing’s Little Prankster in the Honorable Miss to a distant eighth-place finish. The 5-year-old Practical Joke dark bay traveled farther back than usual and had to steady at the three-eighths pole.

“I think a lot of circumstances created that result. We were really pleased with how she bounced out of it. She’s a horse that has rarely been near the rear of the pack, and the two times she has, she’s thrown the towel. We’ll regroup,” Bauer said. “I think she is stakes caliber, but I’m not sure where we’ll go.”

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G1 A.P. Smithwick-winner Historic Heart could look for more Spa success next

Atlantic Friends Racing’s newly-minted Grade 1-winner Historic Heart was a determined winner of Wednesday’s $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial at Saratoga Race Course, and will likely look to double up on Spa stakes scores next after his nose score over Proven Innocent for trainer Keri Brion.

The 8-year-old Fracas gelding stalked and pounced to victory under Danny Mullins in the 2 3/8-mile steeplechase handicap for older horses, where he was seven lengths back of pacesetting stablemate Kitten Around through 1 1/2 miles and swiftly improved position to take a head advantage at the top of the lane. He faced a strong challenge from last-out Grade 1-winner Proven Innocent, but dug in on the inside and bravely fended off his rival to eke out the victory.

“He came out of the race in really great order and he’s very proud of himself,” Brion said.

Brion, who served as a longtime assistant to Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard before going out on her own in 2021, has won the late trainer’s namesake race here at the Spa twice with The Mean Queen in 2021 and Jimmy P last year. This year, Historic Heart is likely to represent Brion in the 2 3/8-mile Grade 1, $150,000 test for older steeplechasers slated for August 20.

“As long as he is good between now and then, I would think the Sheppard will be next,” Brion said.

Historic Heart won the Smithwick in his second start off a nearly two-year layoff, with his only other outing since then a troubled allowance start on April 20 at Morven Park where he stumbled and lost the rider after 1 1/2 miles. He avenged a runner-up effort in the 2023 Smithwick in what was his last start before the lengthy respite.

Bred in Ireland by J.S. Bolger, Historic Heart improved his record to 24-6-4-2 and added to previous stakes success in 2021 and 2022 in a pair of hurdle stakes at Far Hills and Camden, respectively.