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Saratoga Race Course Notes 8.27.17

by NYRA Press Office

• Baffert yet to formulate next step for G1 Travers victor West Coast
• Sano 'excited and proud' with Gunnevera's Travers, Breeders' Cup next
• Hollendorfer says nothing decided yet for Songbird following G1 Personal Ensign defeat
• Always Dreaming to receive a physical exam at WinStar Farm
• Stewart all smiles after Forever Unbridled, Tom's Ready performances
• Sadler's Joy gets Albertrani barn first win of meet in G1 Sword Dancer
• Lady Eli in fine fettle; Brown runners marching forward to Breeders' Cup
• Trainer Nevin over the 'Moon' following G1 Ketel One Ballerina win
• G1 winner Time and Motion to work Monday for G3 Glens Falls
• Mott keeping Good Samaritan's options open
• Mixed emotions for Team McLaughlin from Travers Day efforts

Plans for Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers presented by NYRA Bets winner West Coast, are up in the air, said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert by phone Sunday morning. 

West Coast will jet back to the west coast first thing Monday morning with the contingent of Southern California horses which contested the stakes races here over the weekend.

Baffert, who also captured the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego with reigning Sprint champion and 2016 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Drefong and watched American Anthem take third in the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Saturday, said that he is not yet targeting the Awesome Again at Santa Anita, the Breeders' Cup Classic or any other spot for West Coast.

"We don't even know what his next start is, or even if he's going to be in the Classic. Right now, we just want to get him home and then we'll figure out a game plan. Right now, we're not thinking anything for him," he said.

West Coast, who along with his stablemates emerged from their efforts hale, hearty and happy, went coast-to-coast to score by 3 ¼ lengths under Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who was riding Gary and Mary West's $425,000 yearling purchase for only the second time.

"We knew he was doing well. We knew we might have to put him near or on the lead, but we weren't sure how he was going to handle that," Baffert said of the horse who in six prior starts had let his connections know he was a horse who did not like to be hurried. "We're happy it worked out."

Baffert said he was also extremely pleased with Drefong, but at the same time was scratching his head over the performance of American Anthem, who disappointed as the short-priced favorite in his race. They were ridden as well by Smith, who was at the barn with Baffert at Del Mar Sunday morning working horses.

"We're just trying to figure out what happened to American Anthem. He didn't run his race. It happens," said the trainer. "Drefong is a fast horse. It all worked out great with him. It was really nice winning the Forego because it's a very prestigious and important race."

Speaking of the highest caliber races, when Baffert and Smith won the 148th Travers with West Coast after combining to win the 147th edition with Arrogate, they became the first trainer-jockey tandem to repeat in storied Travers history. Only a handful of trainers have won back-to-back editions, and in the last 50 years just Shug McGaughey accomplished the feat with Easy Goer and Rhythm in 1989 and 1990, respectively. 

"It's a lot of fun to win on those big days like that, and it's especially nice to win at Saratoga where the fans are really into racing and so appreciative," said Baffert, who won his third Travers overall, including his 2001 victory with Horse of the Year Point Given.

Throughout the week the trainer kept his comments about West Coast, who had won three straight races but was jumping up into Grade 1 company for the first time. With West Coast largely flying under the radar, the bettors allowed the son of Flatter and Juvenile Fillies champion Caressing to go off as the fourth wagering choice at 6-1 and he returned $14.20 for a $2 investment.

"I think my Travers runner will probably go off at 2-5 next year no matter what kind of horse he is," Baffert said.

*         *         *

Margoth's multiple graded stakes-winner Gunnevera, second at 24-1 to West Coast in the Travers, was scheduled to leave Sunday evening for the long van ride back to South Florida. Trainer Antonio Sano said he should rejoin his string at Gulfstream Park West Tuesday morning.

As he did on the Triple Crown trail, former trainer Larry Kelly was driving Gunnevera back home. Kelly is the younger brother of longtime New York trainer Pat Kelly, who housed Gunnevera both this year and last summer when the then-unknown colt upset the Grade 2 Saratoga Special as a 2-year-old.

"The horse goes to North Carolina, rests half a day, and then comes right back to Florida," Sano said. "He's very happy today. Everything is good."

Racing for just the second time since his fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Preakness May 20, Gunnevera overcame bumping from both Irap and Fayeq at the start and an objection from Irap's jockey, Mario Gutierrez, regarding the stretch run to finish 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Irap.

Late-running Gunnevera led only Grade 2 Jim Dandy winner Good Samaritan for a half-mile before jockey Edgard Zayas launched a bid outside horses to quickly move into contention, getting within a length at the quarter pole. West Coast, who set modest fractions of 23.82 and 48.12 seconds, 1:12.23 and 1:36.82, had plenty left to repel the bid and win by 3 ¼ lengths.

"The fractions were very easy up front. It was very slow," Sano said. "I thought West Coast would battle with Always Dreaming but there was no speed in the race, so it was easy for West Coast. When Zayas decided to make his move with my horse, it was an excellent idea. He told me the horse was going very easy. He made a nice move."

Sano said the initial plan is to train Gunnevera up to the Breeders' Cup Classic, but left open the possibility of a start before the November 4 race. Entering the Travers, Gunnevera romped over four overmatched rivals in the Tangelo August 6 at Gulfstream Park.

"Right now the plan is to maybe go directly to the Breeders' Cup, [but] we might look to race again if the horse is very good," he said. "It was a good race and he came back good, which is very important.

"I am excited and proud for my horse. The result is very good for me," he added. "In his last race, he won only breezing. In the Travers, I hoped to win but being second for me against those horses ... he was outside horses, he got a little bump at the five-eighths [pole], a little bump at the start, and still only got beat a few lengths."

*         *         *

"The Graveyard of Favorites," which is the well-earned nickname of Saratoga, claimed another victim on Saturday when 2-5 favorite Songbird was beaten by a neck in the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign by Forever Unbridled. Nevertheless, her connections were nowhere close to writing the final footnotes on the magnificent career of the dual Eclipse Award winner on Sunday morning.

"She ran a huge race and did everything she was asked to do, and she did it in Grade 1 company at Saratoga," said Christina Jelm, the assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.  "The filly that won is an amazing, strong, dominant, superior, well-bred animal also and to lose by a neck to her is nothing to be ashamed of. I think Songbird has set the bar so high that the only other one to get over it so far is Beholder, so the expectation on her was to never be beat. 

"But horses, like all great athletes, don't win every single time. Yesterday, another great filly passed her at the wire," she added. "She ran her heart out and I think she is as good, if not better, than ever. On the way back to the barn, people were cheering for her, calling her name, and telling her what a good girl she is."

The Hall of Fame conditioner was at the barn first thing in the morning to physically check the filly, who tasted defeat for only the second time in 15 efforts and has earned close to $5 million.

"She came back very good," he said, adding that she was completely sound and perfectly healthy.

"The important thing is that she is absolutely fine," said Jelm. "Jerry went over her. There is nothing that is at all discernable. She's in good health and is relaxed, as she always is coming out of all her races. She's great."

Songbird is scheduled to depart on the early Monday morning flight that will bring the California horses home, after stopping in Kentucky to drop off multiple Grade 1 winner Forever Unbridled, so she may rejoin trainer Dallas Stewart's division there.

Until then, Songbird was enjoying a lovely day at the Spa.

"She didn't come back to the barn depressed by any means. She ate all of her dinner last night and she had a nice long walk this morning, followed by a little nap. She's having a nice easy day. This afternoon she'll get out of her stall and graze and walk and enjoy the sunshine before we leave early in the morning," said Jelm. "We're giving her a lot of love and attention."

Now Hollendorfer and owner Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farm will turn their attention to the next moves for Songbird. Before the Personal Ensign, both had said that a return trip to the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff was the end-of-year goal in her 4-year-old campaign.

"Mr. Porter and I are going to talk over everything and will do that when Songbird is back in my barn in California. Nothing has been decided yet," Hollendorfer said.

*         *         *

Always Dreaming will head to WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky on Monday, where he will receive a physical examination and then have a break, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning.

Always Dreaming finished ninth, 18 lengths behind winner West Coast, in the Grade 1 Travers Saturday. Since the Run for the Roses, the Bodemeister colt finished eighth in the Preakness, third in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and again out of the money in the Mid-Summer Derby.

"After he arrives, he'll get a complete physical at Rood and Riddle [Equine Hospital]," Pletcher said. "We'll make a determination on the next steps after that once we get the information back."

Pletcher's other Travers entry, Tapwrit, finished fourth and will now target either the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 23 or the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational on October 7 at Belmont Park.

"We'll spend the next couple of weeks processing how he comes back before we decide on which race," Pletcher said. 

Tapwrit, the Belmont Stakes winner who was the morning-line Travers favorite, was making his first start since the Test of the Champion on June 10 at Belmont Park. 

"We got the trip we wanted with both horses; Always Dreaming just didn't fire and I thought Tapwrit ran well. It just seemed like it was a hard track to make up a lot of ground down the stretch," Pletcher said. "When he [Tapwrit] came off the turn, I thought he was in the right position and finished steadily but couldn't make up any real ground." 

Coal Front saw his bid to start his career 4-for-4 thwarted with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens. The 3-year-old son of Stay Thristy couldn't rally in the stretch in a race won by Practical Joke. 

"Coal Front came back fine, I can't offer much excuse, he pretty much got the trip we were expecting and couldn't quite make up much ground in the lane," Pletcher said.

Pletcher said the rest of his Travers Day contingent, including Eskenformoney (third in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign), Tommy Macho (seventh in the Grade 1 Forego) and Destinta(seventh in the Grade 1 Ketel One Ballerina) came out of their respective races in good order.

Hazit, a 2-year-old War Front colt, won his debut to start the day, besting a five-horse field by one length in going 6 ½ furlongs on the main track in 1:16.40.

"I thought it was an impressive performance for a first-time starter, so we were very pleased with the effort," Pletcher said.

Rally Cry and Neolithic put in their final respective breezes on Friday for the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward on September 2, going four furlongs on the Oklahoma training track. 

Rally Cry, coming off a win in the Alydar on August 6 at the Spa, will return to graded stakes competition for the first time since a sixth-place effort in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. Neolithic, who won against allowance company on August 5 following a freshening, will return to face top-flight competition for the first time since running third in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup on March 25.

"They both worked well and came out of the race and are still on target for the Woodward," Pletcher said. 

Mojovation and National Flag are scheduled to breeze Monday in preparation for the Grade 1, $350,000 Hopeful on Saratoga's Closing Day, September 4.

Keen Ice remains on target for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Pletcher said. The runner-up in the Grade 1 Whitney last out breezed Sunday morning, going four furlongs in 51.49 seconds under exercise rider Hector Ramos on the Oklahoma training track.

*         *         *

Trainer Dallas Stewart's two runners in Saturday's stakes card exited their efforts in top shape, according to the conditioner. Topped by Charles Fipke's Forever Unbridled, who became only the second horse ever to beat Songbird when taking the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, Stewart also took satisfaction in G M B Racing's multiple graded stakes winner Tom's Ready, dismissed at 44-1, finishing third in the Grade 1 Forego three races later.

"He really ran great," Stewart said. "He ran hard and laid it down. He was beaten by a champion in Drefong, but he ran his race."

A return to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, in which the son of More Than Ready was fifth last year, is less likely, but not out of the cards for the Pennsylvania-bred. Slated to go to stud at Spendthrift Farm at the completion of his career, he is in search of an elusive Grade 1 victory and Stewart plans to return to New York to attempt such.

"We'll probably go back to Churchill first with him and look at the [Grade 3] Ack Ack," he said. "After that, I think we'll circle the [Grade 1] Cigar Mile and finish it up. [Getting a Grade 1] is what we're trying to do. I don't know about the Breeders' Cup."

The highlight of Saturday for the Stewart barn was easily Forever Unbridled's massive performance in which she won for the seventh time in her 16-race career and boosted her career bankroll to $2,086,880, becoming the richest horse Stewart has trained in his career. Second in that ranking is talented Grade 1-winning handicapper Macho Again, who won more than $1.8 million in his career and nearly defeated Rachel Alexandra in the 2009 Woodward. 

Of the seven Grade 1 races Stewart has won in his career, five of those came from Forever Unbridled or her family. Dam Lemons Forever landed the Kentucky Oaks, Unbridled Forever - full-sister to Forever Unbridled - took Saratoga's 2015 Ballerina and Forever Unbridled has scored three in the past 16 months. 

"Just phenomenal," Stewart said, beaming. "She just really put on a performance yesterday that was out of this world. She beat a champion and you have to have an unbelievable performance to do what she did. She looks good today, too. She looks bright and she's rearing up and bucking this morning; all of the above. 

"She's a big, beautiful, strong filly," he continued. "She had some raw talent coming into training early and then as a 3-year-old hooked some great fillies like [I'm a] Chatterbox and Lovely Maria. We never ducked anybody. That's Chuck Fipke's style. He doesn't duck anyone."

The tentative plan with Forever Unbridled is to ship back to Churchill Downs to prepare for a defense of Belmont's Grade 1 Beldame, which she annexed en route to a third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in 2016. Saturday's Saratoga win was her seventh victory on a seventh different track, following Fair Grounds (maiden win), Aqueduct (Grade 3 Comely), Sam Houston (Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic), Oaklawn (Grade 1 Apple Blossom), Belmont (Grade 1 Beldame) and Churchill Downs (Grade 2 Fleur de Lis).

"She's just a lot of talent and a lot of pedigree," Stewart concluded. "We're looking forward to going back to the Breeders' Cup."

*         *         *

Woodslane Farm's Sadler's Joy worked up a happy appetite following his last-to-first stretch-drive rally to win the Grade 1 Sword Dancer on Saturday, trainer Tom Albertrani said Sunday morning.

"He was bright walking around the barn this morning, so that's a good sign. He ate everything we gave him last night," Albertrani said.

Sadler's Joy broke slow and was seventh entering the stretch before angling out six-wide and finishing with a strong kick to win by a half-length and secure a spot in the Grade 1, $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on November 4 at Del Mar.

"I got to watch it a couple of times yesterday and every time you watch it, it's more exciting," Albertrani said. "You look at the ground that he closes, it was [thrilling]."

Idaho, the 7-5 favorite for trainer Aidan O'Brien, battled Frank Conversation for the lead and gained the advantage one mile in with Sadler's Joy, ridden by Julien Leparoux, at the back of the pack.

"I didn't know where he [Idaho] might place, just from reading, it sounded like he would go if there was no pace, but we didn't expect to be that far back either. But Julien seemed like he was confident there was enough pace out front that he didn't have to worry about pushing him into the race early. He gave him a spectacular and well-timed ride."

Before his Breeders' Cup appearance, Albertrani said Sadler's Joy is on target for the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on September 30 at Belmont Park.

"We'll go to Belmont and hopefully if all stays well, we'll be in Del Mar," Albertrani said. "He always tries and always runs hard. It's all about getting the right trip in these kinds of races. Even yesterday, he had to swing pretty wide out and I didn't think once I saw that move, that he'd make up that kind of ground. But he saved a lot of ground the first two turns and it just worked out. He never caught a good trip his last couple of races and he's been close."

The win was also the first of the Saratoga meet for Albertrani, who earned a trip to the winner's circle for the first time in 16 starts this summer.

"We've been looking for that all meet and hopefully once we've cracked the ice, we'll get a couple of more before the end of the meet," Albertrani said.

*         *         *

With three winners on Saturday's Travers Day card including a pair of stakes races with outstanding performances by multiple graded stakes winners Practical Jokein the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens and Lady Eli in the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa, trainer Chad Brown was appreciative reporting all his runners came back from the races on Saturday in good shape while also looking to map out Breeders' Cup plans for his stakes contingent. 

With Amerman Racing's ThreefiveIndia earning Brown's first trip to the winner's circle on the day, taking an allowance optional claiming race by three lengths, Brown said the runner's performance earned him an opportunity to step up in company next time out.

"ThreefiveIndia ran terrific," said Brown. "He continues to show that he loves Saratoga. He ran really well, he earned himself into next running in a stakes race. I'm not sure when or where, but he'll show up in a stakes somewhere soon."

Improving his record to a perfect 4-for-4 at one-turn distances, Brown was elated with Practical Joke's performance in the Allen Jerkens and said the colt is under consideration towards a year-end start in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. 

"Practical Joke ran outstanding," said Brown. "It was his third race in seven weeks. We've asked him to do a lot of different things and he keeps showing up for us. We have a lot of respect for this horse. Undefeated at one turn, he's definitely found his niche. We'll try to keep him at one turn if we can. Of course, the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile is two turns and we're going to have to take a look at it."

Initially under plans to train her way over the summer towards a fall start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl on October 8 at Belmont Park, Brown altered his plans last Wednesday and entered the 5-year-old Divine Park mare into the Ballston Spa. Brown said Lady Eli's victory at Saratoga was extra special on Saturday as she avenged her loss in the race last year by a nose. 

"It was a quite a thrill to be able to run her one more time here," said Brown. "We're relieved we made the right decision to run. She's never let us down. I'm 50-50 right now whether she'll go into the Flower Bowl or train up into the Breeders' Cup, but we'll take her lead and she'll let us know."

Owners Sheep Pond Partners' decision to enter in the Keeneland November breeding stock sale made her 1 ½-length victory on Saturday all the more important to Brown.

"Once I saw her tip out in the stretch coming for home I knew she'd get there," said Brown. "I'm just very appreciative she's been with us her whole career. Me and my staff are always amazed by her accomplishments."

Lastly, Brown reported Cloud Computing came out of his eighth-place finish in the Travers in good order and said he will review his options with the Grade 1 Preakness winner.

"Cloud Computing is OK, [he] just didn't fire over the surface," said Brown. "We're going to have to reevaluate. I'm hoping it's just a surface issue. There's nothing wrong with the horse right now he looks fine. Saratoga's just not for him."

*         *         *

Jay Em Ess Stable's By the Moon has exited her Grade 1, $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina victory on her proverbial toes for trainer Michelle Nevin. The daughter of Indian Charlie supplied Saratoga fans with an exciting tour de force on Saturday, striking the lead early, putting them to sleep and then twirling away all challengers for a head victory. 

In the process, the Samantha Siegel homebred earned herself a fees-paid spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on November 4.

"Everything is good today," Nevin said. "We're very happy. She ran very well and is looking well today."

The victory was twice as sweet for Nevin, as her stable star had lost last year's Grade 1 event in the final strides. 

"That was soul-crushing last year," she continued. "This year Rajiv [Maragh] just did a great job with her. It was simply an amazing ride and she's such a nice filly."

Nevin has partnered with Siegel for approximately five years and the fruits of a productive owner-trainer relationship were on display Saturday. The pair will regroup and decide soon the best way to get their filly back to the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar in greater San Diego on the first weekend in November.

"For now, we'll let Sam [Siegel] enjoy it," Nevin said. "It's just the first day back, so we'll take our time."

The victory was the second Grade 1 for Nevin and ninth graded stakes victory of her career. Both of her top-level tallies have come thanks to By the Moon, who owns five of those graded wins. The other four were by former trainee and recent Juddmonte Farm private purchase Paulassilverlining, whom By the Moon soundly defeated on Saturday afternoon.

It was a productive Travers Day for the conditioner as Nevin went 2-for-2, having also landed the second race with Marshall Eddy, the longest shot (22-1) on the board in the non-two turf allowance. From six runners this week, through Saturday's card, Nevin has three victories and a second, with all six of her charges using different riders.

*         *         *

Phillips Racing Partnership's Grade 1 winner Time and Motion, scratched from Saturday's Grade 2 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa, will work Monday morning for a planned start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Glens Falls, trainer Jimmy Toner said.

Time and Motion was not among the original 18 nominees to the 1 3/8-mile Glens Falls for fillies and mares 3 and up, to be run Saturday, September 2. The supplemental fee for the race is $2,000.

"I'm going to run her next weekend here. Hopefully, it's a little better spot for us," Toner said. "It's not like everything changes. She's on her regular schedule. We'll breeze her tomorrow and we'll run her next week. It was one of those things with discretion being the better part of valor."

Time and Motion won the Grade 2 Lake Placid last summer at Saratoga prior to her victory in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in the fall. She is winless in three starts this year with two thirds, and was sixth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley behind Lady Eli, who was a last-minute entrant to the Ballston Spa field.

"The addition of Lady Eli changed the complexion of everything," Toner said. "I just kept looking at the race and thought we might have had a shot to be second or third, but when she came in it was like, 'I don't think I want to run against her,' and she ran great."

Toner said Sean Shay and Michael J. Ryan's Hunter O'Riley emerged well from his fourth-place finish in Saturday's Sword Dancer, the 4-year-old ridgling's first attempt at Grade 1 competition.

Hunter O'Riley, coming off a career-best effort to win the Grade 2 Bowling Green by a neck July 29 at Saratoga, had only one horse beat at the top of the stretch but closed strong to be beaten just 1 ¼ lengths by Sadler's Joy - third in the Bowling Green - and less than a length shy of being second.

"Hunter's good. He came back good. He tries. [Sadler's Joy], we were lucky to beat him last time when we did. We got a little weight shift last time and I think yesterday we ran our race and he ran his; nothing to be ashamed of," Toner said. "He finished up good. It was a nice race. Yesterday, the winner did what he had to do. He tracked us and last time we were tracking him and I think that was the difference. We're happy with his race. He tries every time; no complaints."

*         *         *

Trainer Bill Mott said he has no idea where Grade 2 Jim Dandy winner Good Samaritan will run next following his fifth-place finish in Saturday's Grade 1 Travers.

The son of Harlan's Holiday finished nine lengths behind Mid-Summer Derby winner West Coast after closing from way off the pace as the 7-2 favorite. Good Samaritan found himself far back in last in the field of 12, and launched a ground saving trip before closing five wide and running out of stretch to settle for fifth behind Tapwrit.

"Would I have preferred to have him up a little closer? Yes," Mott said. "He ran a big race. He beat everybody he beat in the Jim Dandy. Those new shooters, we've got to keep them out of town I guess. He came with a big run. Was it the same as the other day? I don't know. I got to look at all the figures I guess."

As the increasingly complicated guess as to who the leader for 3-year-old champion would be up to this point, the Hall of Fame trainer, who saddled his eighth Travers starter on Saturday, can't narrow the list down to one.

"Now you've got four or five major winners there, yesterday now there's another one. You've got five to choose from. Add the winner in the mix I guess, the Triple Crown winners and the Haskell winner."

*         *         *

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was both proud and puzzled by the performances of his stakes trio on Saturday's Travers Day program.

Shadwell Stable's Takaful, seeking his first graded stakes victory, was in front through a brisk half-mile in 45.05 seconds before giving up the lead to eventual winner Practical Joke in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial.

The sophomore son of champion Bernardini wound up beaten just 1 ¼ lengths but was 1 ¾ lengths ahead of multiple graded-stakes winner American Anthem in third. Takaful also finished ahead of graded winners Coal Front and Wild Shot and multiple stakes winner Ann Arbor Eddie.

"Takaful ran great," McLaughlin said, "second-best to a multiple Grade 1 winner. We were happy with our run. We're not sure where we'll run back, but we're proud of him. He ran well."

McLaughlin also praised the effort of Godolphin's Grade 1 winner Dickinson, who set a moderate pace of 24.34 and 48.92 seconds and was still in front approaching the stretch of the Grade 2 Ballston Spa before being overtaken by five-time Grade 1-winning multi-millionaire Lady Eli. Beaten 1 ½ lengths, the 5-year-old mare held on by a neck for second.

"Dickinson ran great, second-best to a great filly at equal weights," he said. "It was a shame they went the second half so fast. They went the first half in 48 and four and the second half in 45 flat; that's crazy. That hurt us, but she ran great. We'll see what we do from here, but she came out of it in great shape."

The trainer had no explanation for Shadwell's Fayeq, the late-developing 3-year-old who was eased to the wire in the Grade 1 Travers - his stakes debut - after being urged along in mid-pack from post 12 before giving way.

"We don't know what happened," McLaughlin said. "We'll throw it out. He scoped fine and seems OK, so we'll hope that's the case."