Saratoga Race Course Notes 8.7.17

by NYRA Press Office

• Sassy Little Lila gets ready to run with the boys in G1 Fourstardave
• Gunnevera pointing to the G1 Travers
• Classic Empire to miss Travers; Casse plans next course
• Mohaymen scheduled to return to Kentucky
• Stallwalkin' Dude looks to abide again in Tale of the Cat
• Quick Call still making an impact at 33 years old
• Fabulous Fillies Day on tap for Thursday at the Spa

Trainer Brad Cox said Sassy Little Lila came out of her last breeze in good order as the 4-year-old Artie Schiller filly prepares to face boys in the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Cox said that Sassy Little Lila, who worked four furlongs in 48.99 seconds on the Oklahoma turf training track last Saturday, is well-rested after her second-place effort in the Grade 1 Just a Game on Belmont Stakes Day, June 10. She registered a personal-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure in that effort, falling just three-quarters of a length short to Antonoe on the turf.

After three victories and four runner-up finishes from eight starts, including second in the Grade 1 American Oaks on December 31 at Santa Anita, Cox said Sassy Little Lila will be looking for her first Grade 1 victory in facing a field that is expected to include American Patriot, Ballagh Rocks, Disco Partner, Time Test and World Approval.

Sassy Little Lila will carry 112 pounds in the handicap.

"After the Just a Game, we knew it was an option. We've been watching to see who may run in it," Cox said Monday morning. "We're thinking it's coming up a short field. Not a light field, but a short field. She has speed. We'll just see how it plays out. We're getting in light. It's an interesting spot and she's doing great, so we think she's up for that challenge."

Sassy Little Lila has been successful as a pacesetter, and the potential lack of speed in the Fourstardave prompted Cox to skip last weekend's Fasig-Tipton De La Rose. Cox said the Fourstardave distance of one mile on the turf, plus the timing, made the race more attractive than waiting for the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa on August 26.

"That played a role in the decision to come out of the De La Rose for sure," Cox said.  "That factored in on the decision to try against the boys. We don't feel like we have to run her a mile but it was either wait there or go to the Ballston Spa. We're sitting on over two months now between races and we feel like we're sitting on a filly who is ready to run. She's sitting on a big effort."

Green Mask came out of his impressive 1 ¾-length victory in Sunday's $250,000 Troy Handicap in good order, Cox said. The 6-year-old Mizzen Mast gelding won for the third time in four starts and second in a row, including the Grade 2 Highlander on July 2 at Woodbine that earned him a 110 Beyer and a second-place finish to Disco Partner in the Grade 2 Jaipur on June 10 at Belmont.

Cox said he is considering running Green Mask once more before the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Santa Anita. Two races are possibilities for his next spot: the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational on October 7 or the Grade 2 Woodford that same day at Keeneland.

"He looked spectacular and we're real happy with how he came out of it," Cox said. "He's no worse for the wear. Right now, we'll talk about giving him another start prior to the Breeders' Cup. It's a possibility for either Belmont or Keeneland."

Green Mask, carrying the highweight of 122 pounds, rallied from third to win the 5 ½-furlong sprint on turf labeled firm in the Troy.

"He's put it together the last four races, he's been extremely impressive," Cox said.  

Arklow will receive a freshening after running seventh in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on Friday. After making six starts this year, including a win in the Grade 2 American Turf on May 6 at Churchill Downs, Cox said they are going to take it light with the 3-year-old son of Arch, who was 11th in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 8.

"He came out of it in good order but we sent him back to Kentucky. We're going give him a little break," Cox said. "It's two flat races he's run and we don't see a physical reason. He's a horse who has obviously been running a lot. So, he's maybe asking for a little time off and he's going to get it."

Gunnevera's five-length victory in Sunday's Tangelo at Gulfstream Park will point him to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers presented by NYRA Bets on August 26, trainer Antonio Sano said by phone Monday. The Fountain of Youth winner came out of the race in good order and will remain in Florida until later this month.

"He's doing good, very, very good," Sano said. "Everything went very well. The race went just like we wanted, and he will go to the Travers. He will ship up that week, either that Monday or Tuesday, and we are looking forward to it."

The Kentucky-bred by Dialed In finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby and followed up with a fifth place finish in the Preakness before Sunday's victory. The colt captured last year's Grade 2 Saratoga Special by a length just a little less than a month after he broke his maiden at Gulfstream in his third start.

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Multiple graded stakes winner Classic Empire put in a strong gallop around the Oklahoma training track Monday morning and is on schedule to breeze soon, trainer Mark Casse said. The lapse in training will cause the son of Pioneerof the Nile to miss the Grade 1 Travers, but Casse said the nagging abscess to his front right foot has been cured.

"He looked great today, Casse said. "Him [assistant trainer and son Norm Casse] and I are still talking about how we want to do this, but I would say today I thought he had great energy. He was happy so if we can keep that up for the next little while we're going to breeze him. We're not going to make the Travers obviously, but we now are aiming for the Pennsylvania Derby.

"It's a little bit of a deeper racetrack here, and you have to remember every time he hurts his foot he hurts his back, and the deeper racetrack is really tough on his back, so what we've been doing is a lot of jogging because like I said its tough on his back. He trained great this morning."

The Arkansas Derby-winner ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby before returning to finish second to Cloud Computing in the Preakness. His last workout was recorded on June 2 when he breezed a steady half-mile in 50 seconds at Churchill Downs. The discovery of a foot abscess caused the colt to miss the Belmont Stakes on June 11.  

"It's tough because Norm and I were talking about it yesterday when Gunnevera won. I didn't see it, but they said he was impressive yesterday. Everywhere you see the horses that are winning these big races, that he's handled with ease; yeah, it's frustrating. But I also have to think to myself, hey, we're fortunate to have been able to accomplish what we have with him, and that's how I handle it. Do you want to get in there and try? Of course, for us we still feel like we have a shot to be a champion 3-year-old."

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Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin reported Monday that Mohaymen will travel to Shadwell Farm in Kentucky in the upcoming days as his owner, Shadwell Stable, decides his future.

The 4-year-old son of Tapit returned to the dirt in Sunday's $100,000 Alydar, where he finished last in the five-horse field after being eased to the wire in the stretch. McLaughlin said Mohaymen came out of the race healthy, but will leave Saratoga later this week.

One start prior to Alydar, he was sent to the turf in a one-mile optional claiming race on July 14 at Belmont Park where he finished sixth.

"We tried one more time, with blinkers on and on the dirt, and it didn't go well," said McLaughlin. "We'll send him back home in the upcoming week and see what happens from there."

A multiple graded stakes winner, Mohaymen wheeled off four consecutive graded stakes wins starting with the Grade 2 Nashua as a 2-year-old and culminating with the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in February of 2016, where he recorded his last victory.

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Stallwalkin' Dude will look to defend his title in the $100,000 Tale of the Cat on Friday at six furlongs on the main track.

Co-owned and trained by David Jacobson, Stallwalkin' Dude will be seeking his third win in four installments of the Tale of the Cat. His bid for a third straight win in the stakes for 3-year-olds and up will see him gain class relief following a fourth-place effort in the Grade 2 Belmont Sprint on July 8.

The 7-year-old Stallwalkin' Dude, also co-owned by Head of Plains Partners, has finished on the board in 10 of his last 12 starts. He drew post 6 with Joe Bravo aboard.

"He looks good," Jacobson said. "His last couple of races weren't completely up to par, so we're looking for an easier spot to get his confidence back and we'll see what happens from there. He loves it up here in Saratoga. He seems to really train well."

Stallwalkin' Dude struggled heading into last year's summer meet before winning the 2016 Tale of the Cat by a half-length. That victory propelled him to a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Forego and third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh.

"He was tailing off last year at this time and the win in the Tale of the Cat propelled him into the fall and winter, so we're looking for a good race," Jacobson said.

His stablemate, Chief Lion, will also take a drop down in class after fading to eighth in the Grade 2 True North last out on June 9 at Belmont.

Also owned by Jacobson, Chief Lion, a 7-year-old gray or roan son of Wildcat Heir, is looking to rebound after a pair of off-the-board performances following a second-place showing in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap on March 11 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Jockey Paco Lopez will break from post 4.

"He's doing well; I try to separate them with Stallwalkin' Dude but there aren't a lot of places to run him, so we'll see," Jacobson said.

Candip, a 6-year-old trained by Michael Tomlinson, will be returning to stakes competition for the first time since running second in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector on New Year's Day at Gulfstream Park. Kendrick Carmouche will ride from post 7.

Weekend Hideaway will be aiming for his second consecutive stakes win after outlasting Diversify by a neck in the Commentator on May 29 on Big Sandy. Trained by Phil Serpe, Weekend Hideaway drew post 3 with Luis Saez in the irons.

Rounding out the field is Candid Desire, making his 36th career start looking to build on a 5-5-4 record for trainer Gary Sciacca, from post 5; Loose On the Town, for trainer Brian Lynch, drew the rail; and Cadeym, trained by Jeremiah Englehart, will exit post 2.

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Wednesday's featured race, the $100,000 Quick Call for 3-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf, is named after the oldest retired thoroughbred standing at Wallkill Correctional Facility. 

The 33-year-old Quick Call was a "Horse for the Course" at Saratoga, winning 9-of-17 races over the track, including the 1988 Forego Handicap in a stakes-record time of 1:21 for seven furlongs, and the 1988 Forego Handicap, where he defeated Dancing Spree, who later won the Breeders' Cup Sprint that year. Quick Call just missed winning a third consecutive Forego Handicap in 1990 when Lay Down beat him in a photo finish.

Quick Call plays a significant role in the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Second Chances Program, helping inmates transform their lives by giving them a skill set and a positive outlook on life.

Carded as Race 9, Wednesday's Quick Call will feature a six-horse field that includes Blind Ambition, Mongo Nation, Malraux, The Money Monster, Expedited Vision and Indy Hill.

Also on Wednesday, author Vicki Addesso Dodd will be on track to sign copies of her book "A Moose in My Starting Gate" with proceeds going to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. The signing will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at the Community Outreach Booth, which is located next to the Jockey Silks Room and across from the Saratoga Walk of Fame.

                                                   
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The New York Racing Association will celebrate its annual Fabulous Fillies Day on Thursday at Saratoga Race Course, draping the track in pink as part of its efforts to support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

Jockeys will wear pink armbands throughout the day, while the iconic Sea Hero statue located in the paddock will be draped with a pink horse blanket. Pink bunting and flowers will be displayed, and visitors are encouraged to wear pink.

A "Best in Pink" fashion contest will be a new element to this year's Fabulous Fillies Day festivities. Fans can enter the contest by stopping by the Jockey Silks Room Porch from 1-3 p.m. to have their photo taken. One woman and one man will be selected as the contest winners by a panel of judges. The winner will be announced at 3:15 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Room Porch.

Each winner will receive a special Travers Day VIP prize package, featuring four clubhouse reserved seats, trackside parking, programs and a concession voucher for the 148th edition of the Grade 1 Travers presented by NYRA Bets; a $500 gift certificate to Prime at Saratoga National; vineyard vines merchandise; a $500 vineyard vines gift card; and other Saratoga Race Course merchandise.