Scratch It steps up for Listed $150K P.G. Johnson pres. by Snap-On

Fergus Galvin, Mrs. M.V. Magnier and Linda Shanahan’s Scratch It steps up off an impressive debut graduation to take on winners for the first time in Wednesday’s Listed $150,000 P.G. Johnson presented by Snap-On, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juvenile fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the daughter of Tapit notched a professional win on August 1 over course and distance, setting a pressured pace under Manny Franco and responding at the head of the lane to edge clear to the 1 1/4-length victory in a final time of 1:45.83. She was awarded a 64 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort that came over a course rated as firm one day after heavy rain fell on the Spa.

Cox said he was pleased with how Scratch It, who went off at odds of 12-1, handled a field that included the well-bred Repole Stable homebred Miss Picky [third], Grade 2-winner Catching Freedom’s half-sister Uncatchable [fifth] and $500,000 yearling purchase Blue Madame [sixth as the favorite].

“It sounded like a lot of people in there liked their horse and we thought with the ground as soft as it was, we’d break running and let her put herself forward in the race,” Cox said. “She responded well and was fit and ready to go, so it was nice to see her run well.”

Scratch It had her first breeze back from the victory on August 15, covering a half-mile in 50.41 seconds over the Oklahoma turf training track.

“She’s doing good. She had one breeze since her run and it was a good move, so we’ll see,” Cox said. “She’s a young horse and we don’t really know where we are with her, but she’s trained well.”

The $490,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase is out of the dual graded stakes-winning Forestry mare Carolyn’s Cat, who also produced dirt Grade 3-winner Mufajaah and stakes-placed Aunt Kat.

Cox said he believes Scratch It can be effective on both surfaces.

“I just thought her first race was a good spot to get her started,” Cox said. “I’m not certain she has to run on turf, but starting her career we don’t want to confuse her. If it came off, we’d probably press on with it.”

Flavien Prat picks up the mount from post 7.

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has entered two contenders as Tiz in Sight [post 4, Dylan Davis] and Vernon Valley [post 8, Ricardo Santana, Jr., blinkers ON] are set for their first try on the turf in the afternoon.

Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch’s Tiz in Sight was last seen finishing a distant fourth in the Grade 3 Adirondack on August 3 sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs over the Spa main track. The effort was awarded a field-best 68 Beyer, and came on the heels of a debut victory sprinting five furlongs in June at Churchill Downs in which she stalked the pace and pounced to victory late under Jose Ortiz.

Tiz in Sight took a spin around the Oklahoma turf training course on August 17, covering a half-mile in 48.15 seconds in her first career work over turf.

An $85,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Tiz the Law bay is out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Hindsight, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-placed Fibber.

D.J. Stable’s Vernon Valley graduated sprinting five furlongs over muddy and sealed footing in May at Belmont at the Big A, and stepped up to stakes company last out to finish third in the 5 1/2-furlong Astoria on June 5 here. She was defeated 5 3/4 lengths by Sassy C W, who exited that effort to win the Prairie Gold Lassie in July at Prairie Meadows.

The New York-bred daughter of Vekoma’s recent works include a pair of half-mile breezes over the Oklahoma training turf, completing the distance in 48.15 on August 17 and in 52.17 on August 8.

Bred by Trail Creek Stables, the $130,000 purchase at the OBS October Yearling Sale is out of the Empire Maker mare Sinister Siren, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Delightful Kiss, graded stakes-winner Delightful Mary and graded stakes-placed Honour the Deputy.

Casse has also entered Americathegreat for the main track-only.

Arindel’s Sushi [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche] gets back on turf after a one-length graduation in an off-the-turf state-bred maiden on July 31 going seven furlongs over a muddy and sealed Spa main track. 

Trained by Jorge Delgado, the New York-bred daughter of Uncle Chuck was second on debut in May over the main track at Gulfstream Park and made one more start on dirt before trying the grass in a July 11 maiden at Monmouth Park. She finished an even fifth in the five-furlong sprint over good footing, but relished the extra distance and the off going last out with her pacesetting score.

Bred by Casey Newick, Sushi was a $12,000 purchase at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale and is out of the Hold Me Back mare Big Red Seven, who posted a 77-13-18-9 record with nearly $400,000 in earnings.

Repole Stable’s Time to Dream [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] was a debut winner on July 25 here traveling one mile over the inner turf. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the daughter of Not This Time was in fifth through the first three-quarters, but improved when called upon by Jose Ortiz and rallied to the 2 1/4-length score over Maiora in a final time of 1:36.56 over the firm footing.

A $750,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Time to Dream is out of the unraced Street Sense mare Wild Silk, who is a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Joking and also produced the multiple graded stakes-winner Red Carpet Ready.

Completing the field are maiden-winner and Bayou Brigid [post 3, Junior Alvarado] for trainer Heather Smullen; and maidens Blanchett [post 1, Manny Franco] for trainer Graham Motion and Devilish Grin [post 6, Joel Rosario] for trainer Amelia Green.

The P.G. Johnson honors the late Hall of Fame trainer, who was best known for conditioning 2002 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Volponi. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Johnson was Saratoga’s leading trainer in 1983 and also trained dual Grade 1-winner Maplejinsky, Grade 1-winning millionaire Kiri’s Clown, and Grade 1-winner Quiet Little Table. 

The P.G. Johnson is slated as Race 8 on Wednesday’s nine-race card, which also features the rescheduled Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard in Race 1 and the $150,000 Funny Cide in Race 2. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

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The Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard, originally slated for Wednesday, August 20, was rescheduled for August 27 due to heavy rain. The 2 3/8-mile steeplechase handicap for older horses saw its original field of eight re-enter, plus the addition of two-time winner St James the Great [Danny Mullins, 142 pounds], one of three contenders for conditioner Keri Brion.

Brion also sends out defending winner Jimmy P [Stephen Mulqueen, 154 pounds, blinkers OFF], who took last year’s Sheppard by 34 1/2 lengths after returning rival Zarak the Brave [Evan Dwan, 158 pounds] fell at the second fence in what was his first start for trainer Thomas Garner. Brion’s tetrad is completed by the speedy The Insider [Bernard Dalton, 142 pounds].

Rounding out the field are Grade 1-placed Hidden Path [Conor Tierney, 150 pounds] for trainer Richard Hendriks; dual graded stakes-placed Who’s Counting [Sean McDermott, 150 pounds] for rider/trainer Sean McDermott; the stakes-placed pair of Givemefive [Gerard Galligan, 158 pounds] for trainer Cyril Murphy and Quick Master [Graham Watters, 144 pounds] for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Fisher; and five-time winner Sweet Will [Freddie Procter, 142 pounds] for trainer Arch Kingsley, Jr.

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

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