Sovereignty tunes up for G1 DraftKings Travers with half-mile breeze

• Sovereignty tunes up for G1 DraftKings Travers with half-mile breeze
• Magnitude works for G1 DraftKings Travers
• Strategic Focus adds blinkers for latest work, targets G1 DraftKings Travers next
• Good Cheer breezes for G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales
• Take Charge Milady works for G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales
• Chunk of Gold will nominate to G1 DraftKings Travers, leans to G1 Pennsylvania Derby

Godolphin's dual Classic-winner Sovereignty returned to the work tab on Saturday over Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma dirt training track for the first time since a one-length win in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on July 26. The bay colt is targeting the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 23 at the Spa.

Guided through the exercise by Neil Poznansky, Sovereignty hit the track around 7:30 a.m. and was escorted clockwise around the oval by his Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott aboard his pony Rocky, and stood on the backstretch for a few minutes. He then broke off to work a solo half-mile in 48.89 seconds, with NYRA clockers catching him galloping out five furlongs in 1:02 2/5.

Sovereignty returned to Mott’s stable and was met by a flock of reporters and photographers, who looked on as the son of Into Mischief was bathed by an armada of eager grooms and enjoyed his daily carrots from devoted longtime stable employee Erma Scott.

Mott, who still sat atop Rocky watching the media action from afar, said the positive feedback from 1996 Eclipse Award-winning Apprentice Jockey Poznansky was enough for him.

“It looked like he felt good,” Mott said. “He was ready to do something. It’s what I wanted to see, and [so was] the feedback I got from Neil. That’s the most important thing – the guy who’s in the middle of it.”

Sovereignty, who leads the sophomore division in earnings with more than $5 million banked this year, seeks to add the Travers to a resume that includes wins in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, as well as the Grade 3 Street Sense as a maiden last year and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in March at Gulfstream Park.

Currently, Sovereignty and Grade 1 Preakness and Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell-winner Journalism are the leading contenders in this division, with both colts boasting four wins this year. Sovereignty has defeated Journalism on both occasions they have met as Journalism landed second in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont.

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Magnitude works for G1 DraftKings Travers

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Grade 2-winner Magnitude posted his fourth work at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 23.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Not This Time colt has settled in at the Spa since his emphatic score in the Listed Iowa Derby on July 5 at Prairie Meadows, working first over the Oklahoma training track and his last three times over the main.

Magnitude, working in company with older maiden winner Shattuck, was clocked five-furlongs Saturday in 1:01.07 and galloping out strongly as he prepares for the 10-furlong Travers and a bout with dual Classic-winner Sovereignty.

“We got what we expected out of him. He went 37 to the three-eighths, 1:01 and out in 1:26 and 1. A very big gallop out. He's going a mile and a quarter, so you better be ready,” said Asmussen assistant Scott Blasi.

The $450,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase won 2-of-5 starts as a juvenile, taking an optional-claimer in November at Churchill Downs ahead of a 6 3/4-length second in the Listed Gun Runner in December at Fair Grounds.

He finished sixth over sloppy and sealed footing in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds in his seasonal debut but stepped up when stretched out to nine furlongs at the Louisiana oval for a frontrunning 9 3/4-length romp in the Grade 2 Risen Star on February 15.

After missing the Triple Crown series with an ankle chip, Magnitude returned victorious last out on July 5 with a 9 1/4-length frontrunning score in the Listed Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows over good ground.

Blasi said Magnitude is thriving at the Spa.

“He's definitely improved every week up here. We're getting a week closer - you're never there until you're there, but we're happy with how he's doing,” Blasi said.

Asmussen will look for his second Travers score following his 2022 coup with Epicenter for Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Magnitude is out of the Bernardini mare Rockadelic. His second dam is dual Grade 1 winner Octave, who notched top-flight victories on the NYRA circuit in 2007 in the Mother Goose at Belmont Park and Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

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Strategic Focus adds blinkers for latest work, targets G1 DraftKings Travers next

When Klaravich Stables’ Strategic Focus made the lead at the top of the stretch in the restricted Listed Curlin on July 24, he appeared well on his way to his first stakes win as the odds-on favorite in the nine-furlong route. The talented son of Gun Runner led through the final sixteenth, but was collared late while turning his head a bit as stablemate Chancer McPatrick came from off the pace to claim the victory.

While five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown was pleased to see Flanagan Racing’s Chancer McPatrick land his first two-turn victory, the third-place performance from his other pupil did not go as expected, leaving Brown to add blinkers to Strategic Focus as the two colts worked a half-mile together in 49.34 seconds over the Saratoga Race Course main track on Saturday.

Brown was encouraged by what he saw from Strategic Focus as he worked under exercise rider Kriss Bon and to the inside of Chancer McPatrick, and said the former is likely to target the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers going 10 furlongs on August 23 at the Spa.

“I put blinkers on him and he worked really good, so if he comes out of this OK, I’m going to run the horse in the Travers,” Brown said. “They both went great. It was just a little maintenance move and I thought – and so did my rider, Kriss – Strategic Focus was a little more willing and I’m hoping more focused in the gallop-out. I like what I see.”

Brown noted that dual Grade 1-winner Chancer McPatrick, who worked with Flavien Prat up, is still on target for the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial sprinting seven furlongs on the Travers undercard.

During the same 7:00 set on the main track, Brown also sent out multiple Grade 1-winning mares Randomized and Raging Sea to breeze a half-mile in company.

Klaravich Stables’ Randomized was last seen winning the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher on July 19 at Monmouth Park for her first win since taking the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps presented by Ford last June at the Spa. 

Alpha Delta Stables' Kentucky homebred Raging Sea began her year with a strong victory in the Grade 1 La Troienne in May at Churchill, and finished third in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on June 6 and the Grade 2 Shuvee last out on July 18.

Brown said both mares are targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on the Travers undercard. The Personal Ensign offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

“They’re good and they’re on target for the Ensign,” Brown said. “Randomized is back in good form again, so I like that. Raging Sea has thrown two clunkers in, so I don’t like that. Her race in the La Troienne was excellent, then she caught a wet track, and then last time, I really don’t have an excuse for her. I don’t know why she didn’t fire. She’s come out of it good, so we’ll see.”

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Good Cheer breezes for G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales

Godolphin’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winning homebred Good Cheer breezed a half-mile in 48 1/5 seconds, according to NYRA Clockers, on Saturday over the Saratoga Race Course main track as she prepares for the 1 1/4-mile Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales next Saturday at the Spa.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the Medaglia d’Oro bay was 7-for-7 before a last-out fifth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 DK Horse Acorn on June 6 here. Regular rider Luis Saez was aboard Good Cheer for Saturday’s move as she completed her preparations to return from the over two-month layoff.

“She looked great,” Blake Cox said, on-site for the breeze as the assistant trainer to his father Brad. “48 and change, out in 1:01. Luis was on her. Nice smooth half, out five-eighths, I’m very happy with that.”

Good Cheer was flat in the Acorn when finishing 9 1/4 lengths back of probable returning rival La Cara over the sloppy and sealed main track. Blake Cox said the bay is showing the right signs going into the Alabama.

“She’s doing great,” said Cox. “She has put on weight since the Acorn. Luis got off of her today and said, ‘That felt like the work right before the Kentucky Oaks.’”

Good Cheer has earned over $1.7 million and is in the conversation for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly through her Kentucky Oaks score and annual Grade 2 scores in the Rachel Alexandra and Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds.

Cox added that Baron Stable and WinStar Farm’s Margie’s Intention, the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan-winner in May at Pimlico, remains under consideration for the Alabama and will work on Sunday at Saratoga.

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Take Charge Milady works for G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales

James Ball, Magdalena Racing and Kenneth Rhodes’ Grade 1-placed Take Charge Milady breezed on Saturday over Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma dirt training track, covering a half-mile in 48.44 seconds to the outside of maiden Delicious Diva.

Take Charge Milady is gearing up for a likely start in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales next Saturday at the Spa.

Trained by Ken McPeek, the daughter of Take Charge Indy was last seen finishing last-of-4 in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19 here after tracking wide and failing to threaten in the late stages. She earned a Grade 1 placing when second to Alabama aspirant La Cara in the Grade 1 Ashland in April at Keeneland.

“She worked good, a maintenance work to keep her happy,” said McPeek’s assistant Francisco Serrano. “Her last race was a short field, and she was outside, so I think that cost her.”

Take Charge Milady won her first two starts this year when graduating at third asking and coming back to win the Listed Martha Washington, both at Oaklawn Park. She went on to finish off-the-board in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 2, but rebounded with a neck victory over reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Immersive in the Monomoy Girl on June 14 at Churchill Downs.

The $60,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Price too High, and boasts a lifetime record of 9-3-2-0 with $568,669 in total purse earnings.

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Chunk of Gold will nominate to G1 DraftKings Travers, leans to G1 Pennsylvania Derby

Terry L. Stephens’ Chunk of Gold, the last-out winner of the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby on August 3 at Mountaineer, will nominate to the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course, but likely pursue another race.

“That’s a little quick back. We have him nominated in there just in case we decide to do it,” said trainer Ethan West. “It is better to be nominated and not go, than want to go and to not be nominated.”

The Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on September 20 at Parx Racing could be a preferred option for the Preservationist gray.

“I would say that. There are a few Derbys left, there’s the Pennsylvania Derby which is kind of top of the radar right now, and then there’s some smaller ones. There’s the Super Derby [September 6 at Louisiana Downs], the St. Louis Derby… there’s plenty of options, but as of right now, we are leaning more towards the Pennsylvania Derby,” said West.

On the grounds at Saratoga on Saturday was trainer Billy Morey of dual Grade 3-placed Brotha Keny, the third-place finisher of the West Virginia Derby. The Mo Town dark bay gelding is doubtful to run back in the Travers at this stage.

“Very slim chance,” said Morey. “Something would have to change for him to be under consideration. He’s running well and we are happy with him, but for him to go to that level, there would have to be some major changes at the top of the race.”