Whitmore records final work for G1 A.G. Vanderbilt

by NYRA Press Office

·    Whitmore records final work for G1 A.G. Vanderbilt

·     Vequist posts sharp breeze; Beren to re-route to G2 Amsterdam; Mainstay to consider G2 Adirondack

·     Masqueparade posts half-mile breeze for G2 Jim Dandy

·     Liberty M D rewards owners’ patience with start in G3 Shuvee

·     Three Technique on target for G1 Vanderbilt; River Dog slated for G2 Amsterdam

·     Kimari to bypass the G2 Honorable Miss; Bound for Nowhere sharp in Friday morning work

·     Hombre faces winners in possible Queen’s Plate prep

·     Pacific Gale under consideration for the G1 Ketel One Ballerina 

Reigning Champion Sprinter Whitmore registered his final serious breeze Friday in preparation for the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

The 8-year-old gelding, who won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland, went a half-mile in 48.78 seconds over a fast main track at the Spa, 12 days after travelling the same distance in a swift 47.21 seconds.

Trained by Ron Moquett, Whitmore has amassed more than $4.4 million in lifetime earnings through a record of 41-15-13-4, which includes seven graded stakes victories at four different racetracks. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, his only other Grade 1 victory took place in the 2018 Forego at Saratoga, where he defeated subsequent Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner City of Light.

Whitmore was second in last year’s Vanderbilt, finishing 1 ¼ lengths to Volatile ahead of a distant seventh in the Forego over a sloppy track.

“He went very well this morning,” Moquett said. “I told the rider I wanted 48 or 49 and he did it, and did it the right way so I’m very pleased. He’s training well, doing well, and I like the way he’s running. I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything is right now. He likes the surface at Saratoga. It’s a good track and it seems like he’s settled right in.”

Whitmore has finished in the money in all three starts this year, beginning with a close second by a neck to C Z Rocket in the Hot Springs at Oaklawn, a race he won from 2017-20. Following another second beaten two lengths in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint at the Arkansas oval in April, Whitmore was third by a head in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 1.

Whitmore has won at six different racetracks dating back to November 2015 at Churchill Downs, capturing his debut by 7 ¼ lengths en route to three graded stakes placings at Oaklawn Park while on the Kentucky Derby trail.

While Whitmore is still going strong, most of his previous competitors from 2016 have gone off to the breeding shed. He finished second to 2021 freshman sire Cupid in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park two starts prior to finishing 19th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, which was won by Nyquist – last year’s leading first crop stallion.

“The funny thing is, I have a colt by Cupid, and Whitmore ran against Cupid in the Rebel as a 3-year-old,” Moquett said. “We’re so grateful that he’s with us and we’re always amazed at the outpouring of affection and support for the horse. It’s great to see how many people like and cheer for him.”

Moquett said Whitmore thrives at Oaklawn, where has posted nine wins, but has the ability to take his game on the road.

“He likes Oaklawn because that’s where we’re at when he comes back off his break. He always does well then,” Moquett said. “I know he likes Keeneland and Churchill and Saratoga. I don’t know which one he likes the best, but he likes a fast track.”

Moquett said a repeat win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint is the main objective with the possibility of using the Grade 2, $250,000 Phoenix on October 8 at Keeneland as a springboard. Whitmore captured the 2017 Phoenix by a nose over Awesome Banner.

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. has piloted Whitmore 17 times, including his last three starts, and will have the call for the Vanderbilt. He piloted last year’s winner Volatile.

***

Vequist posts sharp breeze; Beren to re-route to G2 Amsterdam; Mainstay to consider G2 Adirondack

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable’s reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Vequist breezed a half-mile in 47.77 Friday on the Saratoga main track under Jose Lezcano in preparation for a potential seasonal debut at the end of the Saratoga meet.

Trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said the sophomore daughter of Nyquist is working towards a long-term goal of the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomore fillies on September 25 at Parx. It marked the second work back this month for Vequist, who captured the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Keeneland before running ninth in the Grade 2 Davona Dale in February at Gulfstream Park.

"She did very well this morning," said Reid, Jr. "I had her galloping out in 1:01 and 2 and on out in about 1:15. She's fitter than I thought she was. She's actually a little ahead of schedule. I wanted her ready to go five-eighths on the first of August and she's a little ahead of that. I'm very happy with her progress. She's coming along nicely. If everything works out, she could run here before the end of the meet."

The talented dark bay, out of the Mineshaft mare Vero Amore, graduated by 9 1/2-lengths in the Grade 1 Spinaway last summer at Saratoga.

St. Omer's Farm and Christopher J. Feifarek’s Beren posted a sharp 46.60 half-mile bullet work Friday on the main track. The Weigelia sophomore has won his last three starts, capturing the Gold Fever and off-the-turf Paradise Creek at Belmont ahead of a last-out score in the Crowd Pleaser on June 22 at Parx.

Initially under consideration for the nine-furlong $120,000 Curlin on July 30, Reid Jr. said the fast work has him considering the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam on August 1.

"It looks like he came out of it well, but it's made me rethink my strategy a little bit," Reid, Jr. said. "It's hard to think about coming back at a mile and an eighth for the Curlin, when there's the Amsterdam there. Plus, two more days might be very helpful for him."

Reid, Jr. said Swilcan Stable and LC Racing's Mainstay, a 2-year-old half-sister to stablemate Vequist, has come out of her runner-up effort to Pretty Birdie in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on Opening Day July 15 in good order and will now point to the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on August 8.

A 7 3/4-length maiden winner on June 4 over sloppy going at Monmouth, Mainstay bobbled at the start of her graded stakes debut and was unable to reel in a runaway Pretty Birdie.

"She lost concentration coming down the lane. I don't know if it was the crowd, but she ducked in when I thought she had dead aim on the other horse [Pretty Birdie]," Reid Jr. said. "I really think she'll learn from the experience. She came out of it so well, we're thinking about taking a shot at the Adirondack. She hasn't missed an oat since the race and has been training very well."

***

 Masqueparade posts half-mile breeze for G2 Jim Dandy

FTGGG Racing’s graded stakes-winner Masqueparade breezed a half-mile in 47.59 in company over a fast main track Friday in preparation for the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31 at the Spa.

Trainer Al Stall, Jr. said the last-out Grade 3 Ohio Derby winner is coming into the Jim Dandy in fine fettle.

"We're happy with the breeze. He's right on track," Stall, Jr. said. "We'll give him a chance to see how far he can take his talent. We were patient getting to where we got to with him. He's got a good foundation underneath him. He's a laidback horse and real good about everything. He's very easy on himself."

A maiden winner by disqualification at fourth asking traveling 1 1/16-miles on March 20 at Fair Grounds, the Upstart bay followed with a dominant 11 3/4-length optional-claiming win at nine furlongs on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Sent to post as the mutuel favorite in the nine-furlong Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown, Masqueparade posted a half-length score over King Fury, who was a nose better than third-place Keepmeinmind.

The top-three Ohio Derby finishers are all expected to start in the Jim Dandy, a field led by Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets-winner Essential Quality.

"There's a bona fide 3-to-5 shot in there [Essential Quality], so we'll see what happens," Stall, Jr. said. "Our horse is on the upswing, so if he keeps improving he could be there or thereabouts. He deserves a shot. His last two races have been very good and he handled graded competition. The numbers are fine but stepping up to those proven competitors is more a test to me than running against the clock. I think he deserves a chance.”

***

Liberty M D rewards owners’ patience with start in Saratoga graded stakes

Owners Christine and Phil Hatfield went through many setbacks before their filly Liberty M D could even make it on to a track for a race. But their patience and persistence has been rewarded after Liberty M D started her career with two wins in her first two starts.

The 4-year-old daughter of two-time Grade 1-winner Constitution will now give her connections another reward, earning a start in a graded stakes race at Saratoga as she drew post 3 in a seven-horse field of older fillies and mares in Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

After enduring three colic surgeries and building up stamina, Liberty M D commenced her career with a 4 1/4-length win going seven furlongs in May at Churchill Downs for trainer Ian Wilkes. Stretched out to a mile on June 3 over the same track, Liberty M D bested next-out winner Grayonsmacho by a half-length, setting up a spot in the Saratoga starting gate this weekend, where she will have the services of jockey Benjamin Hernandez, Jr. in a field that includes Chad Brown-trained contenders Dunbar Road, Gold Spirit and Royal Flag.

“She came to me late and there’s a big story behind this filly. She’s an amazing filly with amazing owners who have put in the time and effort with her,” Wilkes said. “It’s not often you have a filly who had three colic surgeries and make it back to the track like that.

“For Christine and Phil, the time and care they put into it and the fact they never gave up on her, is special,” Wilkes added. “A lot of people would have given up on her. The care that WinStar gave her and all the crew there; I’m just the last cog in the wheel here. What they did with her to get her to the races is the bigger story than me winning the first two races. She’s a special filly that way.”

Wilkes said he is grateful to reward that persistence by taking a shot in the Shuvee, which will see Liberty M D stretch out around two turns.

“I don’t think Christine will eat or sleep the night before,” Wilkes said with a laugh. “But Liberty M D is ready for the next level, so I need to do it. I think it [the distance] will help her. She’s won at seven-eighths and then a mile. Now, I’m going two turns and going against stakes company. But I think the two turns will help her. She’s a big, long-striding filly who gets into a nice cruising speed.”

Sharon Hudon’s Mischiefful, third in the off-the-turf Coronation Cup going 5 1/2 furlongs on a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track on July 18, could next target the $120,000 Galway on August 15 at Saratoga. Mischiefful’s last two starts have been moved off the turf, preventing the Into Mischief filly from making her grass debut.

After winning the first of those races, capturing an allowance tilt by 5 3/4 lengths on June 10, Wilkes said Mischiefful could make her turf debut in the Galway.

“It was a good effort. I was very pleased with her,” said Wilkes of the Coronation Cup effort. “She probably just needed that race. I was just too easy on her between races and was just was too kind on her, but we’ll come back in the next one in a month’s time and run her back there and probably meet the same fillies. It’ll be fun and we’ll have a good match.”

***

Three Technique on target for G1 Vanderbilt; River Dog slated for G2 Amsterdam

August Dawn Farm’s Three Technique returned to graded stakes company last out with a strong third-place showing in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud going seven furlongs on Belmont Park’s Independence Day card. After garnering a 95 Beyer Speed Figure for finishing 1 3/4 lengths back to winner Mind Control, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said Three Technique will target another high-caliber sprint in the six-furlong Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on July 31 at Saratoga.

The 4-year-old son of Mr Speaker ran twice at Saratoga last year, running 10th in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens and sixth in the Grade 3 Saranac. But after closing 2020 with a pair of mile contests against optional claimers at Belmont and Aqueduct Racetrack, respectively, Englehart said they decided to focus on sprinting for 2021, which resulted in Three Technique’s first career graded stakes black type last out in a “Win and You’re In” qualifier to the Breeders’ Cup. The Vanderbilt will be drawn on Wednesday.

“We’ve made the commitment to see how he handles sprinting and concentrate on the races that fit that category for him,” Englehart said. “He’s always trained fairly well up here. Since he came in during the spring, he’s been training forwardly and doing very well.”

Robert Hahn’s New York homebred River Dog, unraced as a juvenile, has started his career 2-for-2 for Englehart, beginning with a seven-length debut win on May 2 going six furlongs and handling the step up in class and distance with a 1 3/4-length victory in the seven-furlong Mike Lee over a muddy and sealed Belmont track on May 31.

The Twirling Candy colt will likely head to the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam for sophomores going 6 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga main track on August 1, Englehart said. After besting fellow state breds in the Mike Lee, River Dog will now face a stiffer test.

River Dog has recorded his last six works at Saratoga dating to May 15, including a bullet four-furlong effort in 47.19 seconds on July 10 over the Oklahoma main track and a work on July 17 also going a half-mile in 49.11 over the Spa main track. The Amsterdam will draw on Thursday.

“We’ll run him in the Amsterdam. Hopefully, he shows he can compete against open company, but he’s been doing very well,” Englehart said. “He’s been very strong in his works.”

Emcee Stable’s A Life That’s Good, who broke her maiden as a juvenile in December at Aqueduct, won a stakes race for Englehart last out, capturing the Niagara at New York’s Finger Lakes on June 28, and the New York homebred will run back at the track in the 34th running of the $75,000 New York Oaks on Monday in Western New York.

The 3-year-old Congrats filly made her first career start in October on the Belmont turf before being moved to the main track. Englehart said following the New York Oaks, she could run at either Saratoga towards the end of the 40-day summer meet, or target the Belmont fall meet.

A Life That’s Good’s win in the Niagara was her first start in five months since running fifth in her 2021 bow in the Franklin Square in January at the Big A. The showcase day for New York breds at Belmont on October 30 could also be a long-term goal, Englehart said.

“We were just trying to find a spot to start her out [in the Niagara] and she got a little tired, as expected, but Andre Worrie gave her a really nice ride in that race,” Englehart said. “The plan was to get her to the New York Oaks and see how she’ll handle the distance and two turns. Hopefully, she puts in a good performance on Monday.

“Either towards the end of the meet here or Saratoga or the showcase day at Belmont could be a possibility,” Englehart said.

***

Kimari to bypass the G2 Honorable Miss; Bound for Nowhere sharp in Friday morning work

Trainer Wesley Ward said he will skip the Grade 2 Honorable Miss with Ten Broeck Farm’s Kimari, who has not run since capturing the Grade 1 Madison on April 3 at Keeneland.

While nothing is physically amiss with the 4-year-old daughter of Munnings, Ward said she wasn’t showing the energy she previously had shown during morning training.

“She’s doing well, just not quite as good as she was previously so I thought we should err on the side of caution,” Ward said. “We did some X-rays and according to Dr. [Luis] Castro, she was perfect. But visually, she wasn’t quite kicking the same way she had. We gave her a break because she ran such a big race at Keeneland. When I lead her over there, I would want her to 100 percent.”

Ward breezed graded stakes winner Bound for Nowhere a bullet five furlongs in 59.40 over the turf course at the Oklahoma training track on Friday morning. Owned by Ward, the 7-year-old son of The Factor worked in company with Wink [59.80].

The winner of two non-consecutive editions of the Grade 2 Shakertown [2018, 2021] at Keeneland is targeting Grade 3, $200,000 Troy on August 6 at Saratoga.

“I was excited. I hadn’t seen him work like that in quite some time,” Ward said. “He was just pricking his ears the last sixteenth with lots of speed to spare. He was bouncing coming off of the track.”

Ward said he was unsure as to a next start for Stonestreet Stables’ Wink, who captured Gulfstream Park’s Melody of Colors in February ahead of a ninth in the Mamzelle at Churchill Downs.

“There are lots of turf sprints around, so we’ll be picking something out shortly,” Ward said. “She worked well. She needs a very firm course and with all that give in the ground, she wasn’t as effective. When it’s fast and firm she skips right along.”

***

Hombre faces winners in possible Queen’s Plate prep

Robert Cudney’s Ontario-bred Hombre will take on winners for the first time in a Saturday allowance optional claiming event for sophomores at 1 1/16 miles over the Mellon turf course.

Trained by Barclay Tagg, the dark bay or brown son of Tourist was victorious at second asking when travelling the same distance over a yielding inner turf course at Belmont Park on July 4. Hombre was placed closer to the pace than his previous start, where he was taken up after the break and was last of 11 but made up enough ground to finish fifth.

Hombre faces stakes placed Space Launch as well as well-bred maiden winners Performing Arts, Sifting Sands, and Munqad in Saturday’s engagement.

“He’s coming around really well. We got new shoes on him and he’s being doing great since then,” Tagg said.

Tagg indicated that the $1 million Queen’s Plate, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, could be in play for Hombre with a solid effort on Saturday. The 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate is slated for August 22 on the Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack.

Bred in Ontario by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, Hombre is out of the Perfect Soul mare Classic Soul and is a half to stakes-winner Speedy Soul.

***

Pacific Gale under consideration for the G1 Ketel One Ballerina

Trainer John Kimmel said Holly Hill Stables' multiple graded-stakes winner Pacific Gale, who had been under consideration for Wednesday's Grade 3 Honorable Miss, may instead point towards the Grade 1, $500,0000 Ketel One Ballerina on August 28, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1, Breeders' Cup Distaff.

"She's doing great," Kimmel said. "We'll train her up and point her towards something else; maybe the Ballerina."

The 6-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Flat Out posted consecutive graded stakes wins at Gulfstream over the winter, capturing the Grade 2 Inside Info in January with Hall of Famer John Velazquez up and the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie in March under Junior Alvarado.

Last out, a sharp Pacific Gale made the lead at the half-mile call en route to finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney on July 3 at Gulfstream.

"She was too sharp last time. Her best races have been when she's covered up and sits in the pocket and Johnny or Junior have a good hold of her and sit and wait," Kimmel said. "When it's time to run and they put her in the clear, she'll give a good spurt. But when she's on top and has no cover, she has a tendency to pull a little too much. In the Princess Rooney, they went three-quarters in 1:08 and 4. She just showed too much early pace and got a little tired."

Kimmel said Flanagan Racing's The Reds, who had been under consideration for the $120,000 Curlin on July 30, will instead regroup with an eye to a start at the end of the meet. Last out, the Tonalist chestnut finished seventh in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown.

"He's not come back real strong off his race in Indiana," Kimmel said. "I thought he'd come around, but we might have to target something towards the end of the meet. That was a totally off-form performance last time. We'll just have to do right by the horse."

Bred in Kentucky by R.S. Evans, The Reds graduated in January at Aqueduct traveling nine-furlongs on the main track ahead of a fifth in the Grade 3 Gotham in March. He was elevated to first in the Federico Tesio at Pimlico in April before finishing a good second in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Pennine Ridge on May 29 at Belmont.

Kimmel said Chester and Mary Broman's popular New York-bred Mr. Buff is on target for the $100,000 Evan Shipman Handicap, a nine-furlong test for state-breds 3-years-old and up on August 11.

Mr. Buff, who worked five furlongs in 1:02.45 under Junior Alvarado Friday on the Oklahoma dirt training track, captured the 2019 Evan Shipman.

"He's doing fine. A two turn mile and an eighth is his kind of race," Kimmel said.