Grace Under Pressure

The last Saturday at Saratoga featured three grade one races, all with varying degrees of importance now that the calender has turned to September. The highlight of the day being Havre De Grace's attempt at beating the older colts.


The Personal Ensign was rescheduled from August 27th to this Saturday due to inclement weather. It didn't make a difference to Ask The Moon, who swept the distaff races at Saratoga with a wire to wire win. With the older filly division depleted beyond the top two (Blind Luck and Havre De Grace) and the three year old females yet to take on their elders, it should be an interesting set of fall races.


Jackson Bend spent last year chasing some of the better runners of his generation with nothing to show for it other than a few tough beats. What a difference a year makes, the sprint division is anyone's for the taking and his win in the Forego puts him squarely in the lead group of contenders for champion sprinter. The last few seasons the Forego has served as a highly important race earmarked by Midnight Lute and Big Drama winning the Breeders' Cup Sprint after a start in the Forego.


Rachel Alexandra used the Woodward as the end to a perfect season and Horse of the Year honors, this year Havre De Grace is trying the same path to the eclipse awards. Tracking Rule most of the way and being asked for run during the stretch when needed she was an authoritative winner. The race in all likelihood did not take as much energy out of the victor as it did Rachel Alexandra two years ago, Rachel was on the lead the whole way and had to fight off a few late challengers in order to stay perfect for the year. Havre De Grace avoided any dirt in the face and took a wide trip sweeping by Rule with ease, there is probably enough left in the proverbial tank for one more race before the end of the year. The prospectus of the colts and geldings aiming for the classic is not an imposing bunch, so it may be worth it for Havre De Grace to take another shot at the males in the Breeders' Cup Classic. She has already showed an ability to go the distance and that is half the battle in the Classic.

Yet another another Woodward and another heavy chalk running

Closing Weekend at the Spa and the usual stakes are on tap around the country with the exception of the Pennsylvania Derby, which has been moved to the end of September and will probably act as a feeder for the Breeders Cup Classic. Philadelphia Park (there is no way I am calling that track Parx) replaced the Pennsylvania Derby with a lucrative prep for said event called the Smarty Jones. On my count that is two races named in honor the Kentucky Derby winner, Oaklawn has a stakes named the Smarty Jones as well.

On Saturday at Saratoga a horse of legendary status is set to start his march towards greatness, that horse is Mr. Fantasy. The impressive winner of the Withers that Greg posted about a few times last year is looking to get his year back on track after two straight tough beats. The race that Mr. Fantasy is entered in is race three and it shapes up like a good listed stakes race featuring Brother Bird (half to Mine That Bird) and Safe Trip who was last seen chasing Discreetly Mine. This race is certainly one to watch out for and probably will be a productive next out race.

The Forego came up a full field with lots of viable contenders, Bribon turned in two straight good efforts going six furlongs and seems to show no signs of slowing down. Vineyard Haven has been a model of consistency at this track with two wins and two placings out of four starts. Big Drama is back to what he does best and that is sprinting, seven furlongs is no issue either with two wins at the distance. Warrior's Reward is another one who relishes the 7/8 of a mile trip with wins in three out of five tries. If anything, this race is wide open with a few solid opportunities to make a good score.

The Woodward has had recent history being a playground for the heavy chalk. In the last three years champion runners Lawyer Ron, Curlin, and Rachel Alexandra won with heavy public support. This year the morning line favorite is Quality Road who is listed at 1/4, when a morning line odds maker is setting the odds that low it usually means that they don't too high of an opinion on the rest of the field. The morning line odds maker has enough trouble listing a horse at 50/1 and seeing the extreme from either end of the spectrum is rare.

The rest of the weekend at Saratoga has two grade three turf stakes, the Hopeful, and the Spinaway. Might as well lump these four stakes together, because the juvenile picture is almost always murky no matter what the experts say and Greg has a better idea of turf racing than yours truly.

As far as the the Hopeful and Spinaway being an effective barometer for the future of the juvenile division it has a bad recent record, especially the Spinaway. Hot Dixie Chick has not been the same this year, Irish Smoke never ran that race again in her career, Mani Bhavan never developed, and Appealing Zophie did not run back to this effort in her career. The last horse to go on to do anything of consequence from this race was Ashado back in 2003 who went on win the Kentucky Oaks among her other accomplishments. The Hopeful has a better record of turning out future stars in the sport. Silver Wagon won this race in 2003 and went on to win a few stakes races, Birdstone also ran in this race and he ended up winning the Belmont and Travers. Afleet Alex was champion three year old the following year after capturing the Arkansas Derby, Preakness, and Belmont. Vineyard Haven won this race two years ago and had a solid abbreviated campaign with a win in a grade one sprint at Laurel and placings in the King's Bishop and the Cigar Mile Handicap.