Saratoga will offer a pair of $200,000, Grade 2 turf stakes on Saturday’s
Travers S. (G1) undercard, and the Bernard Baruch and Ballston Spa both came up
very competitive. The nine-furlong Bernard Baruch will mark the first start in
nearly eight months for multiple Grade 2 victor BADGE OF SILVER (Silver Deputy),
who made an impressive turf debut when capturing the San Gabriel H. (G2) on New
Year’s Day and is Saturday’s highweight at 118 pounds. The six-year-old horse
was subsequently sidelined by an ankle injury, but he’s trained forwardly since
returning to trainer Bobby Frankel’s barn and has run well fresh before.
“He’s had a few operations, a lot of nicks and bruises along the way,”
Frankel explained. “He has been stopped and started on throughout his career,
but he’s ready to run a winning race on Saturday. We are not using (the Baruch)
as a prep to bigger things. He is in there to win. He’s been training great.”
Multiple Grade 2 winner DREADNAUGHT (Lac Ouimet), an excellent second in the
Dixie S. (G2) in his last start at nine furlongs, didn’t have much success at
longer distances in his last two outings and may relish the cutback in the
Bernard Baruch. Stakes winner ASHKAL WAY (Ire) (Ashkalani) will enter off a good
second in the Fourstardave H. (G2) earlier this meet, and T. D. VANCE (Rahy) won
last year’s National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. (G2) over the
Saratoga turf. FISHY ADVICE (Woodman) is undefeated in two starts this season
for trainer David Donk, including a sharp 3 1/4-length triumph in the Caesar
Rodney S. last time out at Delaware Park.
From the rail, the Bernard Baruch runners, with jockeys and weights, are
Dreadnaught, Cornelio Velasquez, 116; Fishy Advice, John Velazquez, 115; ETESAAL
(Danzig), Eibar Coa, 115; TERRIFIC STORM (Storm Cat), Kent Desormeaux, 113;
QUEST STAR (Broad Brush), Julien Leparoux, 115; INTERPATATION (Langfuhr), Rafael
Bejarano, 113; Badge of Silver, Edgar Prado; LEADWITHYOURCHIN (Dynaformer),
Fernando Jara, 113; Ashkal Way, Garrett Gomez, 115; and T. D. Vance, Ramon
Dominguez, 115.
In the 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa, Grade 1 queen SWEET TALKER (Stormin Fever)
is the 121-pound highweight. After opening her 2006 campaign with two straight
stakes wins, the Graham Motion-trained four-year-old finished a good second to
the brilliant mare Dance in the Mood (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) in the CashCall Mile
Invitational S. (G3) at Hollywood Park. In her last outing, Sweet Talker just
missed in the 1 1/8-mile Diana H. (G1), finishing second by a head over the yielding
Saratoga turf. She’ll have regular rider Dominguez aboard.
“I thought she ran a huge race (in the Diana),” Motion said. “It’s tough to
be disappointed when she ran so hard. That race might have been longer than she
wants to go.”
The field of eight also contains MY TYPHOON (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway), a sharp
winner of the Mint Julep H. (G3) two starts back and a close fourth in the
Diana; English Group 3 winner and multiple Grade/Group 1 runner-up KAREN’S CAPER
(War Chant), who figures to improve in her second start this year for Frankel;
and Grade 3 victress ASI SIEMPRE (El Prado [Ire]), who recorded a nice win over
the course in the De La Rose S. last time out.
The Patrick Biancone-trained Asi Siempre, with apprentice Leparoux up, will
carry 117 pounds and breaks from the rail. Next comes Sweet Talker; Karen’s
Caper, Prado, 115; OZONE BERE (Fr) (Verglas [Ire]), Javier Castellano, 115;
STELLA BLUE (Fr) (Anabaa), Velazquez, 113; SIXTY ROCKETTS (Belong to Me),
Bejarano, 113; My Typhoon, Gomez, 118; and ART FAN (Lear Fan), Coa, 114.