SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2006
by Bernard T. Moore
For those who might be unaware, Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat), who was clearly
second best to Bernardini in the Travers S. (G1) on Saturday, has been retired.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Bluegrass Cat exited the Travers with a fractured
right hind pastern bone. On Sunday morning, the Haskell Invitational S. (G1)
winner was found to be lame in his right hind leg, and was later diagnosed as
suffering a non-displaced fracture. It has not been determined whether or not
Bluegrass Cat will need surgery.
Despite the disturbing news concerning Bluegrass Cat, just about everything else
was normal for trainer Todd Pletcher on Monday, as he teamed up with jockey John
Velazquez to annex yet another feature race, winning the Rumpipumpy S. with
SAFARI QUEEN (Arg) (Lode).
Allowed to settle into stride down the backstretch, the Argentinean-bred
runner stalked the early pace carved out by Moonshine Gal (Forest Wildcat) until
upper stretch. At that point, Velazquez decided to give the 9-5 favorite her
head, and she responded, drawing away to a daylight lead. Safari Queen was 3 1/2
lengths to the good at the eighth pole, and then withstood a late bid from Gisellous (Awad) in deep stretch to score by a little
more than two lengths.
Gisellous, a Mid-Atlantic shipper, was outrun for most of the race before
offering a wide rally around the far turn. She closed widest and best of all
late, but was never a serious threat as she continued to reduce her deficit to
the wire. Pyrana (Anabaa) was allowed to drop too far behind the pace before
making a threatening move on the far turn. She failed to sustain her bid in the
stretch, but did manage to pass tired horses late to get the show. Steel Buns (A.P.
Indy) raced in the second flight of runners down the backstretch, and moved to
within striking distance of Safari Queen in midstretch. However, she came up
empty thereafter and finished sixth as the 9-2 second choice in the betting.
The main track played uniformly throughout the day as did both turf courses.
There did not appear to any path bias.
Horses to Watch
2ND – IRON GODDESS (More Than Ready) showed a good effort in her well
bet/well meant career debut against males. A $250,000 yearling purchase at
Keeneland in 2004, she broke a bit slowly while bobbling at the start.
She raced a bit wide and subsequently finished with interest late to be a clear
second in an encouraging showing. Her dam’s lone victory came on the turf at one
mile, and Iron Goddess may want more distance as well. She should have derived
beneficial conditioning and experience from this effort, and should appear in
future contests against her own sex.
3RD – CAYUGA’S WATERS (Langfuhr) was victimized by a tough trip switching
back to the main track and lugging highweight of 124 pounds. She was extremely
rank around the first turn switching to stalking tactics while trapped behind
the frontrunner, and continued to race toward the rail into the stretch.
Cayuga’s Waters remained pinned down while behind the winner along the rail,
with
the second place-finisher keeping her boxed in, as jockey Julien Leparoux
desperately attempted in vain to get her outside for her stretch bid. She might
have won with clear sailing. Absolutely adores a racetrack with even the
slightest hint of moisture.
Outlook for Wednesday, August 30
Partly cloudy skies are forecast for Wednesday with a high around 77.
Stakes action for the final week of the Saratoga meet kicks off with the P.
G. Johnson S. for two-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles over the Mellon turf
course.
BRUSHED GOLD (Touch Gold) is the lone entrant in the field to boast a
turf win over a route of ground. Those details, in addition to the fact that she
is trained by Todd Pletcher, will undoubtedly make her the favorite in the
betting. Brushed Gold broke her maiden at first asking during opening week at Saratoga, and that experience should serve her well as she meets winners.
She will be ridden once again by jockey John Velazquez.
Also expected to attract support at the mutuel windows is CHANGEISGONNACOME
(Cherokee Run) off a double-digit victory in her most recent effort at
Colonial Downs on August 6, albeit on the dirt. She closed
strongly from well off the pace in her unveiling on grass in her prior start,
demonstrating that she can at least handle the surface switch today attempting a
distance of ground. She attracts Edgar Prado.
SOPHIE’S SALAD (Rahy) ran to her turf pedigree when unveiled by trainer James
Toner on August 9 in a sprint. She finished with good energy late to be a close
up third, and will be equipped with Lasix and blinkers in her second career
start. She should benefit from that initial experience and more distance today.
HOLD THAT THOUGHT (Freud) rallied smartly to win going away in her career
debut for trainer Gary Contessa. That race was against New York-bred runners, so
she will be stepping up and stretching out today in her second career start.
Wednesday’s Best Plays
2ND – MEDIA CITY (Forest Camp) had a good “education” race in his career
debut on July 26 for trainer Eoin Harty. He demonstrated his lack of experience
racing three-wide while chasing a quick pace from an outside post. He
understandably tired late against a impressive daylight winner in a swiftly run
contest. Should obviously be much fitter in his second career start, and has
worked four times since, including a couple of near bullet morning trials.
Media City draws an inside post and gets weight off switching to an extremely
live five-pound apprentice rider in the form of Leparoux. A much improved
performance is anticipated for a trainer who does well with horses with a race
under their belt.
8TH – Brushed Gold appears well spotted to register her initial
stakes success in just her second start. Brushed Gold was a determined winner in
her career debut at today’s 1 1/16-mile distance, a difficult assignment for a
first timer. She overcame an outside post and a wide trip that day to loom a
dangerous presence on the far turn, and then closed determinedly in the stretch
to score by a half-length in a race that quickened noticeably late. She is well
spotted tackling winners, and she enjoys an advantage of a recent winning race
over the course and distance. And, if that were not enough, trainer Todd Pletcher boasts an unbelievable 30 percent strike rate with runners making their
second lifetime start.