Saratoga’s Thursday program kicks off with $75,000
A.P.
Smithwick Memorial (NSA-G2) over 2 1/16 miles, a prep for the meet’s top
steeplechase event, the August 28 New York Turf Writers Cup (NSA-G1).
MIXED UP (Carnivalay) hopes to reverse modest recent form to record his
second consecutive victory in the race. He prevailed by a half-length in the
2007 Smithwick for his second biggest win of the season, having previously taken
down the Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings (NSA-G1) at Keeneland. The Jonathan
Sheppard trainee has been well beaten in four subsequent starts, but Sheppard
blamed some of those losses on the presence of a blood disease which left the
now nine-year-old gelding dehydrated.
SALFORD CITY (Ire) (Desert Sun [GB]), a Group 3 winner on the flat in England
and a Group 2 winner over hurdles in Ireland, will make his American debut for
trainer Gordon Elliot. The seven-year-old last raced on July 20, finishing
seventh in a Group 3 event at Tipperary.
Two females, multiple Grade 3 winner GUELPH (Sky Classic) and Grade 3-placed
CLASS SHADOW (Rock Point), are part of the Smithwick cast, as is SPY IN THE SKY
(Thunder Gulch), a neck second two back in the Marcellus Frost Hurdle (NSA-G3).
The featured flat race is the $150,000
Statue of
Liberty S. for three-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Recent
Virginia Oaks (G3) winner I LOST MY CHOO (Western Expression) will be heavily
favored to win the race, which is part of the New York Stallion Stakes series.