Miss Isella tops Personal Ensign octet

Miss Isella figures to inherit plenty of stamina from her sire, dual classic winner Silver Charm (Equi-Sport Photos) MISS ISELLA (Silver Charm) came up a little short when finishing second as the betting favorite in the Go For Wand H. (G1) earlier in the Saratoga meet, but the four-year-old filly will look to make amends for that setback in Sunday’s $400,000 Personal Ensign S. (G1). She’ll face seven other fillies and mares in the 62nd edition of the 1 1/4-mile event. A three-time Grade 2 winner at Churchill Downs, including victories this season in the Fleur de Lis H. and Louisville S., Miss Isella will keep jockey Calvin Borel in the saddle as she seeks her first stakes victory outside of Kentucky. The gray finished fast in deep stretch of the Go for Wand, coming up 1 1/2 lengths short of Seventh Street (Street Cry [Ire]), and she won’t have to face that rival in the Personal Ensign. Ian Wilkes trains the 120-pound top weight. “She’s always tried hard,” Wilkes said of the 5-2 favorite on the morning line. “She’s always been an honest filly, and watching, you hope they mature that way. She’s gained confidence as she’s gotten older.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher has a trio of superb fillies entered in the Personal
Ensign, headed by Team Valor International’s UNBRIDLED BELLE (Broken Vow), a
winner of seven of her 21 starts and more than $1.7 million. Now six, the bay
will be making her fourth start of 2009, having taken the Obeah S. (G3) at
Delaware Park in the slop on June 20 prior to a third as the favorite in the
Delaware H. (G2) on July 19.

“She’s just a good, hard-knocking filly,” said Pletcher of Unbridled Belle,
the 2007 Beldame (G1) winner who has placed in the last two runnings of the
Personal Ensign.

Unbridled Belle, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, drew post 2 and
will be ridden by John Velazquez.

WITH FLYING COLORS (A.P. Indy), who recorded her first stakes victory when
annexing the Floral Park Heatherten S. by 2 1/4 lengths last time out at Belmont
Park on June 21, will make her first start for Pletcher in the Personal Ensign.
A half-sister to champion and 2004 Personal Ensign winner Storm Flag Flying
(Storm Cat), the four-year-old filly is out of multiple Grade 1-winning
millionaire My Flag (Easy Goer), and her second dam is none other than Hall of
Famer Personal Ensign. She will keep Edgar Prado in the saddle.

Pletcher also entered Grade 3 queen SEA CHANTER (War Chant), but plans to run her on Monday in an overnight stakes, should the race fill.

Delaware ‘Cap heroine SWIFT TEMPER (Giant’s Causeway) will make her Spa
debut for trainer Dale Romans. Winner of the Sixty Sails H. (G3) earlier this
season, the five-year-old mare has finished no worse than third in five straight
graded stakes appearances and is listed at 4-1. Alan Garcia retains the mount on
the front runner. Delaware ‘Cap runner-up ICON PROJECT (Empire Maker) also merits
respect. The Marty Wolfson-conditioned filly rolled to a 13 1/4-length score in
the off-the-turf New York S. (G3) two starts back and has garnered 106 BRIS
Speed ratings in each of her last two starts. She’s the early 7-2 third choice
with Julien Leparoux.

Completing the field are MORENA (Per) (Privately Held), a Peruvian mare
making her third start in the United States; and Grade 3 winner and Go for Wand
fourth-placer WEATHERED (Key Contender).