DEL MAR, Calif. – For the last two months, trainer Ron McAnally has targeted the $250,000 John Mabee Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 10 for Miss Serendipity, the winner of the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in May.
McAnally thinks so highly of Miss Serendipity that she is looked upon as a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita this fall. How Miss Serendipity preps for that race this month is a concern for McAnally.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Having captured her second Grade 1 win of the year in Saturday’s Test Stakes at Saratoga, Sweet Reason may look to contend for a divisional title against Untapable in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing on Sept. 20.
Trainer Leah Gyarmati said Sunday morning that even before the Test, the Cotillion, a 1 1/16-mile race around two turns, was a race she and owner Jeff Treadway had considered for Sweet Reason, a daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A rematch between Palace and Happy My Way, the one-two finishers in Saturday’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, will likely have to wait until the fall as both horses have the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont on Sept. 27 as their objectives.
Linda Rice, the trainer of Palace, has not completely ruled out running back in the Grade 1 Forego here on Aug. 30, but said given the schedule that her colt has maintained, she might prefer to give him some time.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Shug McGaughey wasn’t ready to declare Mr Speaker a definite starter for the $1.25 million Travers just yet, but he certainly sounded like he was headed in that direction after watching his 3-year-old work a solid five furlongs in 59.72 seconds over Saratoga’s main track Saturday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Red Outlaw, who remained unbeaten in four starts with a one-length win in Friday’s $201,000 Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar, will start around two turns for the first time in the $100,000 El Cajon Stakes for 3-year-olds over a mile Aug. 29.
“That race seems to make the most sense,” trainer Peter Miller said Saturday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Albert’s Hope, who won the 2013 Best Pal Stakes, is nearing a comeback after an absence of nearly a year.
On Friday at Los Alamitos, Albert’s Hope worked five furlongs in 1:01.40. A gelding owned by Jason Tackitt, Albert’s Hope has been working on a regular basis since late June.
Albert’s Hope has not raced since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity last September, his only loss in a three-race career. Trainer Mike Puype said Albert’s Hope was sidelined last fall with minor injuries.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Fashion Plate, the winner of two Grade 1 races at Santa Anita this year, worked a half-mile in 46.80 seconds Saturday. For now, she is a candidate for the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks over 1 1/8 miles on turf Aug. 16.
No turf racing was held at Del Mar over the weekend, and turf racing will not resume until this coming Saturday because of a series of breakdowns and concern over the firmness of the course. Trainer Simon Callaghan said he is hopeful that the issues that have plagued the course will be resolved through a track maintenance program this week.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Silver Max recently arrived at Saratoga from Kentucky and immediately showed a fondness for his new surroundings, working a strong half-mile in 48.28 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course in preparation for the $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap.
With jockey Robby Albarado in the irons, Silver Max went his first quarter-mile in 24.32 seconds and got his final quarter in 23.96 while permitted to work inside of the dogs, orange cones that usually keep turf workers to the outside. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.35.
Even as Princess of Sylmar was winning four consecutive Grade 1 races last year and compiling a bankroll that is now more than $2 million, trainer Todd Pletcher felt at times that the filly wasn’t giving her all.
Now that Princess of Sylmar has lost two consecutive Grade 1 stakes, Pletcher feels the time is right to make a change that he hopes will help the filly return to her winning ways.
