Plum Ali Tops Clement Duo Entered in P. G. Johnson
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Photo: RMP
Plum Ali wins her first outing at Saratoga Race Course
Trainer Christophe Clement will look to build on his successful meet when he saddles promising maiden winner Plum Ali in the $100,000 P. G. Johnson Stakes for juvenile fillies going 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course.
Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, Plum Ali made her career debut a winning one with a last-out victory going two turns in a July 23 maiden special weight over the Mellon turf course. The chestnut daughter of First Samurai was six lengths off the pace early on and made a four-wide bid to secure a two-length victory.
Plum Ali has breezed three times since her maiden win, recently posting a half-mile work Aug. 23 in :49.74 over the Oklahoma training turf.
"She's a good filly, she's trained very forwardly," Clement said. "There's a bit of a question mark in terms of the ground, but I am very happy with her. I just hope that the ground is not too extreme."
A victory would give Clement an eighth stakes victory of the meet.
Jockey Joel Rosario will return to the saddle from post 2.
Clement also sends out Mischievous Dream, who will stretch out to two turns for the first time after finishing fourth in the Bolton Landing Stakes Aug. 19 at the Spa. A Patricia Generazio New York home-bred, the bay daughter of Into Mischief won on debut, sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over the Mellon turf at the Spa July 19. Mischievous Dream is out of the Trippi mare Just Livin a Dream, who is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winning multimillionaire on turf Presious Passion.
"She will likely be the speed of the race," Clement said.
Mischievous Dream will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 3.
Trainer Graham Motion will be represented by Invincible Gal, a half-length maiden winner on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 7 at Saratoga.
The bay daughter of Invincible Spirit is out of the Acclamation broodmare Alsindi and is owned by Mike Ryan, Jeff Drown, and Team Hanley. She was purchased overseas at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, where she was hammered down to Ryan for $258,110. Jockey Jose Ortiz will be aboard from post 1.
Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables' Simply Ravishing arrives off a maiden victory going two turns at Saratoga Aug. 2. Bred in New York by Meg Levy, the Kenny McPeek-trained daughter of Laoban defeated open company in her career debut at 14-1 odds. Simply Ravishing is out of the More Than Ready broodmare Four Wishes. Jockey Luis Saez will ride Simply Ravishing from the outside post.
Completing the main body of the field is Matthew Schera's Thursday, who takes a big jump up in class for trainer James Lawrence II. The daughter of Midshipman was a two-length winner in her first career start at Delaware Park, where she ran for a $40,000 tag. Jockey Jose Lezcano will ride from post 4.
The Todd Pletcher-trained pair of Union Gables and Con Lima has been entered for the main track only.
Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, September 03, 2020, Race 3Entries: P. G. Johnson S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Invincible Gal (GB)
Jose L. Ortiz
122
H. Graham Motion
8/5
2
2Plum Ali (KY)
Joel Rosario
122
Christophe Clement
6/5
3
3Mischievous Dream (NY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
122
Christophe Clement
4/1
4
4Thursday (KY)
Jose Lezcano
120
James L. Lawrence, II
20/1
5
5Union Gables (KY)
Rider TBA
120
Todd A. Pletcher
5/2
6
6Con Lima (TX)
Rider TBA
120
Todd A. Pletcher
7/5
7
7Simply Ravishing (NY)
Luis Saez
122
Kenneth G. McPeek
9/2
