Weekend Stakes Rundown: Travers Day at Saratoga
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Jamie Coulter
Arrogate won the 2016 Travers on his way to a 3-year-old championship. This year's winner may be on his way to the same honor
Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week there are six grade 1 races at Saratoga Race Course, topped by the Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern) and full previews can be found through the link for each race.
Saturday, Aug. 26
2:23 p.m.—$700,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course
After a less-than-spectacular victory in the Delaware Handicap (G1), Songbird's connections are hoping she comes back fitter and ready to claim her fourth victory in the state of New York and third at Saratoga. Her main challenger appears to be last-out Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) winner Forever Unbridled, a multiple grade 1 winner in her own right.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 6Entries: Personal Ensign S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Flora Dora (FL)
Florent Geroux
117
Marialice Coffey
20/1
2
2Songbird (KY)
Mike E. Smith
123
Jerry Hollendorfer
2/5
3
3Going for Broke (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
117
Chad C. Brown
5/1
4
4Forever Unbridled (KY)
Joel Rosario
123
Dallas Stewart
7/2
5
5Eskenformoney (KY)
Javier Castellano
117
Todd A. Pletcher
12/1
2:59 p.m.—$500,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course
Paulassilverlining, the pro-tem leader of the female sprint division, will put a four-race win streak on the line in the Ballerina. Since she was purchased privately by Juddmonte Farms earlier this year and transferred to the barn of Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, Paulassilverlining has won each of her three starts this season, including victories in the Madison Stakes (G1) and Humana Distaff Stakes (G1).
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 7Entries: Ketel One Ballerina S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Birdatthewire (KY)
Manuel Franco
117
Thomas F. Proctor
20/1
2
2Curlin's Approval (KY)
Luis Saez
124
Happy Alter
4/1
3
3Paulassilverlining (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
124
Chad C. Brown
2/1
4
4By the Moon (KY)
Rajiv Maragh
119
Michelle Nevin
3/1
5
5Carina Mia (KY)
Javier Castellano
121
Chad C. Brown
7/2
6
6Distinta (KY)
John R. Velazquez
121
Todd A. Pletcher
8/1
7
7Highway Star (NY)
Angel S. Arroyo
121
Rodrigo A. Ubillo
10/1
3:35 p.m.—$500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course
Undefeated in four one-turn races, Practical Joke will try to extend that streak when he cuts back in distance for the Jerkens, formerly named the King's Bishop Stakes. Practical Joke won the first three starts of his career, which included a pair of wins at Saratoga, a maiden debut victory going six furlongs followed by a score in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 8Entries: H. Allen Jerkens S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Practical Joke (KY)
Joel Rosario
121
Chad C. Brown
5/2
2
2Takaful (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
117
Kiaran P. McLaughlin
5/1
3
3Tale of Silence (KY)
Manuel Franco
117
Barclay Tagg
10/1
4
4Wild Shot (KY)
Jose Lezcano
119
George R. Arnold, II
30/1
5
5Ann Arbor Eddie (CA)
Mario Gutierrez
117
Doug F. O'Neill
15/1
6
6Phi Beta Express (KY)
Kendrick Carmouche
117
Danny Gargan
30/1
7
7Coal Front (KY)
John R. Velazquez
121
Todd A. Pletcher
4/1
8
8No Dozing (KY)
Javier Castellano
117
Arnaud Delacour
12/1
9
9American Anthem (KY)
Mike E. Smith
121
Bob Baffert
2/1
3:46 p.m.—$100,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park (G3)
The class of the Iselin cast is Eagle, who has the ability to run down the speedy Conquest Big E on his best day. The son of Candy Ride rallied from 11 lengths off the lead to win Indiana Downs' Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes July 15. Trained by Neil Howard, Eagle started in 10 successive graded tilts prior, and finished just a half-length shy of Bradester in last summer's Stephen Foster Handicap (G1).
Monmouth Park, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 7Entries: Philip H. Iselin S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Mr. Jordan (FL)
Frankie Pennington
116
Edward Plesa, Jr.
3/1
2
2Just Call Kenny (VA)
Eddie Castro
116
Patrick B. McBurney
3/1
3
3Conquest Big E (KY)
Jilver Chamafi
116
Donna Green Hurtak
2/1
4
4Discreet Lover (FL)
UNKNOWN
116
Uriah St. Lewis
12/1
5
5Eagle (KY)
James Graham
120
Neil J. Howard
3/2
4:12 p.m.—$600,000 Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course
Looking to rebound from his last start in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) July 29 when he ducked in at the gap and lost rider Mike Smith, reigning champion sprinter Drefong will attempt to add another Saratoga grade 1 to his résumé. Last year he won the King's Bishop by 3 1/4 lengths.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 9Entries: Forego S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Stallwalkin' Dude (FL)
Joe Bravo
118
David Jacobson
8/1
2
2Ross (IRE)
Andrasch Starke
118
Peter Schiergen
15/1
3
3Tom's Ready (PA)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
Dallas Stewart
20/1
4
4Divining Rod (KY)
Javier Castellano
118
Arnaud Delacour
5/1
5
5Awesome Slew (FL)
John R. Velazquez
120
Mark E. Casse
6/1
6
6Mind Your Biscuits (NY)
Joel Rosario
124
Chad Summers
3/1
7
7Tommy Macho (KY)
Luis Saez
120
Todd A. Pletcher
8/1
8
8Tale of S'avall (KY)
Manuel Franco
118
Barclay Tagg
12/1
9
9Very Very Stella (FL)
Carlos J. Hernandez
118
Jose Noda-Fernandez
30/1
10
10Drefong (KY)
Mike E. Smith
124
Bob Baffert
5/2
4:49 p.m.—$1 million Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course
The Niarchos Family's Irish-bred Erupt will try to make 2017 his third consecutive year with a grade/group 1 victory. The 5-year-old son of Dubawi is one of seven entered for the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier for the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 4 at Del Mar.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 10Entries: Sword Dancer S. (G1T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Frank Conversation (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
120
Doug F. O'Neill
20/1
2
2Bigger Picture (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
124
Michael J. Maker
8/1
3
3Sadler's Joy (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Thomas Albertrani
5/1
4
4Hunter O'Riley (KY)
Florent Geroux
120
James J. Toner
6/1
5
5Money Multiplier (KY)
Javier Castellano
120
Chad C. Brown
7/2
6
6Erupt (IRE)
Stephane Pasquier
122
Francis - Henri Graffard
3/1
7
7Idaho (IRE)
Ryan L. Moore
122
Aidan P. O'Brien
2/1
5:44 p.m.—$1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course
With all three individual classic winners set to start, along with six other graded stakes victors in the field, the Travers could provide that long-awaited moment, when the balance of power among the 3-year-old males shifts decidedly in someone's favor.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 11Entries: Travers S. Presented by NYRA Bets (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Cloud Computing (KY)
Javier Castellano
126
Chad C. Brown
8/1
2
2Giuseppe the Great (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
126
Nicholas P. Zito
20/1
3
3West Coast (KY)
Mike E. Smith
126
Bob Baffert
4/1
4
4Tapwrit (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
126
Todd A. Pletcher
7/2
5
5Good Samaritan (KY)
Joel Rosario
126
William I. Mott
5/1
6
6Girvin (KY)
Robby Albarado
126
Joe Sharp
10/1
7
7Always Dreaming (KY)
John R. Velazquez
126
Todd A. Pletcher
6/1
8
8Lookin At Lee (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
126
Steven M. Asmussen
30/1
9
9McCraken (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
126
Ian R. Wilkes
12/1
10
10Irap (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
126
Doug F. O'Neill
8/1
11
11Gunnevera (KY)
Edgard J. Zayas
126
Antonio Sano
20/1
12
12Fayeq (KY)
Luis Saez
126
Kiaran P. McLaughlin
30/1
6:20 p.m.—$400,000 Ballston Spa Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course
Set to be offered as a broodmare prospect at this year's Keeneland November breeding stock sale, Lady Eli will make one more racing appearance at the oval where she first threw down the gauntlet. Nearly three years to the day after her debut at Saratoga, Sheep Pond Partners' 5-year-old mare will try and end her time at the Spa in the same fashion it began.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 12Entries: Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Lady Eli (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
123
Chad C. Brown
4/5
2
2Roca Rojo (IRE)
Joel Rosario
121
Chad C. Brown
9/2
3
3Time and Motion (KY)
John R. Velazquez
121
James J. Toner
10/1
4
4On Leave (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
121
Claude R. McGaughey III
12/1
5
5Antonoe (KY)
Javier Castellano
123
Chad C. Brown
3/1
6
6Dickinson (KY)
Paco Lopez
123
Kiaran P. McLaughlin
6/1
8:10 p.m.—$100,000 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar
While the Travers will occupy much of the racing world's attention Saturday, across the continent another group of 3-year-olds looking to make a bigger splash a couple races down the line will square off in the one-mile Shared Belief. Grade 1 winners Gormley and Klimt have top-class victories, but Don Alberto Stable and WinStar Farm's Battle of Midway has the slight morning-line favoritism coming off a rough trip and sixth-place finish in the July 30 Betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1).
Del Mar, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 7Entries: Shared Belief S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Cistron (KY)
Tyler Baze
124
John W. Sadler
8/1
98
2True Valor (FL)
SCRATCHED
0
UNKNOWN
-
2
3Gormley (KY)
Victor Espinoza
124
John A. Shirreffs
5/2
3
4Gato Del Oro (KY)
Rafael Bejarano
120
Richard Baltas
4/1
4
5Stone Hands (KY)
Evin A. Roman
118
Doug F. O'Neill
20/1
5
6Klimt (KY)
Joseph Talamo
118
Art Sherman
3/1
6
7Battle of Midway (KY)
Flavien Prat
124
Jerry Hollendorfer
2/1
9:10 p.m.—$200,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar
With the scratch of favored Danzing Candy, who sustained a career-ending injury during training Aug. 25 at Del Mar, the seven-furlong "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) has turned into a wide-open affair. The only horse in the field exiting a stakes win is Gary Barber's Mr. Hinx, a 3-year-old Ministers Wild Cat gelding who took the Real Good Deal Stakes for California-breds last time out July 28 at Del Mar.
Del Mar, Saturday, August 26, 2017, Race 9Entries: Pat O'Brien S. (G2)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Moe Candy (KY)
Victor Espinoza
119
John W. Sadler
6/1
2
2Solid Wager (CA)
Martin A. Pedroza
119
Peter Miller
20/1
3
3Mr. Hinx (CA)
Drayden Van Dyke
116
Steven Miyadi
20/1
4
4Silent Bird (KY)
Kent J. Desormeaux
119
Mark Glatt
5/1
5
5Blameitonthelaw (KY)
Evin A. Roman
119
John W. Sadler
12/1
6
6Kobe's Back (KY)
Flavien Prat
119
Peter Eurton
6/1
7
7Calculator (FL)
Rafael Bejarano
119
Peter Miller
6/1
8
8Danzing Candy (KY)
Joseph Talamo
121
Bob Baffert
8/5
9
9Home Run Kitten (KY)
Santiago Gonzalez
119
Peter Miller
20/1
10
10Giant Expectations (NY)
Gary L. Stevens
119
Peter Eurton
12/1
11
11Denman's Call (KY)
Tyler Baze
123
Doug F. O'Neill
12/1
Sunday, Aug. 27
4:47 p.m.—$125,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3T) at Woodbine
Selene Stakes (G3) winner Grizzel, an Irish-bred daughter of Kodiac, will look to bounce back from a fifth-place finish on the road in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T), in which she took a one-length lead with a quarter-mile to go but got passed late by some of the classiest turf fillies in North America.
Woodbine, Sunday, August 27, 2017, Race 8Entries: Ontario Colleen S. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Reverse (ON)
Jerome Lermyte
115
Ricky Griffith
20/1
2
2R Naja (FL)
Jesse M. Campbell
117
Michael Stidham
20/1
3
3Victory to Victory (FL)
Rafael Manuel Hernandez
119
Mark E. Casse
4/1
4
4Mythical Mission (ON)
Emma-Jayne Wilson
115
Malcolm Pierce
6/1
5
5Enstone (ON)
Patrick Husbands
119
Mark E. Casse
7/2
6
6Grizzel (IRE)
David Moran
119
Michael J. Doyle
2/1
7
7Valentine Wish (KY)
Alan Garcia
115
Victoria H. Oliver
10/1
8
8Super Marina (KY)
Gary Boulanger
119
George Weaver
15/1
9
9Yellow Agate (KY)
Luis Contreras
119
Christophe Clement
8/1
7:40 p.m.—$100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at Del Mar
After such a trying 11th-place finish in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), trainer Richard Mandella gave Paradise Woods a needed rest, and her training up to the Torrey Pines has allowed him to put her trip to the Bluegrass State behind him. "I'll just throw out the Kentucky Oaks, because I still think she's very good," Mandella said of the record-setting Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner.
Del Mar, Sunday, August 27, 2017, Race 6Entries: Torrey Pines S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Paradise Woods (KY)
Flavien Prat
124
Richard E. Mandella
7/5
2
2Chocolate Coated (KY)
Gary L. Stevens
118
Neil French
15/1
3
3Zapperkat (KY)
Norberto Arroyo, Jr.
120
Richard Baltas
3/1
4
4Delitefull Lady (KY)
Corey S. Nakatani
118
Richard Baltas
10/1
5
5Mistressofthenight (KY)
Rafael Bejarano
120
Richard Baltas
6/1
6
6Helen Hillary (KY)
Joseph Talamo
118
Philip D'Amato
10/1
7
7Bernina Star (KY)
Santiago Gonzalez
120
James M. Cassidy
8/1
8
8Munny Spunt (FL)
Drayden Van Dyke
118
Doug F. O'Neill
10/1