Henley's Joy Tunes Up for Saratoga Derby in Spa Work

Trainer Mike Maker will be represented by a pair of strong contenders in the second leg of the Turf Trinity in the Aug. 4 Saratoga Derby when he saddles Henley's Joy and newcomer Kadar.

Bloom Racing Stable's Henley's Joy was a three-quarter-length winner of the July 6 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T), the first leg of the newly minted Turf Triple series, at 20-1. With Jose Lezcano up, Henley's Joy rated in third position and found his best stride down the lane in the 1 1/4-mile test, overtaking Social Paranoia in the final furlong and hitting the wire in 1:58.29.

After seeing his charge finish second in a trio of stakes by narrow margins, Maker was resolute in his estimation of the best part of the grade 1-winning performance.

"The way he finished," said Maker. "There were a few races there where he had a less than ideal trip, and hopefully he'll get another good trip in the Derby."

On July 27, Henley's Joy breezed for the second time following his breakthrough score, covering five furlongs on Saratoga Race Course's main track in 1:01.95.

"He worked well and is on target for the (Saratoga) Derby," said Maker.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Kadar, a dark bay son of Scat Daddy, graduated on debut in September in a one-mile turf allowance at Haydock under the tutelage of Karl Burke. In April, Kadar finished fourth in the Bet365 Feilden Stakes at Newmarket before shipping to North America.

Kadar made his North American debut July 18 at the Spa, rallying from last of 10 to finish third, defeated just a head, in a race won by the well-regarded Chad Brown trainee and fellow Saratoga Derby invitee Value Proposition.

"He ran a really good race. He didn't get away very good and was carried extremely wide. He finished strong and just missed in a very competitive allowance race," said Maker.

Maker said the 1 3/16-mile distance of the Saratoga Derby will suit the lightly raced colt.

"I got him with orders to stretch him out, which I totally agreed with," said Maker. "I look forward to running him in the Derby as well."

The third leg of the Turf Trinity, the 1 1/2-mile Jockey Club Derby, is slated for Sept. 7 at Belmont Park.

Also back to work Saturday morning was Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing's Concrete Rose, who posted her second breeze since a score in the July 6 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T). The Twirling Candy  filly went a half-mile in :49.05 on the Oklahoma Training Track's turf for trainer Rusty Arnold.

The move was her second local work toward her next start in the Aug. 2 Saratoga Oaks Presented by Encore Boston Harbor. On July 19, she went a half-mile in :53.20 on the Oklahoma turf.

The Saratoga Oaks is the second leg of the newly designed Turf Tiara, which comprises the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks, and Jockey Club Oaks Sept. 7 at Belmont Park going 1 3/8 miles on the turf.

Concrete Rose has won all three of her starts this year, including the March 9 Florida Oaks (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs and the May 3 Edgewood Stakes Presented by Forcht Bank (G3T) at Churchill Downs.

"I thought she went very well. (Jockey) Julien (Leparoux) was happy with her work, and if he's happy, then I'm happy. Everything is good," Arnold said.

Concrete Rose defeated a stellar field of turf sophomore fillies in the Belmont Oaks, including last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) winner Newspaperofrecord, as well as group winners Just Wonderful and Coral Beach. 

Given the fact Concrete Rose has won at a wide range of distances, Arnold feels the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Oaks is within her wheelhouse.

"Right now, she is (the best 3-year-old turf filly in the country), but we're halfway through the year and hope we continue on. She won at 5 1/2 furlongs, a mile and a quarter, and in the middle, so it's not an issue. I think the mile and three sixteenths is well within her ability," Arnold said.

Bred in Kentucky by Ron Patterson, Concrete Rose was purchased by bloodstock agent David Ingordo from last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $61,000.

Another back to serious business Saturday morning was Robert Baron's five-time graded stakes winner Promises Fulfilled, who drilled through a half-mile in :47.85.

The move was his first breeze since winning the John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) July 6 at Belmont Park. The 4-year-old Shackleford  colt posted the second-fastest time of 70 recorded works at the distance on Saratoga's main track. Trainer Dale Romans said Promises Fulfilled would target the Aug. 24 Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1), one of six grade 1 events scheduled for the Travers Racing Festival at Saratoga.

"(Exercise rider Tammy Fox) worked him and said it was the slowest she could get him to go. He's on his game," Romans said.

Promises Fulfilled's triumph in the Nerud was his first win since the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) in October at Keeneland. Unbeaten in two starts on the Spa's main track, he won last year's H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) in gate-to-wire fashion, which came after he registered a 107 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Amsterdam Stakes (G3).

Romans purchased Promises Fulfilled for $37,000 from the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Select Sales.

On the West Coast at Del Mar, Spa-bound 3-year-olds Game Winner and Bellafina took to the main track Saturday morning for half-mile works.

Gary and Mary West's juvenile champion Game Winner, who registered his first victory in four starts this year with a five-length score in the July 13 Los Alamitos Derby (G3), worked in :48 flat under jockey Joe Talamo. The work was the second-fastest of 80 at the distance.

The Candy Ride  colt is targeting the Aug. 24 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1).

"He went very nicely," trainer Bob Baffert said.

Baffert trained the Wests' West Coast  to a Travers victory in 2017.

Kaleem Shah's Bellafina, who won her first three starts this year before finishing fifth in the May 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), will cut back to seven furlongs for Saratoga's Longines Test Stakes (G1) Aug. 3.

The daughter of Quality Road  was timed in :48 2/5 under exercise rider Jack Stack and galloped out to five furlongs in 1:01 1/5. The first quarter, caught by clocker Dane Nelson, was in :25 flat.

"We're not looking for much, just an easy half-mile. She's had two really good works before this," trainer Simon Callaghan said before the exercise.

Afterward: "It was perfect, really perfect."

Bellafina will ship to Saratoga July 30.