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Sidney debuts for new team in Fourstardave; seven set for Ruffian
His new connections opted to give him a test spin on the turf last Sunday, however, and his bullet :57 3/5 drill persuaded them to go in the Fourstardave, where Sidney's Candy looms as the lone speed. With new rider John Velazquez aboard, the 120-pound highweight will play catch-me-if-you-can from post 5 in the seven-horse field. Pletcher will also be represented by Grade 2 veteran BLUES STREET (Street Cry [Ire]). A flying, near-miss second in the January 9 Ft. Lauderdale S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park, the seven-year-old gelding returned from a five-month holiday to capture an optional claimer last out at Belmont Park. Javier Castellano, who guided Blues Street to scores in the 2010 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial H. (G2) and Fair Grounds H. (G3), will renew their old acquaintance. Brazilian Group 1 winner MORYBA (Brz) (Hard Buck [Brz]) started out with a pair of promising efforts in the United States -- a cozy optional claiming win and a close third in the March 26 Mervin Muniz -- but has disappointed in his two most recent starts. Trainer Bill Mott hopes that turning back in distance will wake him up. BEAU CHOIX (Elusive Quality) was successful in his only prior race at the Spa, last summer's Quick Call S., and enters off a photo-finish victory in the July 7 Rob N Gin S. at Belmont. Finishing a luckless fifth as the 6-5 favorite that day was VOODOO SWINGE (Unbridled's Song), who had been knocking at the door in graded company. Out of Diana H. (G1) and Lake George (G3) queen Voodoo Dancer (Kingmambo), he hopes to have his dam's luck at Saratoga. Rounding out the field are TURALLURE (Wando), who defeated next-out Arlington H. (G3) winner Tajaaweed (Dynaformer) in the Opening Verse S. at Churchill Downs, and French stakes veteran PARIS VEGAS (Maria's Mon). Moryba and Voodoo Swinge were cross-entered to Sunday's Oceanport S. (G3) at Monmouth. Get Stormy, the winner of this season's Maker's Mark Mile (G1) and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1), was all set to mount a title defense in the Fourstardave, until he was diagnosed with what appears to be a minor tendon issue. "He has a little pimple on the edge of his right front tendon," trainer Tom Bush said Thursday afternoon. "It looks very good on ultrasound and I'm not too worried about it. Peritendinous, is how it's described. We'll probably come back after medicating him for a couple of days and re-ultrasound it to make sure, but the tendon itself seems perfectly fine. We want to be conservative. That news is about as good as we could get could get, even though the timing wasn't great."
Pace factor ABSINTHE MINDED (Quiet American) came within a head of upsetting Awesome Maria in the May 21 Shuvee H. (G2), but faded badly last time in the Ogden Phipps. The added ground could be a problem, along with a serious pace rival in Mott's DYNAZAPER (Ghostzapper), who crushed a second-level optional claimer by 9 1/4 lengths in her latest. The Havre de Grace form comes courtesy of TIZ MIZ SUE (Tiznow), a valiant runner-up in the June 11 Obeah S. (G3) at this distance at Delaware Park. She went down by an official 2 1/4 lengths, but Havre de Grace was well in hand and could have increased her margin if called upon. Tiz Miz Sue had been improving in every start this season, and she might still be on the upgrade for Steve Hobby. The royally-bred DISTORTED LEGACY (Distorted Humor) rates as a sleeper. The Angel Penna Jr. filly brings a two-race winning streak into her stiffest test, having beaten Satans Quick Chick (Sky Mesa) and ASK THE MOON (Malibu Moon) in the July 1 Sky Beauty S. at Belmont. Ask the Moon was cross-entered to the Lady's Secret S. on Sunday at Monmouth.
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