Trainer Todd Pletcher has won two of the first seven runnings of the Grade 2
With
Anticipation, and has a solid chance to add a third when the $200,000 test
for juveniles is renewed Thursday over the inner turf at Saratoga.
Charming Kitten, a homebred campaigned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, will
represent the Pletcher barn if the With Anticipation stays on the turf as
scheduled. In the early days of the Saratoga meet, the son of Kitten’s Joy
turned in one of the more impressive grass debuts of the stand, overcoming a
three-wide trip around both turns to win going away by 1 3/4 lengths under
Javier Castellano. Charming Kitten is a full brother to Queen’splatekitten, who
has placed four times in Grade 3 company on turf including the 2011 Saranac at
the Spa.
Pletcher will also have a strong hand in the event the With Anticipation is
rained off the turf. Lawn Man, who is entered for the main track only, led from
the start and impressively scored by 4 1/2 lengths on debut over six furlongs on
July 28. The Flatter colt is favored at 8-5 in the With Anticipation morning
line.
Not surprisingly, the With Anticipation field is comprised of several other
colts exiting maiden victories. Among these are the Kenny McPeek-trained
Sonofsamurai, who won by three lengths August 18; Craving Carats, who prevailed
in wire-to-wire fashion by a half-length August 4; Bernie the Jet, who took an
off-the-turf event on August 11; Notacatbutallama, a 6 1/2-length winner against
New York-breds August 20; The B’s and E’s, who led throughout to win over seven
furlongs at Belmont Park on July 15; and Almost an Angel, a filly who was also
entered in Wednesday’s P.G. Johnson.
McPeek also saddles He’s So Fine, who jumped up from a $50,000 maiden
claiming score at Belmont to finish five lengths second in the Grade 2 Saratoga
Special last out. Another with previous stakes experience is Joha, a turf debut
winner at Belmont who took the Colin over Woodbine’s Polytrack most recently.
Special Skills who also broke his debut at Belmont, was demoted from first to
second in the Nick Shuk Memorial at Delaware Park August 4. Private Tutor, who
hasn’t crossed the finish line first in six starts, was the beneficiary in the
Shuk Memorial and also won via disqualification at Pimlico in his second start.
The only maiden in the main body of the field is the D. Wayne Lukas-trained
Hightail, a veteran of six starts. The son of Mineshaft came close to winning
his turf debut going 5 1/2 furlongs, and might appreciate the stretchout to two
turns Thursday.
The field’s lone also-eligible is Balance the Books, who came from 15 lengths
back to finish a half-length second to the speedy Craving Carats in their
respective debut. Two others are entered for the main track — the filly Sweet
Shirley Mae and the New York-bred Read the Proposal.
Thursday’s program also features the $100,000
Equalize,
a one-mile overnight stakes for three-year-olds on the inner turf. Among the
notables is last year’s Grade 3 Summer winner Finale, who makes his first start
since finishing second to Summer Front in the Dania Beach at Gulfstream last
December.
Also in the field are Artest, come-from-behind winner of the July 26 Quick
Call at 5 1/2 furlongs; stakes winner Csaba, a nose second in the off-the-turf
Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 10; Grade 3-placed Film
Shot; and Tiz Sardonic Joe, a two-time winner in as many starts over the
Saratoga turf.
Stuck on the Equalize also-eligible list are Lockout and Spring to the Sky,
who finished second and third, respectively, behind Summer Front in the July 22
Duluth.
Eight fillies and mares will compete over hurdles in the $75,000
Mrs. Walter
M. Jeffords at 2 1/16 miles. Cat Feathers, who upset the Mrs. Ogden Phipps
at 23-1 August 9, will attempt a sweep of the Spa’s stakes for female jumpers.
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