Teen Pauline sticks to turf in Riskaverse

Teen Pauline is now looking to make her mark on turf (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) Teen Pauline established herself as an exciting prospect when breaking her maiden in sizzling fashion at Saratoga last summer, earning a 104 BRIS Speed rating for a 4 3/4-length debut win, and she finished third when making her second career start in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes. The Tapit filly was viewed at the time as a leading candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, with this year’s Kentucky Oaks as a logical target, but Teen Pauline headed to the sidelines after the Spinaway and was not seen again under silks until June. New trainer Todd Pletcher brought her back this season on the main track, but the dark bay lass could manage only a pair of fourth-place finishes in her first two starts as a three-year-old. That resulted in a turf experiment and Teen Pauline took to the new surface with a flourish, posting a comfortable one-length victory over entry-level allowance foes on August 11. She will look to carry that promise forward when she steps up to face stakes rivals in Friday’s $100,000 Riskaverse at a mile on the inner turf. Teen Pauline tops a field of 10, including a main-track only runner, and will break from the rail with John Velazquez.

Sister Ginger is a potential danger. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who
conditioned Teen Pauline as a two-year-old, Sister Ginger will invade from the
Midwest off a victory in the July 20 Indiana Grand on the Indiana Downs turf.
Prior to that, the daughter of Student Council captured a pair of starts at Lone
Star Park. Sister Ginger picks up a new rider in Rosie Napravnik and will break
from the far outside post.

Midnight Watch is a threat to improve upon a fourth in her stakes bow, the
Grade 2 Lake George on July 24. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained filly reeled off
two straight win on Belmont Park’s turf prior to that and retains the services
of Irad Ortiz Jr.

Stakes winner Promise Me More, who has been transferred to Asmussen, will
make her first appearance since a fourth in the Fair Grounds Oaks. The
Riskaverse also marks the first start back for Native Bombshell, who was last
seen taking an optional claiming event on Aqueduct’s turf in April for Chad
Brown.

Saratoga’s Friday card will open with the $100,000
Law
Enforcement for New York-bred juveniles. Ogermeister should appreciate the
drop in class following a sixth in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, and the filly
Irish Sweepstakes must be respected following her 7 1/4-length maiden romp over
open rivals on July 19.

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