Unbeaten in two career starts, GEORGIE’S ANGEL (Bellamy Road) exits a
comfortable 1 1/2-length victory in the Schuylerville S. (G2) on Saratoga’s
opening day program, scoring as the 4-5 choice among six rivals, and the Todd
Pletcher-trained juvenile filly should be an overwhelming favorite against her
eight rivals in Sunday’s $250,000
Spinaway S.
(G1).
Georgie’s Angel dominated her career bow, a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special
weight at Churchill Downs, in wire-to-wire fashion, but showed her versatility
in the six-furlong Schuyerville, rating off the pace before rolling past her
opposition at the head of the stretch. The extremely promising youngster has the
pedigree to easily handle the stretch out to seven furlongs in the Spinaway and
shows four workouts in the 44-day interim since her last start. Top rider John
Velazquez will retain the mount.
Georgie’s Angel was purchased by Red Sox fan Ronnie Sheffer in partnership
with several others, including Pletcher’s publicist, Kelly Summers Wietsma, who
loves the Yanks.
The story Wietsma tells about the filly makes success sound almost
preordained.
“Ronnie Sheffer, the majority partner, is my attorney,” Wietsma said. “Last
July, he said he was looking at a few fillies and asked Todd if he would look at
their papers and see what he thought of them. The day (Ronnie) faxed me the
papers is the day (Yankees owner) George Steinbrenner died. I noticed one of
them was by Bellamy Road, who was George’s favorite colt, so we sent the papers
(on the filly) to Todd.
“Todd said it was difficult without having seen her but she looked OK on
paper. I wanted to name her in honor of George. The names I wanted were taken,
so Ronnie submitted Georgie’s Angel because his wife is an ordained minister.
Her first race, a maiden special at Churchill on the 4th of July, I didn’t even
realize when she crossed the finish line that it was George Steinbrenner’s
birthday.”
JUDY THE BEAUTY (Ghostzapper) is the only other stakes winner in the Spinaway
field, capturing the July 17 Shady Well S. at Woodbine in her last outing, and
the Wesley Ward pupil will be making her dirt debut at Saratoga. The
well-traveled lass is three-for-three overall, breaking her maiden on
Keeneland’s Polytrack before traveling to France for an allowance victory at
Chantilly in early May, and she’s bred to relish a conventional track. Jeffrey
Sanchez, who has been up for all three wins, will guide the chestnut.
Schuylerville runner-up TRUE FEELINGS (Latent Heat) is one of two runners for
trainer Anthony Dutrow, who will also saddle Delaware Park debut winner GRACE
HALL (Empire Maker), and the late runner will be looking for fast fractions to
close behind. After breaking her maiden by a 3 3/4-length margin at Delaware
Park, True Feelings left herself too much to do in the Schuylerville stretch,
but she rallied well to be a clear second, 5 3/4 lengths clear of third, and is
eligible to keep improving with regular rider Jeremy Rose. Grace Hall shows a
bullet work at Saratoga in advance of her first stakes appearance, drilling five
furlongs in 1:00 2/5 on Tuesday, and the well-bred bay will pick up the services
of Ramon Dominguez.
AND WHY NOT (Street Cry [Ire]), who posted an eye-catching 5 1/2-length score
when making her first start on August 7 at the Spa, is a good-looking filly from
the Michael Matz shedrow who will break from the rail with a returning Julien
Leparoux. LADY PECAN (Concerto) was purchased privately following an 8
1/4-length maiden claiming score in her last outing at Woodbine, and the
Florida-bred chestnut will make her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Bob
Baffert on Sunday.
BAFFLE ME (First Samurai) and BORN BULLISH (Flashy Bull), the respective
third- and fourth-place finishers in the August 7 Colleen S. at Monmouth Park,
are also entered, and Schuylerville trailer VUKOVAR (Forest Wildcat) rounds out
the Spinaway field.
The $100,000
Saranac S.
(G3) will be offered one race prior to the Spinaway and a solid field of 12
three-year-olds will contest the 1 1/8-mile affair on inner turf. BRILLIANT
SPEED (Dynaformer), who placed in the Hallandale Beach S. and Dania Beach S. on
the turf at Gulfstream Park before his upset victory in the Blue Grass S. (G1)
in mid-April, is will return to turf for trainer Tom Albertrani following three
straight attempts on dirt, including a third in the Belmont S. (G1) two starts
back. Brilliant Speed finished fifth behind subsequent Travers (G1) winner Stay
Thirsty (Bernardini) in the July 30 Jim Dandy S. (G2) most recently.
Stakes winners KING CONGIE (Badge of Silver), SEAL COVE (Strong Hope),
CLEMENT ROCK (Strong Hope) and QUEEN’SPLATEKITTEN (Kitten’s Joy), as well as
recent Hall of Fame S. (G2) runner-up PERREGAUX (Distorted Humor), add further
depth to the Saranac.
The $75,000
Sightseek
S. will kick off the stakes action at Saratoga on Sunday with a field of
five fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. ARENA ELVIRA
(Ghostzapper), a smart 1 1/4-length scorer in her stakes bow, the August 5
Madame Jemel S., is the top draw, but the Bill Mott-trained filly is
cross-entered to Saturday’s Molly Pitcher S. (G2) at Monmouth Park. Grade 2
winner SATANS QUICK CHICK (Sky Mesa) and CONNIE AND MICHAEL (Roman Ruler) are
also part of the short field.