Millionaire and multiple New York-bred champion Somelikeithotbrown headlines Friday’s $200,000 West Point Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day.
Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo.
By Joe Clancy
New York-breds take center stage during Friday’s Saratoga Showcase Day featuring 11 races – all for horses bred in the Empire State – and six stakes.
The stakes lineup starts early at 1:05 p.m. with the $200,000 Seeking The Ante for 2-year-old fillies. The group features two $360,000 purchases – Song Parody and Miracle. The first sold at Fasig-Tipton July, joining the ownership group of Runnymede Farm, Peter Callahan and Paul Goodrich. The daughter of Practical Joke makes her first start for trainer Christophe Clement after winning her debut by 5 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park June 25 for Kelly Breen. Miracle, trained by Rodolphe Brisset for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, won her debut by 6 lengths here July 27. Other Saratoga winners Lady Mine and Maple Leaf Mel join the field.
The $250,00 Albany for 3-year-olds goes as the third race. New York Derby winner Barese seeks his fifth win for trainer Mike Maker. The Laoban colt was fourth in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby before that and will have to deal with Price Discipline, who is a head from being undefeated in three starts.
Three-year-old fillies tangle in the $200,000 Fleet Indian, led by the 3-for-3 Fingal’s Cave from the David Donk barn. The daughter of Carpe Diem won her debut by 8 1/2 lengths and her second start by 9, both at Belmont, before winning an open-company allowance here July 29. That was her first start around two turns and she returns at the 1 1/8-mile distance Friday. Todd Pletcher counters with Let Her Inspire U, a $500,000 purchase last year who has won her last two including a state-bred allowance here July 22.
New York Oaks winner Galaxiana goes out for trainer Jim Bond while Venti Valentine gets some class relief after making three consecutive starts in graded company.
Andiamo a Firenze exits a third in Grade 3 Sanford and looms large in the Funny Cide Stakes. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.
The $200,000 Funny Cide lured six 2-year-olds headed by Andiamo A Firenze, who was third in the Grade 3 Sanford here July 16. The lineup also includes Saratoga maiden winners Donegal Surges and Acoustive Ave.
The $200,000 Yaddo attracted a crowd of 11, plus one on the also-eligible list. Marvelous Maude rides a two-race winning streak into her stakes debut while Classic Lady looks to improve two spots on her third in the Yaddo’s last two runnings. She won the Dayatthespa here last summer for Clement. Make Mischief has never raced on the turf, but owns six wins including a score two back in the Critical Eye at Belmont.
Turf males meet in the $200,000 West Point, which drew Therapist, who has placed in the last three runnings of the race. Graded winner Somelikeithotbrown brings a $1,206,248 bankroll into his first West Point as Maker removes blinkers. Maker also entered fellow millionaire Cross Border, whose Saratoga record includes wins in the Lubash Stakes and Grade 2 Bowling Green in addition to three victories at the 2019 meet. Last year’s West Point winner City Man drops out of a win in the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple here July 15 for Clement.
