By J.N. Campbell
With the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a bevy of graded stakes–marked by Saturday's GI Whitney S.–plus, the annual Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale which begins Monday, Upstate New York once again makes its case as the Thoroughbred fulcrum. To get the weekend started early, we have a pair of Friday graded turf stakes scheduled which will crown winners.
First, the $400,000 GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. for 3-year-old fillies serves as the middle sparkler in NYRA's Fasig-Tipton Turf Tiara series. Since Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) has elected to take on the boys in Saturday's GI Saratoga Derby, Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) will not have the opportunity to avenge her third-place finish when the pair faced one another in the GI Belmont Oaks July 8, a race which Aspen Grove won. Since arriving from Ireland, the Mark Casse trainee has continued to be a mark of consistency against graded company with her best finish coming with a victory in the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland back in April.
Opposing her bid to wear the tiara will be a number of European challengers, including Caroline Street (No Nay Never) and American Sonja (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) from Joseph O'Brien's yard. The former is a Group 3 winner in Ireland and she was well beaten last time out by Blue Rose Cen (Churchill {Ire}) June 18 in the G1 French Oaks at Chantilly. Also present here, from that same race, is Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}), who finished a respectable fifth. Trained by Jean-Phillippe Dubois, she was second in the G1 Prix Saint Alary at Longchamp May 14.
As for North American-based entries, Solo Album (Curlin), also from Casse's shedrow, won the GIII Selene S. July 1 at Woodbine, and Selenaia (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) from Jonathan Thomas's barn, who comes to New York after winning the GIII Honeymoon S. June 10 at Santa Anita, arrive in-form.
More Than Looks | Sarah Andrew
To mark the induction ceremony into horse racing's hallowed pantheon, the $500,000 GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. for 3-year-old colts going a mile on the Inner Turf brings together an interesting mix of American and European invaders.
Trainer Chad Brown saddles three entries with GISP Appraise (Ire) Kodiac {GB}), Mischievous Angel (Into Mischief) and Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while Graham Motion sends GSW and GISP Nagirroc (Lea) to the post after the bay colt finished third in the GIII Manila S. July 7 at Belmont Park. The winner of that race, More Than Looks (More Than Ready) from the stable of Cherie DeVaux, is also present.
The European contingent includes Ocean Vision (Ire) (U S Navy Flag), who has competed in Ireland, France and Qatar and is trained by Godolphin Flying Start program grad Tim Donworth, and Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Charlie Appleby, who will look to harness some of that late speed that he flashed the last time he was in North America when he won the GI Summer S. at Woodbine as a juvenile.
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