Insights on the American Racing Scene for Aug. 27

1st-SAR, $93k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 11:35 a.m. EDT

A blockbuster Travers Day card at Saratoga wastes no time getting down to business, kicking off with this intriguing juvenile maiden heat. Todd Pletcher will send out firster MONACO (Uncle Mo), owned by a partnership of the Coolmore contingent and Repole Stable. A $150,000 Keeneland September yearling, the dark bay went under the hammer for $1.3-million at OBS March after breezing one furlong in :10 1/5. His dam Setareh (Sky Classic) was a SW & GISP, while third dam Eternal Search (Northern Answer) was a three-time champion in Canada. Live Oak Plantation will be represented by Souper Catch (Bernardini), a homebred out of Cry and Catch Me (Street Cry {Ire}), who was a GISW as a juvenile and sold for $3.5 million at the 2012 KEENOV sale while in foal to Bernardini. The Mark Casse pupil has shown plenty of speed in his workouts and completed preparation for this debut with a half-mile in :47 4/5 (5/42) over the Saratoga main track Aug. 23. Phipps homebred Strident (Street Cry {Ire}) also has the right to be a runner, being out of champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat) and part of an outstanding female family that includesfour-time GISW second dam My Flag (Easy Goer) and undefeated champion third dam Personal Ensign (Private Account). Leading trainer Chad Brown looks to also have a good chance with Klaravich Stables and Bill Lawrence's firster Your Secret's Safe (Tapit), a $180,000 KEENOV buy who breezed five furlongs in :59 1/5 (2/57) from the gate Aug. 19. TJCIS PPs

9th-DMR, $60k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 9:03 p.m. EDT

Putting the finishing touches on a tremendous day of racing is this live maiden group, and all eyes will be on Bob Baffert debutante LIFE'S BLESSINGS (Tapit), a homebred for Hal and Patti Earnhardt out of their brilliant dual champion Indian Blessing (Indian Charlie). Heroine of the 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and four other Grade I events, Indian Blessing racked up 10 wins and five seconds in 16 starts over her outstanding career. Her gray daughter likely tipped her hand as a serious runner with a best-of-100 five-furlong work from the gate in :58 2/5 on this oval Aug. 21. Her stiffest competition may come from Americana (Tapit), a $300,000 OBS March buy for Fox Hill Farms who also drilled five panels impressively from the gate for her debut, going in :58 3/5 Aug. 14. The bay is the first foal out of MGSW Arena Elvira (Ghostzapper), while her second dam was MGSW/MGISP millionaire Two Item Limit (Twining). California's leading trainer Phil D'Amato will be represented by Gary and Mary West homebred Expensive Taste (Giant's Causeway), whose dam is a half-sister to MGSW/GISPSummer Wind Dancer (Siberian Summer). The chestnut shows a quartet of five-furlong works for this unveiling, most recently covering the distance in 1:00 flat here Aug. 21. TJCIS PPs

—@JBiancaTDN