A pair of impressive debut winners by the same sire earlier in the meet at Saratoga, one each from the Shug McGaughey and Chad Brown barns, figure to take the bulk of the play in a seven-horse renewal of the GIII With Anticipation S. for juvenile males going 1 1/16 miles on turf to kick off closing week Wednesday at the Spa.
Given the nod at 7-5 on the morning line is Stuart Janney's homebred Limited Liability (Kitten's Joy). Racing with just one horse beaten early debuting over this course July 31, the gray unleashed a powerful stretch rally to score going away by 2 3/4 lengths. He shows a trio of local breezes in the interim, capped by a sharp half-mile move in :48 1/5 (3/45) on the Oklahoma turf Aug. 27.
Klaravich Stables' Portfolio Company (Kitten's Joy) showed more early foot than his main rival when tugging at his rider early in his unveiling on opening weekend, but settled eventually and took command in the stretch before holding sway for a three-quarter length success as the 6-5 chalk. Bought for $125,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling, the bay has also worked forwardly since his graduation, most notably notching a bullet half-mile on the Oklahoma dirt in :48 flat (1/10) Aug. 20.
Maiden Gooch Go Bragh (Distorted Humor) looks most likely should the favorites falter. Out of a daughter of MGSW turfer Surya (Unbridled), the $130,000 Keeneland September buy finished strongly from last to be runner-up behind promising Dripping Gold (Lemon Drop Kid) on debut here Aug. 7.
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