By Joe Bianca
Todd Pletcher will attempt to sweep the Saratoga meet's three graded stakes for juvenile fillies and tie his former boss, D. Wayne Lukas, with a sixth victory in the Grade I Spinaway S., bringing to this renewal an imposing duo likely to go off as the betting public's first and second choices.
Gainesway Stable's Cherry Lodge (Bernardini) was well-touted for her Aug. 7 debut and did not disappoint. The $450,000 Keeneland September buy broke sharply, set a strong pace and gamely held off the bid of Amapola (Broken Vow), a promising filly who had broken her maiden by 9 3/4 lengths on debut, only to be disqualified.
“I was a little concerned when we were in that race and there was a filly that had already broken her maiden by 10 lengths and been disqualified, but she ran to expectations,” Pletcher told the NYRA notes team. “We're pleased with the way she came out of the race and the way she's trained since.”
Cherry Lodge earned an 89 Beyer Speed figure for that effort, easily tops in this field, and figures to be able to handle the added distance. The bay filly is by a multiple classic winning router and is a half to Stormello (Stormy Atlantic), hero of the GI Hollywood Futurity going two turns as a juvenile. She shows two interim breezes for this test, most recently going an easy half-mile in :49 flat over the Oklahoma training track Aug. 27.
The other half of Pletcher's uncoupled entry is St. Elias Stable's Sweet Loretta (Tapit). Bought for $750,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale, the bay cruised by seven lengths in her debut June 18 at Monmouth and followed that up with a last-to-first 4 1/4-length triumph in the GIII Schuylerville S. here opening day July 22.
“I thought she ran very well–showed some professionalism coming from off the pace a bit,” said Pletcher. “This particular race looks like it has quite a lot of speed in it, so the race complexion could set up well for her.”
William L. and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Runway Doll (Majestic Warrior) will try to back up a Rising Star-earning debut romp. Made the favorite in the Spa slop July 31, the $175,000 OBS April buy crushed her competition by 13 1/2 lengths. The dark bay filly would represent the third Spinaway victory for trainer Steve Asmussen, who also captured the event in 2001 and 2009.
John C. Oxley's pricey Pretty City Dancer (Tapit) comes in off of a two-month layoff and tries for her second stakes win after impressively annexing the Debutante S. July 2 at Churchill. Secured for $825,000 as a KEESEP yearling, the gray has a late-running style likely to prove advantageous at this elongated sprint distance.
“She's super talented,” said assistant trainer Norm Casse. “I think that she may take a little longer to become a true professional, but the sky is the limit for her. She has the ability to be a really good racehorse. We just need to get her that racing experience to become really good.”
The Spinaway is a “Win and You're In” race for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
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