By Mike Kane
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-Just the mere fact that a $3,500 yearling has won two races of any kind at Saratoga this summer, puts The Queens M G (Thousand Words) in a “that's impressive” category. In the GI Spinaway Stakes Saturday, she will try to add to her reputation by completing the rare sweep of the track's three stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
The Queens M G scored in the 5 1/2-furlong Schuylerville Stakes, long the opening day feature, by 2 3/4 lengths at 44-1 July 11. She crushed the six-furlong GIII Adirondack Stakes field by nine lengths Aug. 4 at 5-2. The seven-furlong Spinaway, first run in 1881, is the final test. It drew a field of 11.
Even though the Saratoga meeting has grown from 24 days over four weeks to 40 days over parts of nine weeks, it has become downright unusual for horses to complete in each of the three races. According to Equibase, in 2021, Saucy Lady T (Tonalist) was the first filly to run in all three races since 1996. She was third each time.
Nineteen fillies have completed the Schuylerville-Adirondack- Spinaway series since 1976 and the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Over All in 1987 is the lone winner of all three during that stretch. L'Alezane in 1977 won the first two races, but was fourth in the Spinaway.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said that the timing of the Spinaway is right for The Queens M G, owned by C Two Racing Stable and Mathis Stable.
“She's in good form, she's shown the right signs, so why not?” he said. “You don't have to do as much for her in between races. You just have to keep her training light, as far as that she had an easy breeze, and just basically continue on.”
The Spinaway will be The Queens M G's fifth career start. She debuted with a win by a head in the Keeneland maiden special weight at 45-1 Apr. 7 and ended up last of seven after a rough trip in the Astoria Stakes during the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga meet in June.
“We kind of feel like we are the leader right now,” Joseph said. “A lot of them may lack the experience and maybe it's more on why let them catch up? That's kind of the approach. Obviously, the filly has to be doing well or else we wouldn't be here. She's doing well, and it's a Grade I. She's coming off her best win yet. It feels like she's improved. Obviously, she ran bad in the Astoria. Then in the Schuylerville she won; didn't really expect that. Then it felt like we had her at her best going into the Adirondack and she ran like that. Hopefully, if she can repeat something similar to last time, we should have a good chance.”
Pletcher Has a Squad Pointed to the BC Classic
In addition to GI DraftKings Travers Stakes winner Fierceness (City of Light), Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is aiming his three older horses, Tapit Trice (Tapit), Bright Future (Curlin) and Crupi (Curlin) for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Bright Future, the 2023 winner, and Tapit Trice are headed to the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Sunday at Saratoga, while Crupi is scheduled to make his next start in the GII Woodward Stakes Sept. 28 at Aqueduct.
Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' Bright Future made his 2024 debut June 15 with a win in the GIII Salvator Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park. He was never a factor while finishing eighth in the GI Whitney Stakes Aug. 3.
“He didn't fire in the Whitney,” Pletcher said. “The track was sealed for the race, and [jockey] Javier [Castellano] said he didn't feel like that he ever got a hold of it at any stage.”
Bright Future, who breezed a half-mile in :49.23 (29/94) Sunday, emerged as a serious stakes runner in last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup. He was sixth in the Classic and was away from the races until the Salvator Mile.
Pletcher said that Bright Future worked in blinkers and will wear them in the Gold Cup with the goal of keeping him more focused.
Tapit Trice, co-owned by Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable, returned from a long break in competition, his 2023 season ended in the Travers, to win the GIII Monmouth Cup by 5 1/4 lengths July 20.
“I thought that was a very impressive comeback,” Pletcher said. “You're always worried running a mile and an eighth off an extended layoff like that, but he handled it really well. He's been breezing great. Looking forward to going again.”
Crupi has had a solid summer, winning the GII Suburban Stakes followed by seconds in the GII Brooklyn Stakes and the Whitney.
Parcells, Giddings Send Mel's Baby Sister Into Retirement
A few days after Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) was euthanized following a catastrophic breakdown at Saratoga in the 2023 GI Test Stakes, trainer Melanie Giddings moved the 2-year-old filly Mel's Baby Sister (Cross Traffic) into her vacant stall. Though they were both grays by the same sire with similar names owned by Bill Parcells's August Dawn Stable and had comparable personalities, they were not related. Yet they were connected.
A few days ago, Giddings announced that the decision had been made to retire Mel's Baby Sister and moved her to ReRun, which handles Thoroughbred adoption and aftercare. Giddings said that Mel's Baby Sister, who won one of five starts, played a role in the recovery from the tragedy.
“I think she helped all of us,” Giddings said. “It was just kind of a lot of things. We all made fun of the name, then it just kind of felt like it was fitting. She had a lot of fans rooting for her for the same reasons that we were. It was pretty big day when she did break her maiden. I don't think I've ever had so many calls and texts. People that were just so excited and kind of felt good about it.”
Giddings said that she and Parcells concluded that the filly could not compete in allowance company and did not want to drop her.
“We always want the best future for all of them,” Giddings said. “A big thing with the racing game in general is, if your talent level is, you know, here, you've got to go to the claiming level. He just didn't want to see her go down that road. Not to say in the claiming game that horses always end up somewhere bad, or anything like that, but she was ours.”
Giddings said she thought about trying her on turf, but that it was getting a little too late in the year to make the switch.
“I was like, she's healthy and happy right now,” Giddings said. “There's no saying if I ran her one more time, that something couldn't happen, because it's racing. Anything can happen any day. Instead of risking that, I said, 'What about retirement?' and Bill was more than happy to do that. He thrives on his horses doing well outside of here.”
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