By Stefanie Grimm
2nd-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:07 p.m.
The action kicks off with a heavily-loaded maiden race on the Whitney undercard Saturday. A quartet of colts, all first-time starters, take to the dirt led by the inside draw BE YOU (Curlin), the first of a pair of starters for Todd Pletcher. Out of the graded-stakes winning mare Jacaranda, herself a $2,000,000 purchase by this colt's breeder Alpha Delta, Be You already has a stakes-placed full-sister in American West, a $925,000 Keeneland yearling herself. Jacaranda is out of the Distorted Humor mare Baffled, making her a half-sister to MGISW and leading sire Constitituion (Tapit) as well as GSW Boynton (More Than Ready). Further back in the family you'll find GISW Emcee (Unbridled's Song) and G1SP Surfer (Distorted Humor).
Pletcher's second starter, Locked (Gun Runner), brought $425,000 as a yearling at Keeneland last year. He is out of a half to MGSW Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and MGISW Gabby's Golden Girl (Medaglia d'Oro).
Splitting the pair is Claude McGaughy runner Pentathlon (Speightstown), a Phipps Stable homebred who hails from the family of MGISW My Flag, the dam of champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat).
Last of the quarter and the widest drawn of the four, Creek (Ghostzapper) will look to get trainer Bill Mott's day off to a winning start. The colt is out of a half to GSW/GISP Great Island (Scat Daddy) and to the dam of GSW Surprisingly (Mastery). Third dam Matlacha Pass also produced MGISW and sire Point of Entry (Dynaformer) and MGISW Pine Island (Arch). TJCIS PPS
1st-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 5:00 p.m.
On the West Coast, Dagger Ranch (Curlin) will look to be the latest winner out of dual Eclipse champion Indian Blessing. The Bob Baffert trainee is already a half-brother to GISP Ten Blessings (Smart Strike) and draws the outside gate under Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza.
Breaking from gate three is another son of Curlin for Bob Baffert in Mission Beach, a $400,000 Keeneland September yearling who is out of a full-sister to GISW Taris, the dam of GSW King Fury (Curlin). He put up a best-of-53 work at five furlongs July 24, going from the gate in :58 4/5. TJCIS PPS
1st-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 12:35 p.m.
Opening the Saturday card at the Spa, Agate Road (Quality Road), bred by China Horse Club, was a $650,000 pick up by the prolific connections of Repole Stable and St Elias Stable for trainer Todd Pletcher. Out of GI Frizette S. winner Yellow Agate, already the dam of a pair of winners, the colt traces back to GSW/MG1SP Without Connexion (Ire) (Rainbow Quest). TJCIS PPS
11th-SAR, $149.5K, Alw, 3yo/up, 7f, 6:16 p.m.
Carded right after the Whitney, this race features the return of not one but two 'TDN Rising Stars' both racing for Claude McGaughey. Drawn further to the inside is Signator (Tapit), a $1.7m OBS April pick up last seen breaking his maiden at Belmont's Aqueduct meeting last Oct. Racing with Lasix for the first time, the grey hails from the family of champion 3-year-old filly Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold).
Lined up to his outside, Capture the Flag (Quality Road) earned his 'Star' tag at first asking with a three-length maiden win at this meet just over a year ago but hasn't raced since. This colt, a half to GSW Personal Best (Tapit), is out of a full-sister to Hong Kong's champion stayer Lines of Battle. His third dam also produced MGSW and late leading sire Dynaformer (Roberto). TJCIS PPS
3rd-MTH, $55K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36 p.m.
Drawn furthest outside, Spendalot (More Than Ready) lived up to her name with a $650,000 purchase price as a yearling at Keeneland last Fall. She is a full-sister to Chad Brown's Consumer Spending who took last month's GIII Matchmaker S. over this same track.
And all the way to the rail is Madame Mischief (Into Mischief), a $550,000 OBS March grad who checked in second while sprinting five furlongs on the grass July 2. Her dam is a half-sister to MGISW and sire Divisidero (Kitten's Joy). TJCIS PPS
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