Head to Head: Scouting future stars in Saratoga's Sanford

Laurie

Ashley

1. Imagine John

In his Saratoga debut, Imagine John made a five-wide bid around the far turn but was mentally caught up fighting with the inside horse. They finished evenly, with Imagine John edging clear late. The two rivals who finished ahead of him were more experienced. Imagine John earned a 72 Brisnet Speed Rating with an 81 late-pace figure, so there’s room to improve. Macleans Music’s son has precocious Canadian black type in his pedigree. His dam and second dam are stakes-placed juveniles. The third generation includes multiple graded-winning turfer River Seven, who won a Grade 3 as a juvenile. Jena Antonucci gave Imagine John a sharp five-furlong breeze in 59.47 seconds, third-best of seven. The work was quicker than previous moves, which could set up Imagine John for an improved performance. An exotics placing is possible. 

Trained by Jena Antonucci, Imagine John still has his maiden status off a third-place debut at Saratoga on June 8. Because of the recency of that race, none in the field has made a subsequent start. It was a decent effort, but the 72 Brisnet Speed Rating the colt received is one of the lowest numbers in the field. Antonucci is winless with a 20% in-the-money clip in stakes races and 2% wins with an 18% in-the-money clip with 2-year-olds in the last year. She also has 9% wins with a 31% in-the-money rate with runners racing off an eight- to 30-day turnaround. Javier Castellano has the mount. Exotics.

2. Obliteration

Living up to his name in his Churchill Downs debut, Obliteration cleared the field by 7 1/2 lengths under a hand ride. He completed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.32 with a 6.16-second final half-furlong. Obliteration recorded an 83 speed rating with an 87 late-pace figure while not being asked for his best. Violence’s son is half to a trio of stakes-winning sprinters, Big and Classy, Sassy Beast and Pure Class, plus stakes-placed Family Biz. The class continues in the second generation, led by Grade 3-winning sprinter Just Grazed Me. Steve Asmussen gave Obliteration a three-furlong spin around Saratoga’s main track to get him acclimated. Contender.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, aptly named Obliteration dominated his rivals by 7 1/2 lengths in his debut. That race was on June 12, and the one colt who has made another start finished off the board. Obliteration earned a field-high 91 Equibase speed figure and an 83 Brisnet Speed Rating for his debut. Flavien Prat has the mount. Contender.

3. Honey Dutch

A $33,000 Keeneland November yearling, Honey Dutch shipped to Saratoga from Whit Beckman’s Keenland base to take on more experienced rivals in his first start. By first-crop sire and 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go, Honey Dutch is out of the winning Tiznow mare Ms V Time. His second dam, West Coast Belle, captured the Golden Rod (G2), and owns the only black-type earnings in three generations. Honey Duch has Rasmussen Factor Breeding, meaning he's inbred to a superior dam through siblings in five generations, to Cee’s Song. She is Tiznow’s dam, and the stallion’s full sister Tizso is Paynter’s dam. Paynter is Knicks Go’s sire. In his slow but steady morning works, Honey Dutch would sit on the flank of his workmates and gradually draw even down the stretch. He was under a tight hold without being asked and quickened near the wire when the rider let out a notch. The pretty gray colt has potential, but shipping and facing winners for his first start is a lot to ask. Pass. 

Trained by Whit Beckman, Honey Dutch will be making his career debut. Beckman has just 12% wins with a 21% in-the-money clip with 2-year-old first-time starters in   the last five years. He does have a good strike rate in stakes races, however, with 21% wins and a 53% in-the-money clip over the last year. Manny Franco has the mount. Pass.

4. Blinging It Back

Still a maiden, Blinging It Back improved in the 5 1/2-furlong Tremont Stakes, his second start. He chased the winner around the Monmouth oval and was slightly green in the stretch. He was bested 3 1/2 lengths but was 7 3/4 lengths clear of Romeo. That one returned to capture the Bashford Manor (G3) by 3 3/4 lengths. The Mark Casse trainee’s speed rating improved 29 points to 99, with an 87 late-pace figure. By Volatile, fifth on the second-crop sire board, Blinging It Back is half to multiple stakes-winning sprinter Ima Discreet Lady, veteran of 48 races who earned over $700,000. Two other half-siblings, I Know Map and Ima Sky Traveler, are stakes placed, and their dam, Ima Three Blinger was multiple stakes placed at 2. The pretty gray Blinging It Back had a 48.55 pre-race, four-furlong work in company with Ewing, a maiden son of Knicks Go who was a $585,000 OBS April purchase. The pair moved as a team, neither asked. But Blinging It Back kept his head and neck in front, a good sign. Contender. 

Trained by Mark Casse, Blinging It Back is still a maiden after two starts. He was third on debut at Churchill Downs. The colt tossed his head at the break and was away last. He then put in a huge rally but was very green in the stretch. From about five wide off the turn, Blinging It Back eventually ended up down on the rail while initially hanging on the wrong lead. Once on the rail, he put in one final surge to just miss second place by a head. Blinging It Back was much more professional in the Tremont Stakes, with Jose Ortiz taking a firmer hand in keeping him straight. But there just was no beating the filly Mythical that day. Blinging It Back received an excellent 99 Brisnet Speed Rating in defeat. Ortiz, who clearly has a good read on this colt, has the call. Contender.

5. Strategic Risk

Strategic Risk quarterhorsed out of the gate in his debut at Gulfstream against state-bred maidens, and that was the end of the race. He opened up with each stride under a hand ride in basically a paid workout. The Mark Casse trainee completed five furlongs in 58.29 seconds, with an 11.96-second final furlong. He earned an 85 speed rating with an 88 late-pace figure, which is the Sanford field’s highest.  By Grade 1 winner Noble Bird, Strategic Risk’s full sister Strategic Bird is a multiple stakes winner. She and their full brother Just Relax earned black type as juveniles. Second dam Strategy also placed as a juvenile and is a stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles. The third dam, Educated Risk, was a multiple graded winner from age 2 to 5, including two Grade 1 victories. She was a half to 1996 champion mare Inside Information. Now stabled at Saratoga, Strategic Risk had a moderate pre-race four-furlong breeze in 49.55 seconds. Contender. 

Also from the Mark Casse barn, Strategic Risk ran away from a field of Florida-bred maidens at Gulfstream Park on June 7. The winning margin was 8 1/4 lengths and accomplished under a hand ride. Two from that field have made a second start, with only one hitting the board. I’m not usually big on runners moving from state-bred to open company, but the 85 Brisnet Speed Rating he received is hard to ignore, especially with Casse as his trainer. Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the mount. Contender.

6. Fistfulofmoney

Fistfulofmoney showed tenacity in his Churchill debut while battling on the rail. He inched away from rivals in the stretch but was caught late by the well-named Longstrider. Fistfulofmoney switched to Keven Rice’s barn and surfaced at Presque Isle Downs, where he faced three rivals. Fistfulofmoney wore down the tired pacesetter in the stretch to win by 1 3/4 lengths, completing 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.20, with a 6.36 final half-furlong. His speed rating improved to 72, and his 73 late-pace figure is the Sanford field’s lowest. By second-crop sire Tom's d'Etat, he is out of the winning Tizdejavu mare L A Magic, a half-sister to Bashford Manor (G3) winner Exfactor. Fistfulofmoney’s second dam, stakes winner Bright Magic, is a half-sister to Good Magic’s dam, Glenda the Good. Fistfulofmoney needs further improvement to score here but could surprise with a lower exotics placing. 

Trained by Kevin Rice, Fistfulofmoney was second on debut. The Tom’s d’Etat colt had the lead in deep stretch after being part of a five-runner duel but could not hold off the final charge of winner Longstrider. None from that field hit the board in their next start except Fistfulofmoney. But he did so after being shipped to Presque Isle Downs. Rice has 13% wins with a 19% in-the-money rate in stakes races over the last year. Dylan Davis has the mount and will be the colt’s third jockey in as many starts. Pass.