JeremyPlonk

CLOSING WEEK OPENS WITH SHORT, PROMISING CAST

***Each day, I'll take a closer look at the 2YO races at Saratoga, and rank what we've seen so far in the meet in an easy-to-use system. The fluid list will change daily as 2YOs leap frog one another in the court of public opinion. Last year, the debut of Top of the Heap was critical in pin-pointing key races as the meet unfolded, producing several next-out winners who exited efforts in highly ranked races. - Jeremy Plonk, Horseplayer PRO.com and co-author of The Winner's Card, Saratoga edition, along with NYC OTB handicapper Peter Rotondo, Sr.

TODAY'S 2-YEAR-OLDS (Wednesday, Aug. 27):

Race 2 maiden claiming $100,000 level for the boys going 6 on the dirt

Maiden claimers don't get much of our attention, so we'll keep it brief. Saratoga Special runner-up BREAK WATER EDISON sees a horse he trounced, Rick Dutrow's SOLUTIONIST, return wide a post 7 draw in a field of 7. He meets 3 alumni of the meet's only previous $100,000 MCL heat, including Steve Asmussen's narrow runner-up THATS A GOOD THING, who adds blinkers after having a bad case of the drifts.

Race 5 maiden special weight for the boys going 5-1/2 on the dirt.

This might turn out to be one of the most productive 2YO races of a so-far-medicore Spa summer. Bob Baffert debuts fast-working MAYOR MARV, a Distorted Humor colt out of Baffert-Pegram's talented 2YO of summers past, Miss Winshine. His dam was 2nd in the Adirondack and 3rd in the Spinaway, so this one might take to Saratoga like nobody's business. But his challenges will be many, including Darley's $675K Forestry debuter MAJESTIC BLUE. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is out of an unraced Seeking the Gold mare who hails from the same legendary Canadian female family as Sky Classic, Dance Smartly and Smart Strike. Other first timers include Stan Hough's impressive-working CHARLOTT HUMOR, a $300K Distorted Humor colt out of Whirlwind Charlott, who ran second in Monmouth's Sorority and third in the Colleen as a sharp 2YO sprint filly.

The well-bred CABARET COWBOY lures Johnny V for former Pletcher assistant Seth Benzel. This one has sprinter written all over him by BC Sprint champ Speightstown out of 5F turf Mamzelle Stakes winner Pent Up Kiss. The works are excellent, but a 2-week gap between moves Aug. 1-15 means he missed some training and might be his undoing today. He's a serious second-out play in the MSW ranks if he gets beat for any reason. The cast also includes Allen Jerkens' rapid-working half-brother to Saint Daimon, DAIMON'S GLORY and Nick Zito's turf-bred THE BIG DUNKIN, who shows just one work in a month and he's half-brother to G2-placed MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT, who raided from France earlier in the meeting to run sixth in the Lake George on grass.

Race 7 maiden special weight for NY-bred fillies going 1-1/16 miles on the turf.

The only full field of the juvenile trio Wednesday, the public will have a bear of a time with this one. But trainer Linda Rice has been Wonder Woman in recent weeks, and the truth lasso surrounds ZIPOLINA, a debuting daughter of Rice's one-time Spa stakes star City Zip. Everything John Terranova has sent out this meet has been live, too, and second-timer PRIVATE SCREENING tries turf for the first time. He had some early lick sprinting on the dirt and with the rail might be the speed here by Mayakovsky. Tom Albertrani debuts GRACE'S VALENTINE, a Rahy filly with a mediocre tab, but that's pretty much par for the barn.

RECENT RECAPS (Friday, Aug. 22-Monday, Aug. 25):

It's been tough keeping up with the blog with summer pulling me in every direction. I get to see everything I need, but finding the time to perform the keystrokes has been harder than expected. My apologies.

Friday, Aug. 22 Race 2: Experienced Ellis Park raider DREAM EMPRESS got the gold as we expected, but runner-up DYNASLEW ran a massive race. The Bill Mott trainee quickened with an amazing :22-4/5 fourth quarter and simply lost the head bob over a fast final sixteenth duel. WEEKEND STRIKE made a strong middle-move and also deserves another look for Todd Pletcher. The Spa lawn has quickened and tightened, in fact got highway fast over the weekend, but still this 1:41.49 peformance for 1-1/16 miles puts DREAM EMPRESS in legitimate, early BC Juvenile Turf discussion.

Saturday, Aug. 23 Race 2: The Travers Day card got off with a bang when Shug McGaughey's GONE ASTRAY smoked home late to best a 6F MSW in 1:10.12. He daylighted a good cast, going away late, in which the early speed held nicely for third and fourth after a sharp :45.02 opening half-mile. SPANIARD took a step backward, as Indian Blessing's little brother could not shrug off 38-1 pace dueler STRONG CLUE and was easily outfinished by that one for the show dough. This half-brother to former champion 3YO filly Smuggler could be any kind, out of a daughter of BC Distaff heroine Inside Information. His time was less than 3 lengths off the impressive Port Bonheur in the G3 Victory Ride Stakes later on the card. This was the weekend's top performance, and one of the very best of the entire meeting.

While SPANIARD disappointed, the Aug. 2 win by PRECIOUS PACKAGE certainly got some validation when 4th-place finisher NOWHERE TO HIDE came back and ran a clear second in this ultra-tough contest. That also bodes very well for Seth Benzel's VISCOUNT, the deep-closing rocket who was third in what looks like it may be a key 8/2/08 Race 2 event. Meanwhile, FLORENTINO deserves another look after a trip as green as the grass for Kiaran McLaughlin.

Sunday, Aug. 24 Race 6: Bob Baffert's rookie HEAVENLY VISION debuted a prompt winner in 1:10.82, drawing away by 4-1/4 lengths after pressing a solid pace. While runner-up PROCLAIM also held decently from a forward position, the pacesetters wound up 9th and 10th, so the top 2 deserve some kudos, while Kiaran McLaughlin's $500K Dixie Union rookie NIKA finished fourth while running best of all late and looks like a player next out. He has tons of route in the pedigree, including a 1-1/4M Del Cap winner and that A.P. Indy blood.

The time was moderate-to-decent, considering 26-1 MSW winner Quiet Mover went 1:10.51 in a 3YO filly heat earlier in the day. By Forestry, HEAVENLY VISION is closely related to G1 Oak Leaf third-place finisher Ms. Louisette, so she may stretch out a bit - but I wouldn't consider her a Frizette/Oak Leaf threat off this race. 

Monday, Aug. 25 Races 2,3,4,5,7: They went all-in with 5 baby races on Monday, but we'll skip Race 5 for maiden claimers on the turf. Taking things sequentially, FIVE STAR CHOWDAIR romped wire-to-wire in Race 2 by more than 7 lengths, avenging a runner-up in her debut to PARADISE PLAYGIRL by nearly the same margin. She completely blitzed these NY-breds and ran faster final splits than anyone in the field, despite a :45.80 opening half-mile. None of the firsters showed up whatsoever, and this is what happens -- domination city. All-sprint, top and bottom, for this Bruce Levine trainee.

Race 3 unleashed yet another promising Kiaran McLaughlin-trained prospect in REGAL RANSOM. This $675K son of Distorted Humor is out of a half-sister to Minister Eric, runner-up in the BC Juvenile and Del Mar Futurity at 2. From the rail, he broke a step slow, rushed quickly to the point and took them wire-to-wire in a fast-paced race that simply slowed down late. It was a carousel ride for the 1-2-3 finishers all the way around the track, despite them coming home in :13.05 the final furlong of the 7F affair. Granted, 7F is a tough assignment for a debuter or any 2YO this time of year. BRAVE VICTORY was clearly 2nd best for Nick Zito, and the Lion Heart colt certainly helped bolster the performance earlier in the meet of COGNITO, whom he chased on July 23. Some big-time winners from earlier in the meeting were not flattered here, though, as pursuers of KENSEI, PRECIOUS PACKAGE and MUNNINGS failed to make a serious dent. Either I'm wrong on the talent of all 3 of those performers, or REGAL RANSOM could be a darned good 2YO to follow. For now, I'm going to lean toward the latter. You simply don't win from the rail or at 7 furlongs in the debut without having something "extra." He moves high on the HEAP, very high, indeed.

Bill Mott got his 3rd win of the meet in Race 7 with the incredibly well-bred PIONEEROF THE NILE, a son of Empire Maker-Star of Goshen. The second-timer validated the form of Aug. 4 dead-heat winners SKIPADATE and NINTH CLIENT, as that race's third-place finisher, LIME RICKEY, returned to run second here as well. A strong opening half-mile in :46-1/5 helped set it up for the closers in this 1-1/16 miles grass heat; the eventual top 3 were 7th, 5th and 9th of 9 in the early stages.

SARATOGA TOP OF THE HEAP (updated through Monday, Aug. 25 racing)

1. RUN AWAY AND HIDE (Werner): Easier-than-it-appeared effort in the G2 Saratoga Special saw him run strong 1:15.67 for 6-1/2 furlongs, including a third quarter in :24.48 despite chasing a blistering :44.80 half-mile. Unbeaten on 3 surfaces now and did this off a layoff to boot.  

2. PRECIOUS PACKAGE (R. Dutrow): Absolutely drilled Indian Blessing's half-brother, SPANIARD, after a heated early duel and drew away in 8/2 MSW going 6-1/2 furlongs in 1:17.26. His 6F split was faster than 2 ALWs on the same card and the Flanders Stakes, and was only about 3 lengths off superstar Indian Blessing's split in the G1 Test that day. Golden Missile colt probably a sprinter, from the same female family as Lunarpal.

3. MUNNINGS (Pletcher): $1.7 million buy ran a solid 7/26 MSW field completely off it's feet in :44.92 and still came home in an incredible :24.92 for a 6F time of 1:09.84. Pletcher's Speightstown colt actually ran faster than same-day G2 Vanderbilt runners (note the track slowed significantly during the day). Bred even better for turf on dam side. 

4. GONE ASTRAY (McGaughey): Half-brother to Smuggler, by Dixie Union out of Inside Information's baby Illicit, this Phipps home-bred has star quality, winning her debut in 1:10.12, less than 3 lengths off the time set by G3 Victory Ride Stakes fillies on Travers Day card. Rolled late with :24.10 final quarter.  

5. BREAK WATER EDISON (Kimmel): G2 Saratoga Special runner-up in fast 1:15.67 was a bit green in the lane, but projects as a strong 2-turn candidate down the road by Lemon Drop Kid. Smashing Belmont debut win validated with serious Saratoga Special performance. 

6. REGAL RANSOM (McLaughlin): Scored difficult debut win from rail and at 7F with wire-to-wire job 8/25, beating horses who had fan against the likes of KENSEI, COGNITO, MUNNINGS and PRECIOUS PACKAGE. Carousel 1-2-3 all the way around and slow final furlong, but that is expected at 7F. $675K Distorted Humor colt is out of Minister Eric's half-sister. 

7. (f) MINE ALL MINE (W. Ward): Crushed a potentially loaded MSW filly cast 7/24, one day after scratching from the Schuylerville for that spot. Ran her 5F split 5 lengths faster than the boys in same-day G2 Sanford and had plenty in reserve to win geared down by 9-3/4. Had tried boys twice at Churchill, including G3 stakes.

8. DESERT PARTY (Harty): Certainly best in 4-horse G2 Sanford on 7/24, having to wait and make a few moves during the 6F stretch-out. Didn't shatter the clock, or beat much, coming home last 1/4 in :25.57 and last furlong in :13.13. Professional, but not brilliant, in this performance.

9. CRIBOTE (Violette): New York-bred freaked by 13-1/2 in fast sprint 7/27, getting 5-1/2F in 1:03.32 on a drying out track. Capable against open company in his debut at Belmont, so Read the Footnotes colt not restricted only to NYBs.

10. TAR BEACH (McPeek): Scored impressively while having to wait for room in a 7-furlong assignment 8/15. Time of 1:24.34 just .30 slower than sharp NYB allowance runner Oniyome on the same card. From female family of A.P. Indy and Summer Squall, this Sky Mesa colt has the look of a 2-turn juvenile threat. 

11. KENSEI (Asmussen): Professional winner in sharp 1:10.78 for tough 6F debut distance on 8/6, fresh off a zippy 1:00 5F gate drill that was so un-Asmussen-esque that you had to take notice. From female family of Wait A White, Mr. Greeley colt could be a 2-surface threat.

12. CHARITABLE MAN (McLaughlin): Blistered solid 6-1/2F MSW bunch in tough debut distance, running only about 4 lengths slower than razor-sharp NYB ALW runner Hawkwood did in the previous race (actually coming home a tick faster the last sixteenth). By Lemon Drop Kid, should love more distance.

13. CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN (Wilkes): Over a drying-out track, rallied from 6 back to win 8/13 MSW by 7-1/2 lengths in razor-sharp 1:03.56. Outran expectations for patient trainer, tipping his potential brilliance, and is by route specialist Candy Ride, so should be a serious factor going longer. 

14. JUST A COINCIDENCE (Zito): Second-best to freakishly good MUNNINGS in his debut 7/26, pressing that one through half in :44.92 and holding clearly for second the entire way. $200K Forestry colt has big future given rugged test of 6F debut with those fractions.

15. (f) MANI BHAVAN (S. Klesaris): Romped to wire-to-wire G2 Adirondack win 8/13 in a slowish time (1:18) and needing nearly 7 seconds the last sixteenth, but looked visually much more impressive as jockey Garcia was looking around for competition with a quarter-mile to go. Bred purely to sprint, from female family of Speightstown, and proved she could go fast when zipping :57-3/5 in debut win at slowish Delaware Park. 

16. REYNALDOTHEWIZARD (Harty): Surprising G2 Saratoga Special favorite lunged at start and lost all chance, but did really for well-beaten third in a race where the top 2 did not come back. Fast half :44.80 makes you think some of the chasers were fading horses, though, so we'll have to see another start to get great feel here. 

17. TRINITY MAGIC (Asmussen): Very strong NY-bred sprint debut win in 1:03.98, running :11.78 and :6.28 splits after pressing a very legit :45.92 opening half-mile. Time matched up well with impressive older ALW runners Rollers and Fancy Diamond on the same card.

18. (f) JARDIN (Asmussen): Dominated Schuylerville from outside post 7/23, but struggled home last 1/4 in :25.82 and last furlong in :13.28. Clearly best despite taking heat.

19. BRAVE VICTORY (Zito): Second to Cognito in 7/23 MSW dash, but overcame start and traffic and appeared best with promising future by Lion Heart.

20. COGNITO (Asmussen): Wired promising MSW cast 7/23 from rail draw, having benefit of a prior start. Half-bro to Cool Coal Man held on in solid time that would have been 2nd in older NYB stakes on same card.