Happy Flower Bowl Day! 

The Flower Bowl features 2021 winner War Like Goddess along with 2023 winner Parnac. In a time where too many horses exit the game quickly, War Like Goddess and her connections should be celebrated. She’s won ten graded stakes during the past four years and has banked over $2.7 million. She’s also taken big shots against the boys including beating the colts in both the 2022 and 2023 renditions of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. A classy and talented mare who isn’t done yet. 

Trivia Question: The Queens MG is attempting to sweep the three graded stakes for two year fillies at Saratoga: the Schuylerville, the Adirondack, and the Spinaway. Who was the last horse to complete this sweep? 

Race 11 – The Spinaway – Grade I 

Seven Furlongs on the Dirt On For Two Year Old Fillies 

1. Immersive: The first of two Godolphin runners won her debut where she stalked the leaders and ground down them down under a vigorous ride by Franco. Beyer is a bit lite (68) and that race hasn’t produced much as three runners have returned to the track to little effect. Brad Cox wins at a 14% rate (3/21) with two year old maiden winners who return in stakes races. Meh.
2. Sherbini: Was way off the pace early in the Schuylerville but came with a half mile sustained drive to get up for second (66 Beyer).  She was a bit green in the stretch but she maintained her momentum and longer looks like it would suit. Exotics.
3. Reliable Source: She showed good determination in her maiden win last out as she broke on top but was pressed the whole way from the outside.  Asmussen is 1/17 (6%) with two year old maiden winners who then move to stakes company. Passing.
4. Tiz Purple: Broke her maiden in a restricted race three weeks ago by breaking alerting and taking them gate to wire (79 Beyer). Only one work since that race and it was a solid 48.1 for 4F (6/73) at Monmouth. Delgado is going great at the Spa this year with limited starters. Dangerous. 
5. Slang: Pulled up in the Schuylerville after she lost her action. Norm Casse indicated she was sound after the race and she has come back with five timed works including a nice 47.4 going 4F.  Carmouche picks up the mount from Santana.  Mixed feelings.
6. Salted: Maiden takes on winners for Mark Casse after she stumbled badly in her last outing but finished with a flurry to get the place money (64 Beyer) behind Immersive who she faces again today. She has shown she take kick back and pass horses. Dangerous at a price.
7. Pondering: Godolphin homebred won at first asking for Brendan Walsh at Ellis Park where she was odds on and won very comfortably (74 Beyer). Would appear to have moved forward off that win with two excellent works at Churchill before shipping in last week. The Pick.
8. The Queens MG: She had a terrible trip in the Astoria as the favorite but she came back and paired up 73 Beyers in winning both the Schuylerville and Adirondack by open lengths. Dylan Davis was aboard for those stakes wins and he stays in the irons. He rides her patiently and she responds to that style. Speed figs are a bit below the best in here but she is the most experienced runner in the field.  Very hard to win three stakes during a single Saratoga meet and this is a loaded field. Lean against.
9. Strong State: Won a restricted maiden race by a neck on opening day with a 77 Beyer.  Al Stall has been going great with four wins from nine starters and Irad stays aboard here but that maiden race hasn’t yielded anything and a number of the Beyers went backwards. Minor player. 
10. Bellacose: Nice performance to win at first asking as she drew off late (71 Beyer) last month against state breds.  Series of maintenance works since that win. Jeremiah Englehart is strong with two year olds in general and wins a 31% clips when a maiden runs back off a win. Possible.
11. Quietside: John Ortiz trainee draws the outside post and this one was very impressive breaking her maiden first out as Saez got into stalking position and then drew away in the lane under vigorous hand ride (80 Beyer).  Ortiz going great with five winners from nine starters. Visually impressive. Win candidate.

Picks 7-11-6-4 

Race 12 – Flower Bowl – Grade 2 

One Mile And Three Furlongs On The Inner Turf 

 For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old And Upward 

1. War Like Goddess: Last out she was closer to the lead than normal in a slow paced Robert Dick Memorial and she kept finding to wear down the leaders (99 Beyer).  Two back the New York Stakes was too short for her but she still got up for third. She is four for six at this eleven furlong distance – she might be better at a mile and a half but this distance suits her just fine.  Should save ground the whole way and come rolling in the lane. She won this race in 2021 and was second by a head in 2022. Moves forward if we do get some rain.  The Pick.
2. La Mehana: Hasn’t yet found the winners circle for the Clement barn since shipping over from France for her five yar old campaign and has finished behind both War Like Goddess and McKulick. In all three of her races this year she had dead aim at the leaders but couldn’t run them down – in fairness she just missed in the Sheepshead Bay. Beyer top is 93 – will need to be faster to win today. Maybe underneath for a slice.
3. Parnac: Defending champion stole this race last year on the front end to just hold off the always dangerous McKulick (90 Beyer). In the Glens Falls she was a decent second as she was in the mix late but was out finished by the aforementioned McKulick (94 Beyer).  She would need a similar smash and grab trip that she got last year in this race to get the W. Passing.
4. Eternal Hope: Appleby trainee was up close to a hot pace in the Glens Falls (23.4 and 48 flat for the half mile) made the lead at the eighth pole and got clear briefly before the closers came and got her (92 Beyer). No surprise she couldn’t see out the twelve furlongs in her first race since last Fall given the quick early pace that she was part of. She could steal this on the front or at least be in close striking position in the lane. Hits the board.
5. Millie Girl: Woodbine shipper comes in off of two decent turf efforts up after running on the all-weather for the past year. In both recent turf tries she made good runs from well back to hit the board in both efforts but she wasn’t winning either race. Beyers have been in the upper 80s and now moves from nine to eleven furlongs. Looking elsewhere.
6. Neecie Maria: She has consistently outrun her odds and she put in one of the most electric performance in the Beaugay where she dropped from the clouds  – watch that replay – it’s amazing. She is a sixteenth behind with less than an eighth of a mile to go and still wins. Had no chance in the Diana as she was wide and then in the Beverly D she ran OK as she picked up the pieces for third (96 Beyer). If she gets the right trip she can be dangerous. Underneath.
7. McKulick: Regained her form in winning the Glens Falls (97 Beyer) after two subpar performances in the Sheepshead Bay and New York Stakes. Has hit the exacta in all five races over the Spa inner turf course with three wins. Chad/Irad/Klaravich – any questions? Using.
8. Idea Generation: This one might be a functional rabbit for stablemate McKulick just as she was last Fall in the Waya Stakes. That Waya was her best performance as she earned a 91 Beyer and was just caught by McKulick.  Could see her going to the lead in an otherwise paceless race to ensure no one walks on the lead. Looking elsewhere.
9. Verbier: Ralph Beckett makes a rare foray across the pond as this will be only his sixth start in North America since 2020 – has no wins but has three thirds in various Breeders’ Cup races. Verbier runs here off a win at York in the Lyric Fillies Stakes where she won after a sustained drive over the final two furlongs.  Finds herself in with some tough older mares but she has been running against older colts in Europe. Maybe a piece.
10. Movie Moxy (MTO): There is rain forecast for Saturday but let’s hope this doesn’t come off the turf. The Pick if it did come off the green.
11. Amanda’s Folly (MTO): Second Linda Rice MTO would be the underneath choice in case of a move to dirt.

Picks 1-4-7-6 

Trivia Answer: In 1987 “Over All” ridden by Angel Cordero and trained by D. Wayne Lukas was last to complete this three race sweep. “Over All” debuted in June that year and then preceded to win five stakes over the next six months as she was named Champion Two Year Filly.