Telling Tales out of Seattle
There is no place to spend the first weekend of Autumn than at Saratoga in New York. We are a ways from the leaves changing but it just feels different somehow. We are here for the Marning Special, named for five time turf winning mare. This is a five and a half furlong turf sprint for two year old fillies and mares. This $80,000 stakes has a small but very evenly matched field so lets take a look:
#1 TALE OF SEATTLE trainer – irishgal, ( even), Jockey – N. Lawton (22%), Avg Sp # (77.5)
The favorite is a Phone Trick out of Slew Marilynn filly that has already shown that she knows how to win in a big way. In her four previous Stakes events, she has three firsts and a second. She has already earned nearly $165k. Thia appears to be her favorite distance after she threw an 83 speed figure last out. Could be looking at the winners circle as she goes by.
#2 HIGH ON J.B.(IRE) trainer – mybabay, ( 5/2), Jockey – R. Foster (16%), Avg Sp # (73.5)
This filly is a Stakes veteran as she has been in five with two wins and never finished lower than 4th. The Irish bred by High Rise out of Happy Cobra is an early speed horse and will take the lead and try to hold on. She has always run 5.5 or 6 furlongs and had her best speed figure (77) last time out but just faded at the finish.
#3 MOON BRISSON(IRE) trainer –starbound ( 9/2), Jockey – J.Bachand (3%), Avg Sp # (68.3)
Another speed horse, this Irish Moon Ballad out of Brisson will probably be at High On J.B.s shoulder but may not be able to hang on. She ran stakes her last two races without much success with only a 3rd in a four horse race. Trainer starbound and Jockey Bachand need to figure out this filly in a hurry.
#4 QUAGAARS trainer – dkyoung, ( 2/1), Jockey – M. Humphrey (6%), Avg Sp # (N/A)
This lightly raced filly by Hennessy out of Matinee ran her first stakes at a mile last time out and had a clunker finishing 14th of 14. This will be her first time on the turf which may suit her better but it is hard enough to read these juveniles without having them first time at a distance or surface. Hard to pick her here.
I’m going to wait and see what QUAGAARS can do on turf before choosing her anywhere. I like MOON BRISSON third just falling behind HIGH ON JB. TALE OF SEATTLE looks to be the class of this field and should prevail.
Good luck to all runners!
Paz