Barn Tour: Up-and-coming Green brings 35 to Saratoga
Amelia Green isn’t taking the slow approach with her training career.
After working as an assistant for Todd Pletcher for seven years, and before that for George Papaprodromou in California and Sir Henry Cecil in her native England, Green went out on her own last year. Her first start was a winning one, with On Command breaking her maiden Dec. 1 at Aqueduct in her ninth attempt.
Now she has 35 horses at Saratoga, including 22 2-year-olds.
“I think any trainer will tell you, you have growing pains when you start off with two, three and then suddenly in the spring you jump up to that number,” Green told Horse Racing Nation this week. “… I’m excited for the future and getting a lot of these 2-year-olds to the races.”
Her plan is “to hopefully take some horses to Kentucky in the fall, as well as staying in New York year-round, and then possibly Florida in the winter. But that's still to be determined on where.”
Green provided updates on promising horses in her stable for HRN’s Barn Tour series.
On Command. Green’s first winner also was her first stakes winner, as the 4-year-old Omaha Beach filly won the listed License Fee Stakes at Belmont at the Big A in May. Last out, she was eighth in the Grade 2 Intercontinental on June 5 at Saratoga. “She stumbled out the gate, and she actually pulled her shoe off in that race,” Green said. “She normally breaks sharp on the lead and that lost all chance, and the three horses that were on the lead won the race. So I wasn't disheartened by that effort. It was a tough group of horses and I didn't think she embarrassed herself in that race.” On Command likely will start next in the Incredible Revenge Stakes at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3. “Trying to map the best way to get her to Kentucky Downs for the Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) if I can.”
Elliptic. In two starts for Green, the 5-year-old daughter of Arrogate won an optional-claiming allowance and then was third in the Top Flight Stakes, both at Aqueduct. “She got sent to the farm for a little break after finishing third in the stake. She just came back in, so she's galloping right now and could hopefully get back on the workout tab pretty shortly.”
Nacho Problem. The 2-year-old filly by Waiting led gate to wire when breaking her maiden June 29 in her third start. “She's doing good out of her maiden win. She is being pointed towards the Colleen stakes at Monmouth on July 27, going five furlongs on the turf.”
Slightly Busy. The 3-year-old Munnings filly broke her maiden last July on second try for Pletcher and didn’t have another start until April, when she won an allowance at Aqueduct for Green. Last out, she was fourth in the black-type Stormy Blues Stakes at Laurel Park on June 15. “We're trying to map a next race for her. (Her races) keep coming off the turf the last few times, so we scratch out. Keeping all options open with her, not a specific race we're pointing to. Just nominating for a few different stakes and seeing how they look before we decide where to go.”
Sesame Seed Bagel. The 5-year-old son of Valiant Minister has a career record of 7: 2-1-1 and is entered in an optional-claiming allowance Friday at Monmouth Park, which would be his first start for Green. “I just got him in about a month ago. He's a barn favorite because he's a very cool-looking horse. He's pure white. Everyone says he looks like a unicorn, because he's very pretty out on the track. He stands out. He's breezing good. Obviously, it’s his first start with me, but his form suggests he should be pretty live in that race on Friday.”
Landing Craft. The 3-year-old Omaha Beach colt also is new to Green’s stable and is entered in a Saratoga allowance Saturday. “He's training very good so I'm excited to get into the races. Hopefully (his next start is) a stepping stone towards something a little bigger down the line with him. … With him being by Omaha Beach, we're keeping turf options open. This time he's running on the dirt. His dirt form is very good. I wanted to cut him back a little bit because he's been running two turns and see how he handles a seven on the dirt before putting him on the grass. But I like that he's very versatile, and I think he could run on both surfaces.”
Miss Im Pulsive. Unraced as a juvenile, the 3-year-old Into Mischief filly has had two starts this year, finishing second and then 10th in maiden special weights. She’s entered for the main track only in a maiden special weight Friday at Saratoga. “She's doing good. She's a little, tiny, fast New York-bred filly. … I also plan on entering her back on Wednesday for a maiden on Sunday. So if we don't get the rain, she'll probably be running Sunday instead of Friday. But she's fast, like I say. I imagine she'll be on the lead and like she was in her first race and hopefully get the distance”
Fancy Footwork. The 2-year-old was third in her debut Saturday in a maiden special weight at Saratoga. “She's a huge Curlin filly. She's at least 16.2 already, and she's only 2. She just ran a very promising third after getting slammed at the break and being 12 lengths back. She came running down the lane and got up for third. I think she's going to be a very nice filly going two turns when the races start to get a little longer. So planning on running her back at the end of Saratoga in a seven-furlong maiden race, hopefully. And then hoping she's going to be a nice 3-year-old next year.”
Letstalkaboutme. The 4-year-old Justify filly hasn’t raced this year and has been working at Saratoga since joining Green’s barn. “She's trained very well. Planning on running her in a 1x allowance race at the beginning of August. But I think she's potentially a stakes filly down the line. She's already won and ran good in allowance races. So like I say, she breezes good in the mornings, but I'm pretty high on her.”