Foliage, half-brother to Lea, set for Saratoga turf debut

Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschnieder's Foliage, a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Lea, will attempt to show his true colors and live up to his rich pedigree when making his career debut in a 5½-furlong turf sprint maiden in the Saturday opener for trainer Al Stall Jr.

The bay son of Speightstown is out of the Galileo mare Greenery and comes from the same family as Grade 1 turf winner Stroll and multiple stakes winner Patrol, both of whom also sported the all gold colors of Claiborne Farm.

Stall Jr. trained Lea during the early stages of his career and said that both horses display a similar intelligence level.

"He's a smaller version," Stall Jr. said. "Lea was a big chestnut and this one is a smaller bay. This little horse is a smart horse, so he does have that quality in common. He's shown some speed in the mornings and does everything right."

A winner of the Grade 1 Donn Handicap over the Gulfstream Park main track in 2014 for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Lea won graded stakes on both dirt and turf and was placed twice against graded stakes company behind two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan on grass.

"We had the notion to try maybe a dirt race, but we know how super tough they are at Saratoga, so we figured we'd have a better chance to possibly win a turf sprint,” Stall, Jr. said. “With Speightstown on top of Galileo, that should be no problem.”

Foliage will be piloted by Junior Alvarado from the rail in his career debut.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and ERJ Racing's Honorable will debut for trainer Todd Pletcher.

The son of leading second crop sire Constitution was bred in Kentucky by Susan Casner and is the first progeny out of the Lonhro broodmare Kayce Lu, whose dam Kayce Ace is a full sister to 2008 Travers winner Colonel John. He was bought for $60,000 from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

"We're sprinting on the turf first time out," Pletcher said. "I feel like he'll be better suited for a little longer. This should be a good starting point for him."

Honorable breaks from post 7 under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

Four races later, juveniles will take to the inner turf going 1 1/16 miles, where trainer Chad Brown will saddle Sifting Sands for owner Peter Brant.

The bay son of Dubawi is a half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Legatissamo, whose dam Yummy Mummy is a full sister to 2009 Irish Derby winner Fame and Glory.

Brant purchased Sifting Sands, who was bred in Great Britain by Newsells Park Stud, from last year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale overseas.

"The horse is training well, I think he's ready to run," Brown said. "We'll see what he does. He's been doing everything right so far."

Brown will give a leg up to jockey Jose Ortiz from post 3.

Trainer Graham Motion sends out a well-bred pair of first-time starters in Snow's Island (post 7, Joel Rosario) and Excursion (post 9, Manny Franco).

Owned and bred by Arnmore Thoroughbreds, Snow's Island is by 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and is out of the graded stakes wining mare Tuttipaesi, both of whom were conditioned by Motion.

Excursion, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Michael Valdes and William Freeman, is by two-time Horse of the Year and multiple champion producing stallion Curlin out of the well-bred Cee's Tizzy mare Tizamazing, who is a full sister to champion producing sire and dual Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow.

Bred in Kentucky by Colts Neck Stables, Excursion was bought for $325,000 from the Burleson Farms consignment at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"They both are running this weekend because they need two turns and you don't get many opportunities to do that yet anywhere else," Motion said. "Snow's Island was actually entered at Colonial when they canceled. But I'm excited to get them started. I think they'll both benefit from the race and they're both ready to get started, so I think they'll appreciate the two turns."