Saratoga 2024: Future Is Now leads 11-horse Caress field
Future Is Now headlines an 11-horse field as the top three finishers of last month’s Intercontinental (G2) reunite in Thursday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Caress Stakes at Saratoga.
Trained by Michael Trombetta, the 4-year-old filly enters the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint from a pace-pressing score in the Intercontinental on June 7 over the same course and distance.
“Her last couple of races she's run with a little bit of a different dynamic,” Trombetta said. “She can sit off of a good pace and make a run at them, which maybe early on she didn't do that so well. Now, she seems to have figured that out.”
Future Is Now has won 3 of 6 starts this year, including a frontrunning optional-claiming win in February at Gulfstream Park and a stalking 2 1/4-length score in the The Very One on May 17 at Pimlico with Lopez up for the first time ahead of her Intercontinental coup.
Trombetta credited Lopez for Future Is Now’s burgeoning adaptability.
“He noticed it when he rode her first time and was successful with her. He told me this filly would run whatever way you need her to,” Trombetta said.
Dual graded-stakes winner Roses for Debra will look to defend her Caress title for trainer Christophe Clement.
The 5-year-old Liam’s Map gray was a prominent winner of this event last summer, scoring by 2 1/4-lengths over Wakanaka ahead of a score in the listed Smart N Fancy where she powered clear to a 3 1/4-length score to register a career and field-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
“She is training remarkably well,” said Miguel Clement, son and assistant to Christophe Clement. “It was a heartbreaker the other day. Irad will be in the saddle, and we are expecting a winning performance.”
Clement also will send out multiple stakes-winner Dontlookbackatall.
“A very consistent filly,” Miguel Clement said. “She has been first or second in 10 of her 12 starts with a pair of stakes victories. It is the next logical approach to try and get graded stakes black type.”
Kaufymaker won half of her four starts last year, taking a pair of optional-claimers in prominent fashion for trainer Wesley Ward.
The 5-year-old Jimmy Creed mare earned a graded placing when third against the boys in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) at Del Mar. She raced mainly in allowance company until an off-the-board effort in the Woodford (G2) in October at Keeneland to close out her 2023 campaign.
Ward said he was pleased with the Intercontinental effort, setting the pace and staying on gamely while racing from an eight-month layoff.
“She’s back in Saratoga and training well and we are ready to face the top two from the Intercontinental again,” Ward said. “I’m very happy with the way she is coming into it.”
Graded-stakes winner Danse Macabre will return from an eight-month respite for trainer Kelsey Danner.
“It was just a minor issue. She's probably been ready for the last month, but we've been waiting for this race at Saratoga. She's well past ready to run,” Danner said.
Trainer Charlie Appleby hopes to be represented by Star Guest who is first call on the also-eligible list.
She would enter her stateside debut from a close third-place finish traveling a straight six-furlongs in the listed Ellen Chaloner on May 4 at Newmarket.
The 4-year-old Dubawi bay, out of the dual Group 2-winning Shamardal mare Usherette, boasts an 8: 3-3-2 record led by a pair of prominent scores in six-furlong handicaps last summer at Newmarket.
Appleby’s traveling assistant Alex Merriam said he expects Star Guest will appreciate a race around the turn at Saratoga.
“She's always shown plenty of speed back home. Most of her running has been over a straight trip, so I think a turn might suit her,” Merriam said.
The field also includes the Brendan Walsh-trained graded-stakes winner Secret Money; graded-stakes placed Run for the Hills for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse; multiple-stakes winner Zeitlos for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen; the Jose D'Angelo-trained stakes winner Freedom Speaks, who is cross-entered in Wednesday's Honorable Miss (G2) on dirt; and four-time winner Kerry for trainer Joe Sharp. Hot Fudge and Everyoneloveslinda, who are both cross-entered in Honorable Miss; and Speedy Traveler are entered for the main track only.
The Caress is race 9 on Thursday’s 10-race card and is scheduled for 5:45 EDT.