Holy Helena ready to make graded stakes debut in Alabama

Stronach Stables' Holy Helena looks ready to make her graded stakes debut as she gets ready to run in the Grade 1 Alabama, trainer Jimmy Jerkens reported Thursday morning.

The Ghostzapper filly has worked on both Saratoga's main and Oklahoma training tracks, going in company with fellow 3-year-old Knarsdale to help her get the most out of training, particularly on the deep main track, Jerkens said.

"She's never one to blow you away in the morning, she's pretty workmanlike," he said. "She's not going to throw down those big, fast numbers. Coming back to the deeper track, I was getting nervous about working her by herself. If you get on horses who aren't that willing in the morning and they work on a track that's a little slow, they won't do anything.

"I worked a decent filly with her two times, and she carried along good, so she got two good works. I was glad I did that, because you have to be prepared to go a mile and a quarter at Saratoga."

Holy Helena has experience at the Alabama's 1 ¼-mile distance, winning under those conditions last out in the Queen's Plate on July 2 over Woodbine's Tapeta course, besting a 13-horse field by 3 ½ lengths for her third win in four career starts.

"No question, it shows she can do it," Jerkens said. "She's got a big, giant airway if you look between her jowls. We've never had any problems with her getting infections or coughing or anything like that, she certainly has the wind at least."

Holy Helena drew post 2 and is 4-1 on the morning line.

Shaman Ghost will have a procedure done on his throat on Monday at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists in Elmont, New York, keeping him out of the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward on September 2, Jerkens said.

"We're going to ship him down there and have the procedure," Jerkens said. "He was making a little bit of a noise that we didn't like and we investigated it and it needs to be addressed. That doesn't always help, the surgery, but we certainly have to try it."

Jerkens did not give a timetable for when the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner could return to training.