Mott Pleased With Site Read's Debut

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott was very pleased Sunday morning, a day after he sent Site Read to a 4 ½-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile grass race for 2-year-olds. Going off at odds of 21-1, the son of Tizdejavu was a $32,000 Keeneland September Sale purchase picked out by Bill's son Riley and his friend.

"Well, we were pleased," said Mott. "He's kind of what you call a house horse I guess, and he ran very well, certainly up to expectations and maybe even a little bit better. Riley was a part of the team that picked him out, him and his friend."

Gearing up for next Saturday's Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, Mott is scheduled to enter Japan for owner Barry K. Schwartz. The 3-year-old has won back-to-back races, including the Easy Goer on June 6 at Belmont Park, after breaking his maiden in his third lifetime start.

Celestine, who scratched out of Friday's Grade 2 Lake George, will be further evaluated according to Mott.  

 

"I wasn't happy with the way she was moving," said Mott. "We have to make some adjustments or give her some time, so we're just trying to sort through that right now."

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The Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap for sprinters headlines an action-packed card on Saturday, August 1, with Stonestreet Stables' Rock Fall looking to stretch his winning streak to six in the six-furlong event. The 4-year-old Speightstown colt, who has taken five of six starts by a combined winning margin of more than 26 lengths, enters the Vanderbilt off a 3 ¾-length win in the Grade 2 True North, in which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 110 for his stakes debut. Also being pointed to the race are multiple graded stakes winners Clearly Now, Departing, and Salutos Amigos, along with The Big Beast, who took the Grade 1 King's Bishop at the Spa last year, and Marylou Whitney's Viva Majorca, victorious in the Kelly's Landing at Churchill Downs last time out.

Saturday's Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, Saratoga's traditional hometown prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 29, is expected to draw a solid lineup including Grade 1 winners Texas Red, Materiality and Frosted as well as Grade 2 winner Upstart. Texas Red upset the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at odds of 13-1 last fall and has run second in both his starts this year, the Grade 2 San Vicente and Grade 3 Dwyer. Materiality has been off the board since capturing the Florida Derby in March, while Frosted rebounded from a disappointing winter to take the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial and run fourth in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Belmont Stakes to Triple Crown champion American Pharoah. Unraced since finishing last of 18 in the Derby, Upstart beat Frosted in the Grade 2 Holy Bull then was second in both the Florida Derby and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. Grade 2-placed Frammento and Easy Goer Stakes winner Japan are also expected, while Belmont third-place finisher Keen Ice and Grade 3 Pegasus runner-up Tekton are possible.

Multiple graded stakes winner March and two-time stakes winners Bluegrass Singer and Holy Boss are all being pointed to the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-old sprinters going 6 ½ furlongs on Saturday. March captured the Grade 3 Bay Shore and Grade 2 Woody Stephens this year, the latter on June 6. Grade 2-placed Bluegrass Singer took the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park and Parx Derby this year, while Holy Boss has strung together three straight victories, including the Bachelor and Chick Lang Stakes. Also expected are Requite, The Great War, Victory is Sweet, and Grade 3 Hutcheson winner Barbados.

Rounding out Saturday's graded stakes is the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green at 1 3/8 miles on the inner turf. A robust field is expected, including Dynamic Sky, second in the Grade 3 Singspiel last time out; Golden Soul, most recently fourth in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano; Belmont Gold Cup winner Innovation Economy; Iron Power, making his graded stakes debut; the German-bred Messi, who won an optional claimer in his North American debut on July 2; Morning Calm, fifth in the Belmont Gold Cup; Reflecting, placed second to Iron Power in an optional claimer on July 2; and multiple graded stakes winners Skyring and War Dancer. Grade 1 winner Big Blue Kitten and Lochte, second in the Elkwood on July 4 at Monmouth, are questionable.