Phoenix Park to Try Tougher in Adirondack

Trainer Jimmy Toner is taking a long-range approach with Phoenix Park, who is among the probables for the Grade 2 Adirondack for 2-year-old fillies on Sunday.

Phoenix Park will be making her first start for Toner and owner Justin Nichols of Ninety North Racing Stable, who purchased her for $105,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale on July 14. In her lone previous outing, she won a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight by a head in the slop in June at Parx Racing.

"[She] was a 2-year-old that was ready to start right away for us," said Toner of the decision to purchase Phoenix Park. "She's an attractive filly. She's nice and sound and clean. We bought her to see if we could run in one of the stakes races up here."

Phoenix Park is from the first crop of 2010 Champion Three-Year-Old Male and Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky and out of Boleyn, who was second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle. Her third dam, Magnificent Lady, won the Grade 1 Vanity Invitational Handicap.

Considering Phoenix Park's pedigree, Toner believes she'll improve with age and distance and sees the Adirondack as a steppingstone to later objectives.

"I'm not saying she'll be able to handle this group of fillies, but it will be a way for us to get a read on her," said Toner. "She will go longer. Her dam was second in the Demoiselle. That's why I wouldn't put too much importance on this race. We just want to run her and see where we're at with her. We're looking at the fall and next year."