Saratoga: The Queens M G seeks Grade 1 glory in Spinaway

The Queens M G already has won two local stakes and seeks a third during her young racing career in Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway, a seven-furlong test for juvenile fillies at Saratoga.

A field of 11 has entered the event that is part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen bonus series for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November at Del Mar.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. for C Two Racing Stable and Mathis Stable, the Thousand Words dark bay launched a 44-1 shocker in the six-furlong Schuylerville on July 11 but showed it was no fluke with a nine-length mockery of the 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack (G3) on Aug. 4 at Saratoga.

“She’s doing well. She came out of her last race well. She seems in good order,” Joseph said. “I’m excited to get her back here. The Schuylerville, we were trying to see where we were at, and we got a very pleasing result.”

Joseph said someone will have to step up to top his proven filly. The one loss in her four starts was a misfire as the favorite in the 5 1/2-furlong Astoria on June 6 at the Spa.

“She is 3-for-4, just one blemish in her career. She regrouped and got it done, with last time being the most impressive win so far,” Joseph said. “She seems like she keeps getting better and hopefully they don’t catch up to her yet.”

The Queens M G, out of the Grindstone mare Show Queen, was originally a $3,500 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale before being bought privately after a victorious debut at 45-1 odds for trainer Israel Acevedo in April at Keeneland.

Dylan Davis will be aboard from post 8. All of The Queens M G's previous efforts have come from the outside post.

Quietside, who breaks from post 11, enters from a 6 1/4-length debut romp under returning rider Luis Saez on the Adirondack card. Trained by John Ortiz for owner-breeder Shortleaf Stable, the Malibu Moon dark bay’s six-furlong final time of 1:11.03 registered a field-best 80 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.

“I think she’ll eventually want to go two turns, but right now we’re stretching out from six (furlongs) to seven. Luis said he didn’t even have to ask her,” Ortiz said. “He just showed her the stick and she took off. I think there’s plenty more in the tank.”

Ortiz is no stranger to Spinaway success, capturing last year’s edition with Brightwork, who headlines the Prioress (G3), Saturday's 10th race. He said Quietside looks advanced at this stage and is ready to defend the barn’s title in the event.

“The number she got was pretty impressive indeed but not surprising. She’s got plenty of early speed, and she is also very rateable,” Ortiz said. “It’d be nice to get back-to-back Spinaways, that’s obviously the goal right now.”

Quietside is out of the Grade 1-placed Speightstown mare Benner Island, who won the 2017 Eight Belles (G2) going the Spinaway distance at Churchill Downs.

Close by from a speed figure standpoint is Tiz Purple, who starts from post 4 with Eric Cancel in the irons. Trained by Jorge Delgado for owner Anthony Gentry, the Tiz the Law gray graduated at second asking last out sprinting six furlongs on Aug. 7 at Saratoga. The 1 1/2-length pacesetting score earned a career-best 79 Beyer Speed Figure.

In her lone other start, Tiz Purple was a close second to subsequently stakes-placed Me Governor traveling five furlongs on July 4 at Monmouth.

Out of the Graydar mare Purple Lights, Tiz Purple was a $40,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale. Her second dam, Lavender Baby, produced graded stakes winner Baby J.  

A contender to finish behind The Queens M G last out is stakes-placed Sherbini, who breaks from post 2 under Florent Geroux. She closed from 10th of 11 to land 2 3/4 lengths back in the Schuylerville.

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse for Bobby Flay, Rocky Top Stable and James Ventura, the Cairo Prince gray netted the solid second after a 3 1/2-length debut score over returning rival Strong State sprinting in June at Churchill Downs.

Sherbini, out of the Violence mare Shady Violence, was a $40,000 purchase at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training. Her third dam is multiple graded stakes-winner Smokey Glacken, a half-sister to 1997 champion sprinter Smoke Glacken.

Casse will also saddle maiden Salted, who starts from post 6 with Javier Castellano. She was a bridesmaid in her two starts to date, including to returning foe Immersive sprinting six furlongs on July 21 here. The Tapit gray, campaigned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Barber and Bridlewood Farm, is out of the Casse-trained Grade 1-winning Quality Road mare Salty.

The Jeremiah Englehart-trained Bellacose, who drew post 10 with jockey Junior Alvarado, provides New York-bred representation. The Audible dark bay crushed fellow state-breds by 10 3/4 lengths on debut over 5 1/2 furlongs on July 17 at Saratoga. She was acquired by Resolute Racing following the eye-catching effort and originally entered the state-bred Seeking the Ante on Aug. 25, but scratched.

Bellacose is co-owned by Christopher Dunn, Blue Tarp Racing, Chris Mara, Greyhound Stables, Nicholas Sgroi, Arthur Sgroi, Jonathan Sacks and Corrin Genovese.