Suffused has progressed nicely for Mott

Juddmonte Farms' Suffused has exited her three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 3 Glens Falls on Saturday in good order, according to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott Sunday morning.

Arriving stateside earlier this year, the 4-year-old British-bred daughter of Champs Elysees had found her way to the winner's circle in her third start for Mott's stable, taking the Belmont Coronation by 4 ¾ lengths in June. Earlier this meet, Suffused turned in a game runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Waya, beaten a head by Guapaza, who finished sixth in the Glens Falls.

"She's coming along well since we started her earlier in the spring," said Mott. She's had three very good races in a row. She won at Belmont and now a win and a second up here, so she's progressed nicely."

Mott reported that Prize Fight, a late scratch in Saturday's third race, emerged from his exploits unscathed. The 2-year-old first-time starter by Tiznow unseated jockey Joel Rosario in the post parade, eluded outriders and jumped the outside rail and ran loose the backside before being apprehended.

"He's fine," he said. "He doesn't even realize anything happened."

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The battle for meet-end honors for owners, trainers and jockeys has come down to the final two days of action at Saratoga Race Course.

Heading into Sunday's card, owner Michael Dubb led Klaravich Stables, 12-10, but the latter appears well-positioned for a late rally. While Dubb closes out his meet on Sunday with two entries, Klaravich and partner William Lawrence have three entered on Sunday and four on closing day, including Takeover Target, 3-1 in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch, and Practical Joke, 3-1 in the Grade 1 Hopeful.

Todd Pletcher had two winners on Saturday to make a dent in Chad Brown's lead among trainers, 37-29, and both have a number of live horses scheduled to run on Sunday and Monday. Pletcher has 16 entered over the two days, including Off the Tracks, 5-2 in Sunday's Grade 2 Prioress, while Brown, who was blanked on Saturday, has 14 entries, among them Takeover Target, 3-1 on Monday's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch, and Practical Joke, 3-1 in the Grade 1 Hopeful.

Pletcher has won 12 overall training titles, which are named after the late Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens, including six in a row. Brown, of nearby Mechanicville, New York, has finished second the past six years.

After posting a five-win day on Saturday, Jose Ortiz held a commanding nine-win advantage over his older brother, defending meet champion Irad Ortiz, Jr., with 61 victories in the race for the Angel Cordero, Jr. jockey title.

Jose is scheduled to ride in 9 races on Sunday and nine on Monday, including the Brown-rained Takeover Target in the Bernard Baruch and Practical Joke in the Hopeful.

Irad has mounts in all 12 races on Sunday and 11 races on Monday, among them Classic Empire, 5-2 on the morning line in the Hopeful.

As Jose Ortiz pointed out following his victory aboard Suffused in Saturday's Glens Falls: "There's still two days of racing, 12 races on Sunday, and 11 on Monday. Anything can happen. But I like my position."

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Riding high coming off a notable spring meet at Belmont Park in which he captured his first graded stakes victory as an owner and trainer with 7-year-old Joking in the Grade 2 True North, Charlton Baker came into the summer meet at Saratoga with modest expectations but leaves feeling more than fulfilled accomplishing his most successful meet as a trainer on racing's biggest stage.

Saddling 10 winners and four second-place finishers from 34 starters for the meet, Baker has racked up an impressive win rate striking at 29 percent. With one remaining entry for the meet in Sing for Beauty for Monday's Labor Day holiday card, Baker remained modest but proud of the work he and his team have done this summer.

"It's been a great meet. Super," said Baker. "Coming in I was thinking we were going to do okay, but not as good as we actually did."

Making his first trip to the winner's circle this summer with 9-year-old Moonlight Song returning from a one-year layoff to win the John Morrissey Stakes for the second consecutive year, Baker considered that moment to be the highlight of his summer.

"The highlight of the meet for me was our victory with Moonlight Song in the John Morrissey," added Baker. "It was our first victory of the meet and coming back off a year layoff it was really special."

Long respected among his fellow horseman and garnering more attention following his success at Saratoga this summer, Baker was hoping to keep the momentum going heading into the upcoming fall meet at Belmont.

"Definitely I would consider this to be the most successful meet of my career," said Baker. "We've had some big meets at Finger Lakes but on the big stage I would have to consider this my best since I've started training. Going forward we're looking good heading to Belmont. We have some new horses so we figure we'll be okay there too hopefully."

Source: NYRA Communications