Takeover Target Seeks Another Saratoga Stakes Win in Saranac
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Photo:
Adam Mooshian/NYRA
Takeover Target headlines a field of eight up-and-coming turf stars in the Grade 3, $300,000 Saranac at Saratoga Race Course, the first of four graded stakes on the final Saturday of the 2015 meet.
One of three horses in the race for trainer Chad Brown, Takeover Target is coming off a win in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes on August 7. The victory was the third in five starts and first in a stakes for the lightly raced son of Harlan's Holiday, who missed by a neck in the Pennine Ridge at the Saranac distance of 1 1/8 miles on May 30 at Belmont Park.
At 8-5 on the morning line, he will break from post position 3 and will have leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. back in the irons.
Brown also has entered Money Multiplier, who in his first start on turf closed well to finish second in the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile Kent Stakes on July 18 at Delaware Park.
As the 6-1 fourth choice, the dark bay ridgling will be ridden from the rail by Hall of Famer John Velazquez.
The third Brown trainee in the race is the French-bred Winter Springs, exiting a sixth-place finish in his North American debut in the Hall of Fame. At 10-1, he will break from post 4 and have Javier Castellano in the irons.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has entered Go Around, last seen winning an allowance race on the Spa turf on August 1. The victory was the second in four starts for the Medaglia d'Oro colt, who is the second choice on the morning line at 7-2.
"The way he ran last time, he is coming off a big, big effort," said Mott. "We are very happy with the way he is doing. Hopefully, he will step up."
Go Around will be piloted by Jose Lezcano from post 5.
World Approval, who finished fourth in the Hall of Fame, beaten 2 ¼ lengths, will be making his seventh start of 2015. Two races back, World Approval added a victory in the Grade 3 American Derby at Arlington Park to his resume to go along with a win in the Sophomore Turf at Tampa Bay Downs and a third in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs. His Arlington Park form was further flattered when runner-up Nun the Less came back and won the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby on August 29 at Canterbury Park.
World Approval, trained by Mark Casse, will break from post 7 with Joel Rosario in the irons. The Casse barn will also send out Sky Hero, who came off a 7 ½-month layoff to finish second in an optional claimer in his turf debut on August 15.
Trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented by Nonna's Boy, who notched a handy victory in the Lamplighter Stakes on July 18 at Monmouth Park in his first start on the grass.
Rounding out the field is Vision Perfect for trainer David Donk. Vision Perfect, piloted by Manuel Franco, finished seventh in the Hall of Fame last out and will be trying the 1 1/8 mile distance for the first time. He will break from post 6 and is the 20-1 program choice.
Source: NYRA Communications
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