Travers undercard: Personal Ensign leads 5 graded stakes

The Grade 1 Personal Ensign is one of five graded stakes slated for Saturday’s Travers Stakes (G1) undercard at Saratoga.

The card will also feature three Grade 1, seven-furlong sprints in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, the Ballerina, a win-and-you're-in for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and the Forego, a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The card also includes the Lake Placid (G2) for sophomore turf mile fillies.

Personal Ensign: Thorpedo Anna-Raging Sea rematch

Although only two of Thorpedo Anna’s 11 wins have come at Saratoga, the daughter of Fast Anna and reigning horse of the year trains at the Spa for much of the year.

Thorpedo Anna makes her fifth start this year for trainer Kenny McPeek, entering off a three-length score in Churchill Downs’s nine-furlong Fleur de Lis (G2) on June 28. The effort was a rebound performance after a dismal and uncharacteristic seventh-place finish to returning rival Raging Sea in the 1 1/16-mile La Troienne (G1) in May.

“It was good,” McPeek said of the Fleur de Lis. “I think the race on Derby week was just a bit of what could go wrong did go wrong, but she’s locked and loaded for this weekend.”

The dark bay kicked off her season in style with wins at Oaklawn Park in the Azeri (G2) and Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) in the spring, picking up where she left off when taking the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar to cap a remarkable sophomore campaign.

The six-win season was highlighted by a four-race win streak comprised of the Fantasy (G2) at Oaklawn, and Grade 1 coups in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks. Thorpedo Anna was tested against male rivals as a rare filly in the Travers, where she finished just a head behind 2023 champion 2-year-old colt Fierceness in a memorable showdown.

McPeek said he has seen more of the same impressive energy from Thorpedo Anna as she prepares for her return to Saratoga.

“She’s ultra-consistent. She loves her work, she’s very happy in Saratoga, and has been for a long time,” McPeek said. “As always, she’s been a pleasure to be around. She’s doing great.”

Last year, she went on to win the Cotillion (G1) at Parx Racing ahead of the Breeders’ Cup, where her 2 1/2-length win over Raging Sea cemented not just champion 3-year-old filly honors, but Horse of the Year as well, the first filly or mare to be given the honor since Havre de Grace in 2011.

McPeek summarized his filly’s chances on Saturday with the famous line he first said last year ahead of the Kentucky Oaks, “They better bring a bear, because I’m bringing a grizzly.”

Brian Hernandez Jr., aboard for each of Thorpedo Anna’s 14 starts, returns to the irons from post 7.

Thorpedo Anna will face a rematch with Raging Sea, one of two contenders for trainer Chad Brown as he also sends out multiple Grade 1 winner Randomized.

Raging Sea, a dual Grade 1 winner in her own right, looks to rebound from a pair of distant third-place finishes, most recently in the Shuvee (G2) on July 18 when making a mild bid to pass tiring horses in the stretch and landing 13 1/2 lengths back of returning rival Leslie’s Rose.

“It’s been disappointing. She started off the year terrific in the La Troienne, and her last two starts have been disappointing, so I’m hoping she can get back on track,” Brown said. “Thorpedo Anna is a tough customer, and either of my horses are going to have to run a really top race to beat her.”

Raging Sea won this event last year by a head over champion older mare Idiomatic, her first top-level score after placings as a juvenile in the Alcibiades and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Her stellar 4-year-old campaign also included wins in the Doubledogdare (G3), the Shuvee (G2) and the Beldame (G2) en route to her game runner-up effort to Thorpedo Anna at the Breeders’ Cup.

This year, the chestnut mare returned with aplomb when taking the La Troienne in off-the-pace fashion, storming to the lead in mid-stretch and fending off the late rush of Taxed by three-quarter lengths, with Randomized a head behind in third. She followed with a closing third when bumped and squeezed at the start of the nine-furlong Ogden Phipps (G1) on June 6 here, won by the reopposing Dorth Vader over sloppy and sealed footing.

Raging Sea has a 16: 8-2-3 record with over $2.2 million in total purse earnings.

Randomized returned to her best form last out with a three-length score in the Molly Pitcher (G3) at Monmouth Park, setting a pressured pace under Flavien Prat before opening up at the top of the stretch and powering home strongly with her ears pricked at the wire. The effort was awarded a 98 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, her best figure since earning a 99 for her head win in last year’s Grade 1 Ogden Phipps over Idiomatic.

“Her getting back in form (was important). I was worried there momentarily that she maybe had enough at age 5, but she’s really picked it up and she came back and trained well,” Brown said.

The win at Monmouth came after a distant fifth in this year’s Ogden Phipps, where she was close to the pace through the first quarter-mile but lost position and faded through the latter stages. She returned from a more than eight-month respite in the La Troienne, where she set the pace and was caught late by Raging Sea and Taxed.

A six-time winner from 13 starts, Randomized notched her first graded win in the Alabama (G1) as a sophomore here, and went on to win the Beldame (G2) at Belmont at the Big A ahead of a narrow loss to Idiomatic in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park. She has banked over $1.7 million in earnings.

Forego: Mullikin takes on Book'em Danno again

Book’em Danno has gotten the better of Mullikin in their last two outings at Saratoga, and the familiar foes will square off once more in the Forego (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for older horses.

Book’em Danno, New Jersey-bred horse of the year in 2023-24, used stalk-and-pounce tactics under regular rider Paco Lopez to best the more prominent Mullikin in both the True North (G3) over 6 1/2 furlongs on a sloppy and sealed main track and the six-furlong Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2) on July 19 over fast footing. The Vanderbilt victory earned a career and field-best 111 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Derek Ryan said he was impressed that Book’em Danno was able to reel in his rival last out after a slight bobble at the start.

“He's bigger than last year, stronger and more professional,” Ryan said. “I was surprised we got him going six (furlongs). Seven is a good distance for him, but he's very versatile.”

Ryan said Book’em Danno had a sharp blowout last Saturday at Monmouth Park to prepare for the Forego.

“We blew him out three-eighths out of the gate to sharpen him up. He’s good to go,” Ryan said.

Book’em Danno’s impressive record at the Spa includes a win in the Woody Stephens (G1) and a troubled third in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) last year.

“He doesn't go up there just to look at the place,” Ryan said with a laugh. “He likes the distance, he likes the track. He'd been training awfully good, and he seems to run for Paco. He's 3-for-4 at Saratoga now. I just want them to get position and go from there.”

The 4-year-old Bucchero gelding, who kicked off the campaign with a restricted handicap score in March at Colonial Downs, has won three of his four starts this year, the only miss being a neck fourth to the victorious Mindframe in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs (G1) over sloppy and sealed footing in May.

The seven-time stakes winner has banked more than $1.5 million via a 15: 9-3-1 record.

Mullikin sports a couple of changes from his last-out effort in the Vanderbilt with Flavien Prat returning to the saddle along with a shorter commute to the starting gate.

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the 5-year-old Violence horse shipped in from Kentucky for the Vanderbilt and was piloted by Jose Ortiz as Prat was at Monmouth Park to ride the Haskell Day card.

Brisset is hopeful that an extended stay at the Spa has benefited Mullikin.

“Could that be the answer where he has a little extra energy the last eighth of a mile? I don't know,” Brisset said. “Maybe Book'em Danno is just a better horse, but staying in the stall is not going to give us any answers. Even if we are second choice, there's nothing wrong with being second choice in a Grade 1. We'll see what happens Saturday.”

Mullikin, who had the lead at the stretch call in the True North, scrambled to find his footing out of the gate in the Vanderbilt but recovered to press Damon’s Mound down the backstretch. Mullikin took over from Damon’s Mound late in the turn as a ground-saving Book’em Danno angled off the rail and overtook Mullikin with a furlong to run.

“Jose did a very good job first time getting on him, and we were where we needed to be turning for home,” Brisset said of the Vanderbilt effort, which earned a 106 Beyer. “Obviously, Paco was where he needed to be too, and he went by us. All around, we cannot be disappointed with a career-best Beyer. Hopefully we come back and run even faster.”

Mullikin put together a four-race win streak last year that included wins in the John A. Nerud (G2) and a 5 3/4-length romp in the Forego last August.

Prat was in the irons as Mullikin worked a half-mile in 49.03 seconds last Saturday over the Oklahoma dirt training track in his third local work as the dark bay looks to return to the winner’s circle for the first time in six starts since his Forego win.

“You can hope they would all be like him. He's easy to be around and a good racehorse, too. Very professional. He does his work and doesn't get bothered by anything,” Brisset said.

H. Allen Jerkens Memorial: Smoken Wicked seeks 1st Grade 1 win

Smoken Wicked will look to secure his first Grade 1 score in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores.

Trained by Dallas Stewart, the Louisiana-bred son of Bobby’s Wicked One enters from a 5 3/4-lengthwin in the Amsterdam (G2), earning a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure for the 6 1/2-furlongs sprint.

There, he pressed Macho Music through a half-mile in 44.76 seconds and took over at the top of the lane, kicking on powerfully when straightened for home to draw clear to an emphatic victory over Gunmetal in a final time of 1:15.64. 

“It was just what we were looking for. He got into a good position, fought hard on the turn and finished it off. It was a very nice effort,” Stewart said. “He can battle it out the first part of it. He's not shy.”

Smoken Wicked, who has a 13: 5-3-1 record and $551,392 in purse earnings, made a pair of juvenile outings at Saratoga when third in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special (G2) and fourth to returning rival Chancer McPatrick in the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1). He broke through in stakes company when besting fellow statebreds in December with scores at Fair Grounds in the Louisiana Juvenile and Louisiana Futurity to close out a four-win campaign.

Smoken Wicked faltered when stretched out to two turns in the Rebel (G2) in February at Oaklawn but has shown trademark tenacity since returning to sprint distances, including runner-up efforts in the Lafayette in April at Keeneland and the Maxfield in June at Churchill Downs when 2 3/4 lengths back of undefeated returning rival Verifire.

Smoken Wicked continued to train in Saratoga after the Amsterdam, including a sharp half-mile work in 47.01 seconds last Friday over the Spa main track.

“I thought it went perfect,” Stewart said of the breeze. “We were slowing him down inside the sixteenth pole. He was full of run and came back fresh. He likes it up there, he really likes that track.

“It's a tough assignment,” Stewart added. “There's better horses in the race, so he's going to have to step his game up a little bit more.”

Dual Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox has a pair of formidable entrants in Grade 1-winner Patch Adams and Verifire.

The duo have trained into this event at Churchill Downs, including a gate breeze in company Aug. 9 that saw both contenders cover five-eighths in 1:00.80. The talented pair followed up Aug. 16, with Patch Adams posting a bullet five-eighths in 59.80 and Verifire covering the same distance in 1:01.

“Both are doing great. They breezed from the gate last week and are set up for big runs,” Cox said. “It's going to be a good, deep race from top to bottom, and I think they both fit very well.”

Patch Adams has benefited from a a return to sprinting after a pair of fourth-place finishes this year on the Kentucky Derby trail. Since shortening up, he is 2-for-2 with an optional-claiming win in May over sloppy and sealed footing at Churchill Downs and a 2 1/4-length score in the Woody Stephens (G1) on June 7.

Patch Adams stalked the pace over a muddy track in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens, taking command at the eighth-pole en route to victory over returning rival Madaket Road. The third-place finisher of that event, Big Truzz, recently won the Ellis Park Derby.

“He's a one-turn horse. He showed Belmont Week that he's a Grade 1-horse,” Cox said. “We always thought he was a Grade 1 talent, and he's training like he's ready to put in a big effort. We're excited about him.”

Verifire steps into graded company for the first time after a 2 3/4-length score in Maxfield.

There, he tracked from third position as the reopposing Captain Cook showed the way through a half-mile in 44.56. Verifire made a three-wide move into the lane and dueled with Smoken Wicked before shaking clear inside the final furlong to score in a final time of 1:20.77. The winning effort earned a career-best 95 Beyer.

The exciting chestnut won his first two outings comfortably in six-furlong sprints, graduating by 6 1/4-lengths in March at Colonial Downs ahead of a 6 1/2-length optional-claiming romp over next-out allowance winner Saxton in May at Pimlico.

“It took us a little while to get him to the races, but once he got there, he's been super solid,” Cox said. “He's 3-for-3 with big figures in all three starts, and he stacks up. He looks like a Grade 1 horse on paper, and now we need to see it in the afternoon.”

Ballerina: Baffert's Hope Road tries again for a Grade 1

Hope Road will ship from California to make her fourth attempt at a top-level victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Ballerina (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road has made her last two starts at Churchill Downs, landing second to Kopion in the seven-furlong Derby City Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby card and following three weeks later with a third to Two Sharp in the Winning Colors (G3).

In the Derby City Distaff, Hope Road stalked the pace set by returning rival Mystic Lake and took a head lead at the stretch call but could not fend off the well-regarded Kopion and settled for the minor awards three lengths back, earning a career and field-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. She cut back to six furlongs for the Winning Colors, where she endured a rough start and chased throughout.

Baffert said he is looking forward to running a refreshed Hope Road in a race her mother, Marley’s Freedom, won for these connections in 2018.

“I think she ran her race in the big race on Derby Day, and then she came back and I think she probably didn’t bring her ‘A’ race that day,” Baffert said. “But she’s freshened up and she’s training well, so we’re giving her a chance. Her mother won this race a few years ago, so hopefully she can have the same kind of luck.

“I think this is what she wants,” Baffert added of the distance. “She can go two turns, but I think seven-eighths is a good distance for her.”

Hope Road made her first three outings for trainer John Sadler before moving to the Baffert barn last June. She won her first four outings for the dual Triple Crown-winning conditioner as she posted open-lengths victories in a June maiden, an August optional claimer and the Torrey Pines (G3) last August ahead of a hard-fought half-length win in the Bayakoa (G3) in November. She concluded the year with an even fourth in the La Brea (G1) and returned in February to finish a pacesetting second in the Santa Monica (G2).

The New York-bred My Mane Squeeze earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for a last-out 6 1/4-length trouncing of the state-bred Johnstone over course and distance for trainer Mike Maker. She led at each point of call under regular rider Luis Saez and was never in doubt as she coasted home under a hand ride in a final time of 1:22.66.

My Mane Squeeze is a dual graded stakes-winner at this distance, taking the Eight Belles (G2) and Dogwood (G3) last year at Churchill Downs. Her stellar 17: 7-2-5 record also includes Grade 1 placings at seven furlongs when third in both the Test last year and the Madison in April. 

Lake Placid: May Day Ready looks to win at a mile

Grade 1-placed May Day Ready looks to get back to the winner’s circle in the Lake Placid, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies.

Trained by Joe Lee, the Tapit bay posted a strong juvenile campaign, graduating on debut by a nose last August at the Spa ahead of stakes victories in the one-mile Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies and Keeneland’s 1 1/16-mile Jessamine (G2). She was second next out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by multiple Grade-Group 1-winner Lake Victoria going one mile in November at Del Mar. 

“The mile distance is what she wants,” Lee said. “This race was to give her a distance she probably prefers and to see how she does. We like running in a spot we’ve known she’s liked for her entire life.”

May Day Ready capped her past season with an off-the-board effort in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) in December at Kyoto in Japan. She returned in the off-the-turf Wonder Again (G3) here and was a distant last-of-three to recent Alabama (G1) winner Nitrogen in June before a last-out rallying fourth in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) on July 5.

In the Belmont Oaks, a nine-furlong Mellon turf test, May Day Ready leapt and bobbled at the start to travel last of seven, closing for fourth behind the victorious Fionn as she set a track record 1:44.84 when nailing Nitrogen at the wire by a nose. 

“The start affected her slightly, but I wouldn’t say that was the main reason she got beat,” Lee said. “The main reason would be that she didn’t get much out of the Wonder Again. I consider her last race to be her first race of the year, to be honest, and it was maybe a little bit longer than she wanted.” 

May Day Ready, bred in Kentucky by White Birch Farm, has banked more than $1 million via a 7: 3-1-1 record. She is out of the multiple Grade-Group 1-placed More Than Ready mare Nemoralia who was third in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. 

Reining Flowers has been third in all three starts this year, all stakes, most recently in the 1 1/16-mile Lake George (G3) on July 26. 

Trained by John Ortiz, the Midnight Storm dark bay traveled nearly last of seven for the majority of the Lake George before rallying strongly up the rail under Hall of Famer John Velazquez to land a neck behind the victorious Daisy Flyer while nosed out of place-honors by the favored Classic Q. 

Reining Flowers earned a career and field-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure in defeat. 

“She ran an incredible race last time,” Ortiz said. “She was very unfortunate to get beat at the wire. She made a huge move up the rail and Johnny absolutely loves her. He knows her very well and I think pointing to the Lake Placid after was the right idea.” 

Reining Flowers has hit the board in eight of nine career starts, including an additional stakes placing in the P.G. Johnson last August. She has a 9: 2-2-4 record with $212,690 in earnings.