Weaver Targets Garden City for Summer of Fun
Trainer George Weaver's horse is aptly named, as Summer of Fun cruised to a 1 ½-length victory in the $100,000 Auntie Mame on Saturday. Ridden by Joe Rocco Jr., the Include filly landed Weaver his sixth win from 16 starts at the meet.
Owned by Bona Venture Stables, Summer of Fun came with a late surge in the stretch to win the mile and a sixteenth race in 1:44.66, paying $5.50.
"She ran huge and came out of it well," said Weaver. "There was some give in the course and I was concerned about it, but the sun was out all day with a pretty decent wind. By the time we ran I thought it was going to be good enough for her to run her race."
Weaver is aiming for a fall campaign for Summer of Fun, and is pleased with the progress the filly is making.
"We are pointing her toward the Grade 1 Garden City [September 14] at Belmont next," said Weaver. "We will nominate for a race at Keeneland, but I would prefer to run her in the Garden City.
"She impressed me last year as a 2-year-old but she has impressed me even more this year," he added. "Her workouts tell us she is capable of doing some special things. If she continues to do well from here until November, we will plan on going to the Breeders' Cup. She ran a big race [third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies] out there last year."
Weaver has had quite a successful meet thus far. Weaver's other stakes victory was with Lighthouse Bay in the Grade 1 Prioress on July 27. Prior to the Auntie Mame, Summer of Fun was second by a nose in the Hilltop Stakes on May 17 at Pimlico.
"We haven't run a whole lot of horses," he said. "To win a Grade 1 - and to make that filly a stakes winner yesterday - I don't want to rest on my laurels, but I am going to keep trying to win. Whatever happens from here on out, to win those two stakes races is very important for our barn and something that we are very excited about."
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Strong Impact goes for his third straight victory on Wednesday as he faces seven others in the 10th running of the $100,000 Troy at 5 ½ furlongs over the Mellon turf course.
The 7-year-old A. P Jet gelding already has a victory at the Spa this year, rallying to take the Fiddler's Patriot stakes by three-quarters of a length on July 21. Trained by Bruce Brown, Strong Impact is 7-2 on the morning line from post position 7 with Alex Solis riding.
Favored at 3-1 is the Steve Asmussen-trained Great Mills, who will be making his first appearance at the Spa since his victory in the 2011 Quick Call. The 5-year-old son of War Front has started once this year, posting a one-length victory in an optional claimer in January at Santa Anita. He will leave from post position 4 under Joel Rosario.
Rounding out the field are Smash, Varsity, Tripski, Hear the Footsteps, Mop Head, and Hogy. Leave of Absence was entered main track only.