Wednesday, August 26th 9th race at Saratoga is the $100,000 John’s Call Stakes. It is a mile and five eighths on the turf. Named for the eccentric and late blossoming gelding John’s Call, trained by the late Tom Voss, this distance race on the turf draws a Pennsylvania bred.
John’s Call was unique in a few ways. First of all, he was allergic to sunlight, and had to train indoors several months of the year. Secondly, he ran the best races of his life at the ripe, old horse age of 9, scoring two major Grade I victories, and over one million dollars of purses at this late phase of his career. Thus, he became legendary and popular, and this race is named in his honor.
Holiday Star is a five year old gelding who is coming up from a win at Delaware Park in the Cape Henlopen Stakes. He has attracted Edgar Prado to the irons, and is in the capable training hands of H. Graham Motion. He is by Harlan’s Holiday – Spring Star, by Deputy Minister, which may aid in tackling the long distance of this race. His connections, Augustin Stable and breeder George Drawbridge, hope that he can become as prolific as the namesake of this race. Morning line odds of 7/2.
