From the Spa: August 25 Midlantic-breds in Saratoga stakes

I Spent It wins the 2014 Saratoga Special. Photo by NYRA/Adam Coglianese.

by Joseph Aiello

“From the Spa” returns to keep you up-to-date on horses bred in the mid-Atlantic racing in Saratoga stakes   

Sunday, August 25th brings us the Better Talk Now Stakes run at a mile on the turf to the Spa. After a big day of racing on Traver’s Day with plenty of great turf races, this group of three year old colts will try to show that they are not to be overlooked among some of the better turf runners in the country. Being overlooked, however, are our Mid-Atlantic breds in Regally Irish at morning line odds of 15-1 and Our Braintrust at 8-1. Looking deeper into each entry makes it clear that neither should be ignored.

Regally Irish was bred in New Jersey by his owner, Isabelle de Tomaso and is by Regal Ransom – Irish Score, by Even the Score. This chestnut colt has a top trainer in Graham Motion and a very capable jockey in Rajiv Maragh, which makes his long odds even more puzzling. Finishing a strong second in the Irish War Cry Handicap at Monmouth a month ago further adds confusion to his odds, but with the right trip to the lead, Regally Irish has as good a chance as any to wire the field. His recent work at Fair Hill where he breezed six furlongs in a minute and fourteen show that, if nothing else, he is in good form and prepared for an upset performance. Regally Irish will break from the six post.

Our Braintrust is a Maryland bred owned by Gary Barber and breaks from the two post. Perhaps his best connection to Maryland is not through his breeding, but rather with his jockey trainer combo of Tyler Gaffalione and Mark Casse, who won this year’s Preakness Stakes together with War of Will at Pimilco. These two will need to work their magic again with this colt who switches to turf after finishing last in the Grade II Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn against Omaha Beach and Game Winner in March. Coming off the long layoff may be hard for this dark brown colt, but he has shown some flashes of potential with a win second time out in the Tremont Stakes at Belmont as well as hitting the board in his next three tries following. If Our Braintrust can transfer that to the turf, he should be able to have a long racing career. Bred by Barak Farm, Our Braintrust is by Freud – Caller Trust, by Trust N Luck.