From the Spa: September 6 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
The last Sunday of Saratoga’s 2020 meet features three stakes races in a row starting with the ninth race. Over the past few of weeks, Midlantic entries have been more frequent in these stakes races, with a couple having success including two wins and plenty of finishes in the money for this year. The final weekend closes out with two Midlantic runners, a Maryland bred in the Grade II Honorable Miss Handicap, and an MTO in the Lucky Coin Stakes. Should both of these horses reach the starting gate, they will look to add to an already outstanding meet for our Midlantic breds, while also individually striving to get their first career wins at Saratoga.
In the tenth race, the Grade II Honorable Miss Handicap, Blamed breaks from the two post as the morning line second choice. A five year old mare by Blame – Salsa Star, by Giant’s Causeway, Blamed will try her second stakes at Saratoga this summer after finishing a near second in the Shine Again in late July. She has shown some of her best ability when going shorter, and will look to win at six furlongs for the second time in as many tries. Owned by Cleber J. Massey, Blamed has already earned over $600,000 in her career, with an impressive nine wins in sixteen starts lifetime. While she has yet to win above a Grade III, trainer Bill Mott gives her a great chance here with a top rider in Joel Rosario, who looks to add to his list of impressive wins this meet. Blamed was bred by Sagamore Farm and has morning line odds of 2/1.
The Lucky Coin Stakes is a five and one half furlong sprint on the turf in the eleventh race and has one Main Track Only entry in Lenstar who will break from the four post if the race is taken off. Lenstar is a six year old gelding bred in Virginia by Lazy Lane Farm and owned by My Meadowview Farm LLC. He ran at Saratoga last summer in an optional claimer, but was not able to control the pace and faded in the stretch run to finish fifth by nine lengths. While this gelding by Shackleford – Cryptos’ Best, by Cryptoclearance usually has a speed advantage over his competitors, his trainer Nick Zito enters him here looking for a surface advantage in a field that is accustomed to running on turf. While it may be unlikely that Lenstar reaches the starting gate, he would give jockey Reylu Gutierrez a good chance at picking up his second win of the meet and first stakes victory this summer.
