SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Midwest invader Palanka City first
learned about life in the big city the hard way. She was scratched out
of Belmont Park's Prioress Stakes earlier this month after failing to
appear in the race-day security barn by the assigned time on the morning
of the event.
Palanka City, who had been stabled at Prairie Meadows with
trainer Terry Gestes prior to shipping east for the Prioress, remained
in town and was transferred to trainer Barclay Tagg's barn shortly after
her rude introduction to New York racing. She will get a second chance
to see if she fits with the upper echelon of the 3-year-old filly sprint
division when she takes on Eclipse Award champion Indian Blessing in
Saturday's Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga.
Palanka City will bring a three-race win streak into the
Test that includes an easy victory in Pimlico's Grade 3 Miss Preakness
on May 16. She has won those three starts by an average of better than
four lengths, and according to Tagg has trained exceptionally well for
her first real test in the big time.
"She seems like a pretty nice filly, but I guess we'll
find out on Saturday," said Tagg, who trains Palanka City for owner
William Stiritz. "I've been working her regularly with Big Truck
and she's trained very well and done everything I've asked of her."
Palanka City has worked three times since joining Tagg's
stable on July 5, including a bullet half-mile in 47.20 seconds here
on July 22. She had her final major prep for the Test on Monday, going
five furlongs in 1:00.74 on the main track.
Palanka City has won all her races from on or just off
the pace, and Tagg said he does not have any particular strategy in mind
for jockey Eibar Coa going into the Test.
"She doesn't appear to have to be on the lead and
I'm not going after Indian Blessing," said Tagg.
Tagg also reported that Big Truck is likely to make his
next start here in the $150,000 Albany, a 1 1/8-mile race restricted
to New York-bred 3-year-olds, on Aug. 20.
Big Truck was originally scheduled to run in last Sunday's
Jim Dandy, but Tagg called an audible, taking Big Truck out and replacing
him at the last minute with Tale of Ekati, who finished fourth in the
Grade 2 stakes for 3-year-olds.
"I just thought the Jim Dandy was coming up a little
too tough for Big Truck," Tagg explained. "And I needed to
get a race into Tale of Ekati to have him ready for the Travers, which
is our main goal this summer."
Regarding Tale of Ekati, he said: "He was probably
a work away for the Jim Dandy, but the race served its purpose."
Tale
of Ekati 4th in Jim Dandy - July 27, 2008 Chart
Lake
George S. - July 25, 2008 David Grening, Daily Racing Form 7/25/2008
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- In an eventful running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Lake
George Stakes, My Princess Jess bulled her way through horses in midstretch
and went on to a three-quarter-length victory over Alwajeeha in the first
turf race of the meet at Saratoga.
It was two lengths back to Zee Zee in third. Receipt finished
fourth with Stealin' Kisses and a troubled Mousse Au Chocolat finishing
last as the favorite.
My Princess Jess covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.00 and
returned $6.10.
It was the third straight victory for My Princess Jess
and second in a row since being acquired by Lael Stable and turned over
to Barclay. She is now 4 for 7 lifetime. But this win did not come without
controversy.
My Princess Jess, under Eibar Coa, was rank heading into
the first turn, but quickly settled down and raced in third position
down the backside while Stealin' Kisses set the pace over the soft inner
turf.
Coa kept Princess Jess on the rail, and in the stretch
needed someplace to go. At the eighth pole, Coa found room between Stealin'
Kisses, under Julien Leparoux, and Alwajeeha, with John Velazquez up,
and she snuck on through. However, on her way through, My Princess Jess
forced Leparoux to take up on Stealin' Kisses, and nearly put that horse
into the rail.
Also in the stretch, Receipt came over on Mousse Au Chocolat,
nearly unseating jockey Christophe Lemaire from Mousse Au Chocolat, who
also had missed the break. The stewards posted the inquiry sign, but
took no action.
"She had to split horses,'' Coa said. `"Johnny
made kind of a half step in and I followed him and we kind of pushed
[Stealin' Kisses] in a tighter position, but I think I was clear.''
D. Wayne Lukas, the trainer of Stealin' Kisses, called
the stewards from the winner's circle to get their version of events,
but the stewards declined to give it.
"I asked them 'Do you have to go over the fence or
go down, what do you got to do?''" Lukas said. "They said we'll
talk to you tomorrow if you want to come in.
Boiling
Springs: 'Jess' just holds on. The Blood-Horse
6/28/2008
There
are moves and then there are huge moves. On Saturday in the Boiling Springs
Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth Park, My Princess Jess made a "huge" move.
But she then had to hold off the late-charging Much Obliged to get the
victory.
My Princess Jess, a 3-year-old filly by Stormy Atlantic,
sat chilly under Joe Bravo, swept to the lead as the field entered the
stretch and opened up by more than three lengths. But the race was not
over. Chris Emigh and Much Obliged were last in the nine-horse field
for the first half-mile but were flying late and came up a neck short
at the wire.
My Princess Jess, owned by Lael Stables and trained by
Barclay Tagg, paid $5.80, $3.20, and $2.60. Much Obliged returned $4
and $3.40 and Forrest Trail was third and paid $3.40.
Encanto Park and Saki to Me made the lead out of the gate
and led the field through a quarter in :23.07 and a half in :46.77. Nicksappealinglady
and Dagger filled the third and fourth spots early.
As the field went six furlongs in 1:10.85 and cornered
for home, Bravo had My Princess Jess moving wide and circling horses.
The pair opened up down the lane and just had enough to hold off the
impressive late run of Much Obliged.
The winner ran the distance in 1:39.81, breaking the course
record of 1:40.41.
"I was very impressed, we all were," Tagg said. "She
broke the track record today. This filly has a very nice turn of foot.
This was her first start for us. Mr. (Roy) Jackson purchased her after
her last start. We’ll probably find something at Saratoga for her
next."
"Barclay Tagg makes me look good," Bravo said. "This
filly was much the best today. I had ridden her down in Florida two starts
when she ran a banged up second. Barclay (trainer Tagg) got her after
she won her first stakes at Belmont last time out. This is a very nice
filly, who is improving in each start. She is getting better step by
step."
"She looked like she’d be a real nice turf filly,
so we purchased her after her last race (May 8 at Belmont)," Jackson,
best known for racing Barbaro with his wife, Gretchen. "I just thought
she was improving and she ran very well this afternoon. We’ll leave
it up to Barclay as to her next start."
In her first stakes start, My Princess Jess had won the
Gaviola Stakes at Belmont. She was previously trained by Bobby Barbara.
Out of the Pleasant Colony mare Jewell of Jewels, My Princess
Jess was bred in Florida by Adena Springs.
Robin
on Song of Love 6-28-08.
HAMSA
1 1/8 MILES STAKES. Mother Goose S. (Grade I). FOR FILLIES
THREE YEARS OLD.
6-28-08........chart
Robin said "it was a rough run race considering only 4 horses".
HAMSA stumbled badly at the break, trailed during the initial
three quarters, attempted a four wide rally, flattened out. After a Stewards'
inquiry, PROUD SPELL was disqualified from second and placed third for
causing interference in the stretch.
Five years ago, Barclay was in the position of winning
the Triple Crown with Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner Funny Cide. Now,
he will try to be the upsetter with Tale of Ekati, the
winner of Aqueduct’s Grade 1 Wood Memorial this year.
“The thing about the Belmont is that you never know
what will happen,” Barclay said. “Funny Cide caught a track
that he hated. The mile and a half is always a question. But I have a
horse that is training well who I think can get the distance.”
There
are moves and then there are huge moves. On Saturday in the Boiling Springs
Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth Park, My Princess Jess made a "huge" move.
But she then had to hold off the late-charging Much Obliged to get the
victory.
