SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.–One of the most anticipated horses on the grounds at Saratoga comes to the races on Saturday. His name is Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and he is the unquestioned headliner in the GII, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, the traditional local prep for the GI, $1.5 million Travers Stakes on Aug, 23.
Why shouldn't he be?
He has already won the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes and is regarded as the best 3-year-old colt in the land.
Jockey Junior Alvarado, who has ridden Sovereignty in six of his seven career starts (he missed the GI Florida Derby because of injury), isn't feeling the heat as his partner goes for his fifth win in eight starts.
“It's not pressure,” Alvarado said, sitting on a bench outside the jockey's room. “I don't get any pressure from Bill [Hall of Fame trainer Mott] or [owner] Godolphin. We have already won the biggest race in the United States already. If there was going to be any pressure it was going to be in the Derby.”
In winning the Derby and Belmont, Sovereignty showed a tremendous turn of foot heading into the stretch. His main rival Journalism (Curlin)–who was favored in both races–could not keep up with him when Sovereignty roared by him.
The 39-year-old Alvarado, the main rider for Mott, says riding Sovereignty is just a joy.
In the Belmont Stakes, the horse put himself in a closer position than the Derby and, in both races, gave the rider a pulverizing kick.
“The last time it was easy, to be honest,” Alvarado said. “He put himself very close to the pace and, after that, it was just a matter of time when I got in the clear and asked him to go for it. Really, he is a pretty easy horse to ride, nothing complicated.”
Sovereignty will be facing four others in the Jim Dandy, He has already beaten TDN Rising Star Baeza (McKinzie), Sandman (Tapit) and Hill Road (Quality Road). Mo Plex (Complexity), the New York-bred who most recently won the GIII Ohio Derby will be making the biggest step up in his career.
Sovereignty was installed as the 2-5 morning line favorite by New York Racing Association oddsmaker David Aragona.
“He is a star, and I have to ride him like he is,” Alvarado said. “I hope he comes with his normal 'A' game. He has figured out how to do it and what he is supposed to be doing. There could be room for him to keep improving.”
Baffert Mapping Out Plans For Saratoga
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have a presence during the Saratoga summer. He's just not sure who will be here yet. Baffert is aiming some of his horses at the GI, $1.25 million Travers Stakes and the GI, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, both on Aug. 23.
Speaking from his summer base at Del Mar in California Thursday, Baffert said that TDN Rising Star Goal Orientated (Not This Time) looks to be his representative in the Midsummer Derby.
“That is the plan … today,” Baffert said. “It changes every week.”
Goal Orientated, owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan, is back in California after finishing third, a neck behind Gosger (Nyquist) in the GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Saturday.
They were both caught by Journalism (Curlin) in deep stretch.
Baffert said he brought Goal Orientated back home because he did not want to ship to Saratoga five weeks out from the Travers.
“He is improving,” Baffert said. “This is the time of year when these horses start catching up. Turning for home [in the Haskell], I thought he was going to win it. He is improving, he is maturing.”
Baffert also will consider Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), a 4 1/4 -length winner of the Los Alamitos Derby on June 28, for the Travers.
“I'm going to see how he works out these next couple weeks,” he said. “He is a nice horse; he could go (to Saratoga) or he could end up in Pennsylvania (for the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 20). I am going to watch the (GII) Jim Dandy (at Saratoga Saturday). I'll figure out a lot after that.”
Baffert could send three horses to contest the seven-furlong Jerkens: Madaket Road (Quality Road), second in the GI Woody Stephens at Saratoga on June 7 in his last start, Gaming (Game Winner), winner of the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 8 and Barnes (Into Mischief), fifth in the April 5 GI Santa Anita Derby in his last start.
TDN Rising Star Ewing and Jose Ortiz | Sarah Andrew
Ewing Might Just Be Special for Casse
When TDN Rising Star Ewing (Knicks Go) broke his maiden by a dozen lengths at Saratoga on July 5, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse wasn't surprised. Even though it was the first start for the 2-year-old colt, Casse was expecting big things.
“He sure looks like he is something special, everything he does,” Casse said outside his barn on the Saratoga backstretch Thursday morning.
Ewing, owned by D. J. Stable LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds and Kenneth Freirich, will make his second start a week from Saturday in the GII, $200,000 Saratoga Special. He tuned up for it by working a half mile in :48.66 (14/46) on the main track Thursday.
“He was not supposed to dazzle us this morning,” Casse said. “He is ready; he doesn't need much. Once they are at the top of the mountain, we just stay there and that is where we are at.”
Ewing is named for former New York Knick and Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing. As far as Casse knows, Ewing the player, does not know about his namesake.
“No idea,” Casse said. “I just train them. I watched Patrick Ewing play but I don't watch a lot of basketball. My dad always said, 'if they don't whinny, I don't know much about it.”
Ewing was a $585,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training sale.
From the first time Casse saw the horse, he was smitten. He gave Ewing a Grade of A; one of only three or four he handed out.
“One of our strongest deals is recruiting and finding the young horses,” he said. “I know what I like, and I know what I don't like.”
In the Saratoga Special, Casse knows he will be facing tougher. Among those Ewing could be running against are the Steve Asmussen-trained Obliteration (Violence), who won the GIII Sanford at Saratoga the same day Ewing debuted, and the Tom Amoss-trained Dazzle d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro), a three-length winner in his June 29 debut at Churchill Downs.
“Allen Jerkens always said you can't judge a horse until he runs five times,” Casse said. “I'm going with three. There will be some good horses in there, but we'll be tough.”
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