Saratoga Notebook: Highland Chief Ready to Roll July 31

Fitriani Hay's Highland Chief (IRE) has surprised trainer Graham Motion before. Maybe the 5-year-old horse can do it again July 31 in the $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course. In the $700,000 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park on Mary 14, Highland Chief opened some eyes when he won by a length at odds of 19-1. He was the longest price in the field of five in the 1 3/8-mile race. "He surprised me because he is not overly impressive in the mornings," Motion said outside his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track. "He does what he has to do and is a little bit of a hard read. He is very honest and generous in the afternoons. A very cool horse." In his last start, Highland Chief, a son of Gleneagles (IRE), was still a price (10-1) when finishing fourth in the Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) at Belmont on June 11. Motion then decided he would wait until Saratoga before the next start. "We passed on the United Nations (G1T) because I kind of wanted to run him up here," Motion said. "He finds it quite hard in the heat; I thought the cooler mornings up here would help him." Motion is also confident that the Bowling Green distance of 1 3/8 miles will help, the same distance as the Man o' War. "A mile and a quarter (Manhattan distance) is too short for him," he said. Highland Chief is the 5-2 second choice in the morning line made by New York Racing Association oddsmaker David Aragona. The Brad Cox-trained Arklow, owned by Jerry Crawford's Donegal Racing and Joseph Bulger, is the 2-1 favorite. Hot Rod Charlie Will Ship to Spa Aug. 1 for Whitney Hot Rod Charlie is heading to Saratoga on Aug. 1 to get ready for the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) next weekend. The 4-year-old colt, owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss, has been stabled at Keeneland for the summer, where has worked four times over the Lexington oval under the supervision of trainer Doug O'Neill's assistant Leandro Mora. His last start came in the Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park where he finished second as the 1-5 favorite, beaten a head by Mind Control. The son of Oxbow will have the blinkers back on for the Aug. 6 Whitney. He hasn't worn blinkers in his last four starts. "Knock on wood, all's well," O'Neill said from California. A grade 1 winner at 3 in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), Hot Rod Charlie has raced three times this year, twice in Dubai. He captured the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Presented by the Longines Record (G2) on Feb. 4 and then was second behind Country Grammer in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). In the Whitney, he will be facing foes such as Life Is Good and Olympiad. Hot Rod Charlie finished ahead of Life Is Good, who was fourth, in the Dubai World Cup. "I'm really excited about facing Life Is Good again," said O'Neill, who will arrive in Saratoga Aug. 4. "It looks to be a small field, but a real tough field." Golden Pal Has Final Work Before Saratoga Assignment Trainer Wesley Ward stood along the rail of the Oklahoma Training Track on a spectacular summer day July 29 and watched his best do his thing. And Golden Pal, owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg, did what he was supposed to do in his final work before his date with the $300,000 Troy Stakes (G3T) Aug. 5 Golden Pal drilled five furlongs in a time of 1:01.86 on the turf course at the Oklahoma Training Track with exercise rider Julio Garcia, a former jockey, on his back. Ward flew Garcia up from Keeneland to work the horse. Garcia is a member of Ward's Kentucky team. "He worked great," Ward said. "Julio knows the horse; he has worked him his whole life. He seemed relaxed and went nice and easy for Julio." Ward has called Golden Pal, a 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo, the best horse he has ever trained. He has won six of nine career starts on turf, including the Skidmore in 2020 and the Quick Call (G3T) last summer. In his last start, the King's Stand Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot June 14, Golden Pal broke slowly and was never a factor, finishing 16th as the 9-5 favorite. Ward said Golden Pal has done everything right during his summer stay at Saratoga Race Course. This was his third work. "We are ready," Ward said. "This is a very talented horse. The main thing was to come in and out of this work perfect. With the track the way it is, with the rain we had, we could not have asked for anything better." That's Three Straight Wins for Fingal's Cave Ali Fyfe's Alifyfe Racing's Fingal's Cave just keeps on running. The 3-year-old filly, a daughter of Carpe Diem, won her third race without a loss, winning the third race at Saratoga Race Course July 29 by 3 3/4 lengths. Fingal's Cave, bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, won for the first time in open company and around two turns, covering the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.97. In her first three starts, Fingal's Cave has won by a combined 21 1/4 lengths. "She's OK," trainer David Donk said. "I wasn't surprised at the first two wins because of the competition. There was much better competition today. I had a lot of respect for Brad's horse." That would be Gary and Mary West's Insignia, who went off as the 6-5 favorite for trainer Brad Cox. Fingal's Cave, who was ridden by Jose Ortiz, was 7-5. Curragh Stables' Spiked was second with Insignia finishing third. "She is a nice filly," Donk said. "We'll find out in a little bit how nice she is." The next step for Fingal's Cave will be against state-breds in the $200,000 Fleet Indian Stakes on Aug. 26 at 1 1/8 miles. Snyder Dies at 91 Harry D. Snyder, a director of the New York State Breeding and Development Fund, died at Saratoga Hospital July 27 after a brief illness at the age of 91. Born in Saratoga Springs, Snyder was a lifelong resident of the city. Snyder was appointed to the New York State Racing Commission in 1980 and held the position of either commissioner or chairman until 2012. He was with the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund from 1980 until his passing. He was a founding partner of the law firm Snyder, Kiley, Toohey, Corbett & Cox. In more than 60 years of practice, he was a noted trial lawyer and legal counsel. He also served as chairman of the Saratoga Zoning Board of Appeals and as Acting City Judge. Relatives and friends may call from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 5 at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway in Saratoga Springs. A funeral home service will follow at 6 p.m.