Michael Tabor's Survie earned a unique double by capturing two graded stakes at Saratoga Race Course just 13 days apart, completing the task with a flying finish in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Christophe Clement Turf.
Trained by George Boughey, the 5-year-old Churchill mare rallied stoutly to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls versus older fillies and mares on August 2 here with Flavien Prat aboard. On Saturday, this time with Manny Franco up and facing males in the Clement Turf, Survie arrived in the final jumps to best Minaret Station by three-quarters of a length. The victory in Saturday's 12-furlong inner turf test for 3-year-olds and up provided a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf in October at Keeneland.
On Sunday morning, a smiling Antonia Peck, traveling assistant for Boughey, said she tried to inspire Franco as she legged him up on the marvelous mare.
"It was pretty special," Peck said of the performance. "She was training really good, and I did think that she had a chance. She just looked great, and her coat was great. I always like to fill the jockey with confidence, so I said to him, 'I think she's going to run a really, really big race.' It was very exciting."
The win by Survie continued a tremendous run of form for European shippers to Saratoga this year, including victories by the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Kensington Lane in the Grade 1, $600,000 Belmont Oaks; Title Role, who prevailed in the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby for Simon and Ed Crisford; and Glacius, who captured the Grade 1, $750,000 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing for Hugo Palmer.
Close calls for European raiders include the Ed Walker-trained Fort George missing by a nose in the Grade 2 $250,000 Bowling Green presented by Emerald Ecovations, while Francis-Henri Graffard finished second in a pair of Grade 1s during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival with Cankoura a head back of Portfolio Duration in the $750,000 New York and Mandanaba landing 1 1/4-lengths in arrears of gate-to-wire winner Classic Q in the $500,000 Just a Game presented by Resolute Racing.
"I do feel we'll see more European horses ship over to Saratoga because the prize money is just so good," Peck said.
In the Clement Turf, dual Grade 2-winner Ole Crazy Bone led the six-horse field through six furlongs over the yielding going in 1:18.98 with Survie well off the rail in last, while three lengths off the pace. Survie raced two-wide through the final turn and was tipped out six-wide for the stretch run, surging past multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Program Trading and finally Grade 2-winner Minaret Station in the final furlong to secure the victory in a final time of 2:31.55. The winning effort earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, a three-point improvement on her Glens Falls score.
"I'm so proud of her. She deserves that so much. She's 5-years-old now and that's her first Grade 1, so I'm very happy for her," Peck said. "She's had loads of carrots today. She seems great and she's moving well. Just a walk day for her today."
The energetic Survie can be a handful in morning training, but Peck was able to enjoy a kinder moment with the mare after the win, planting a kiss on her nose when returned by Franco after the race to pose for the win photo.
"She's not really the cuddly sort but after her run, she's always happy," Peck said.
Peck spent a little over one year in the U.S. from late 2022-2024 working for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
"I learned a lot riding American horses for Todd. Major Dude and a nice little filly called Miss Justify were my two favorites when I was working for him," Peck said.
Boughey said by phone from France on Saturday evening how proud he was of both Survie and Peck.
"Credit has to go to Antonia Peck, who rides the horse every day at home and has been out there [in Saratoga] for a few weeks. She's a very good rider for me and has produced her beautifully to put in a very good Group 1 performance, I think," Boughey said.
Peck has been greeted by a number of well-wishers since the win, including a visit from Franco and his agent, John Panagot, on Sunday morning.
"Everyone keeps saying to me, 'your filly has such a great turn-of-foot,'" said Peck, with a laugh. "We've known that back home from her work. It was great to see her win. She deserved it."
Boughey indicated Saturday evening that Survie will head back to the U.K. this week and return stateside in October for the Breeders' Cup.
Survie was purchased for $2,636,068 at last year's Tattersalls December Mare Sale. She had four previous Group 1-placings and has banked in excess of $1.5 million via a 20-6-3-5 ledger that includes a win in the 2024 Group 2 Prix de Mallaret, while in the care of Nicolas Clement - brother of Christophe.
Cadenza Eyes Music City Stakes
Stonestreet Stables' Cadenza rallied from last-of-8 to post a 1 1/2-length score in Saturday's Listed $200,000 Galway, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the Charlatan chestnut earned a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure for her final time of 1:03.91 over the yielding turf. She also improved from Grade 3 thirds over course and distance in the Soaring Softly in June and Coronation Cup in July.
"She came out of it in good order," Cox said. "She's improved this summer physically here in Saratoga. She's put on weight. Her coat looks amazing, and she ran the way she looked yesterday."
Cox said the Kentucky-bred Cadenza may target the Grade 2, $1.5 million ($750,000 KTDF) Music City, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, on September 5 at Kentucky Downs.
"I think that's a good possibility. We'll nominate her and see how it comes up," said Cox. "I know it'll be a tough race, but she stepped up yesterday. If we can get that effort out of her, she'll be a player."
Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Q B Rocket made a winning debut sprinting six furlongs on Saturday versus fellow juveniles in Race 8 here. Ridden by Junior Alvarado, the Gun Runner dark bay wired the eight-horse field in a final time of 1:10.70, earning an 80 Beyer.
"He came out of it really good. Looks amazing," Cox said. "I'm very happy with him. He acted like he was a good horse in morning training, and we brought him up here and he handled everything really well. We expected him to run big, and he did."
Possible targets for Q B Rocket include the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park or the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, both on October 3 and "Win and You're In" qualifiers for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
"The Champagne or the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland would probably be the logical spots," Cox said. "I think he showed enough yesterday to take that next step and stretch him out. He's bred to stretch and acts like he would. He's got a great mind, so we'll see."
Q B Rocket, a $1.9 million purchase at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-placed Quality Road mare Ginja, a half-sister to dual Grade 1-placed Top Decile.
Wathnan Racing's 2-for-2 Leading Change worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Saturday at Churchill Downs and is under strong consideration for the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 29 at the Spa. The Grade 3 Indiana Derby-winning Gun Runner bay is a half-brother to the Cox-trained 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil.
"Big time pedigree and we think he's a big time horse. We're looking at the Travers, we'll see how things shake out over the next week or so, but we're excited about what he's showed us," Cox said.
Cox said Wathnan Racing's Commandment will likely breeze back next week for the first time since his second to Renegade in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on August 1 here.
"Probably next week," Cox said. "I'm very happy with how he's training. He's happy, fresh, enjoying the weather here. I'm very pleased with how he's training."
Libby Lloyd Dazzles In Spa Debut
Bret Jones' Kentucky homebred Libby Lloyd was a sparkling winner of her career bow on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, smashing the competition by 10 lengths under Flavien Prat in a six-furlong maiden special weight for juvenile fillies.
In victory, the Into Mischief bay defeated a field of promising young aspirants, including runner-up Groves - a Summer Wind Equine homebred daughter of Flightline, Godolphin's homebred Free Verse, who was produced from the multiple graded stakes-winner Dickinson, and Tumoohaat, the first foal produced from dual Champion Malathaat.
Libby Lloyd set the pace through splits of 22.37 seconds and 46.18 over the fast main track and never looked back as she poured it on through the stretch and won in a final time of 1:10.80. The winning effort returned a 78 Beyer Speed Figure.
Libby Lloyd entered her debut from a long string of works over the Spa main track, including a half-mile from the gate in 47.88 seconds on July 26. Brown said the filly demonstrated her ability in the weeks leading up to her unveiling.
"She did well yesterday and came out of the race good," Brown said. "She always trained good, and it was nice to see her run to her works."
Saratoga offers the seven-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway on September 5 for juvenile fillies, but Brown said he would rather wait for the one-mile Grade 1, $500,000 Frizette on October 3 at the new Belmont Park.
"I know it's a big jump to a mile, but I think the Spinaway comes up a little too soon," Brown said. "I think [the mile] is within her scope."
Out of the Brown-trained Grade 2-placed Proud Citizen mare Indian Pride - a half-sister to Canada's 2010 Horse of the Year Biofuel - Libby Lloyd is named after owner Bret Jones' mother, Elizabeth Lloyd Jones. Libby Lloyd is a half-sister to Grade 1-placed stakes-winner Publisher.
Brown also noted that Douglas Scharbauer and Three Chimneys Farm's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winner Always a Runner will bypass the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales on Saturday at Saratoga, and will instead wait for the nine-furlong Grade 1 Cotillion on September 19 at Parx Racing.
"I'm going to run My Gun's Loaded in the Alabama, and I want to wait for the Cotillion with Always a Runner," Brown said Sunday morning.
My Gun's Loaded, owned solely by Scharbauer, is 2-for-2 against elders over the Saratoga main track, including a last-out win in a one-mile optional claimer on July 24 that earned a career-best 94 Beyer.
Entries for the 10-furlong Alabama are being taken today, and are expected to be led by dual Grade 1-winner Counting Stars, who defeated Always a Runner twice locally in the Grade 1 DraftKings Acorn and Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks.
Ocelli, Nycon Breeze At Saratoga
Trainer Whit Beckman sent out his top dirt sophomores for Saturday works at Saratoga Race Course, with Grade 1-placed Ocelli covering a half-mile in 48.80 seconds over the main track and dual stakes-placed Nycon covering the same distance in 48.55 over the Oklahoma dirt training track.
"I was very happy with the work for Ocelli, great energy and everything looked great," Beckman said. "He galloped out fantastic and the rider was even having trouble pulling him up at the end. You always like a horse to show that kind of enthusiasm in the morning."
Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate and Front Page Equestrian's Ocelli has banked over $800,000 without ever stepping foot in the winner's circle. The popular maiden son of Connect finished third in both the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs ahead of a fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness and runner-up effort to Chip Honcho in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in June. He was last seen finishing a distant last-of-7 over sloppy and sealed footing in the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell on July 18 at Monmouth Park.
Beckman is mulling several options for Ocelli, including the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 29 here or the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 19 at Parx Racing.
"He came out of the work well and we're still considering multiple options," Beckman said. "We'll just play it by ear. We've got some time to make our decision."
Jayson Werth's Icon Racing Stable will hope to see Nycon break through in Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales after a non-threatening sixth last out in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 25 here. The daughter of Nyquist was twice stakes placed this winter, and seeks her first win since a second-out maiden victory in November at Churchill Downs.
Beckman said he was satisfied with the dark bay's final piece of serious work ahead of the Alabama.
"Nycon worked very well and I'm happy with her," Beckman added. "We're looking to get some more black type with her and she's doing very well."
A $375,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Nycon has banked $163,518 via a 6-1-2-0 record.
Baby Vino To Ship In For Travers
Cosmo Stables and Delta Squad Racing's Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell-winner Baby Vino worked five-eighths in 1:00.40 Saturday over the Monmouth Park dirt in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 29, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Lindsay Schultz, the Vino Rosso colt went to post at odds of 28-1 in the Haskell last out on July 18 and made a strong rail bid under Jorge Vargas, Jr. over sloppy and sealed footing to secure a half-length score over pacesetting Grade 1 Preakness-winner Napoleon Solo.
Baby Vino and the Paco Lopez-piloted Napoleon Solo exchanged a few bumps down the lane and Schultz had to wait out an inquiry before the race went official to make her the first female trainer to win the Haskell. The victory also provided Baby Vino a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in October at Keeneland.
Baby Vino worked five-eighths Saturday in company with stakes-placed filly Trusty Troutman [1:00.60] over the fast Monmouth dirt.
"He had a solid five-eighths work and galloped out strong," Schultz said. "We let him start at her hip or right behind her and finish up head and head and then he goes on and gallops out. He's doing well.
"It was important to get a pretty strong work into him, and he did what we wanted," Schultz added. "I anticipate we'll ship up to Saratoga this week and then have a solo work with him there."
Schultz notched her first win in January 2022 with Capture the Glory at Oaklawn Park and picked up her first stakes win in July 2023 when Alex Joon captured the Edward P. Evans at Colonial Downs.
She added a pair of Grade 3 wins in 2023 with Whelen Springs in the Philip H. Iselin at Monmouth and Highestdistinction in the Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup at Pimlico Race Course, but it was Baby Vino that provided Schultz with her first Grade 1 win in her first attempt at the top flight.
Baby Vino made his first five starts in maiden company at Oaklawn Park, including a number of efforts with trouble lines in the past performances, before drawing away to a 2 3/4-length score traveling 1 1/16-miles on May 1.
"He was figuring out how to run a race. He's always had the talent," Schultz said. "He showed his hand early while working and getting ready for the races. He just put it together. Part of it was learning to relax in whatever spot he's at in the race and when it's time to run."
He stepped into stakes company for the first time in the Listed NYRA Bets Pegasus in June at Monmouth and romped by 10 3/4-lengths with Lopez aboard ahead of the Haskell coup.
Vargas, Jr. then picked up the mount for the Haskell and provided a heady ride to secure the win.
Schultz said the race experience gained at Oaklawn may have proved inadvertently beneficial for Baby Vino in making a strong, sustained run up the rail to win the Haskell.
"In his third start at Oaklawn, he fell on his face [entering the far turn] and then re-grouped and got up and made another run," Schultz said. "He's had to re-group and run through horses in some of his maiden races. He hasn't had a stretch run like that [in the Haskell] before, but he's certainly shown some bravery. I wasn't worried when he took that spot on the inside. I think it just showed that Vargas had the confidence to put him in a spot where he could win."
Schultz said she has yet to confirm a rider for Baby Vino in the Travers.
Cosmo Stables, which is comprised of Marcus Osborn and his father, James 'Smoky' Osborn, campaigned Baby Vino through his first six starts, with Josh Isner's Delta Squad Racing buying in after the Pegasus score.
Bred in Kentucky by Lisa Parks, Baby Vino was purchased privately by Cosmo Stables as a yearling along with his dam, the stakes-placed Discreetly Mine mare Discreetly Grand. Baby Vino's third dam, Cinnamon Sugar, captured the 1994 Grade 2 Long Look Handicap at the Meadowlands and was Grade 1-placed four times on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit.
Baby Vino has banked $794,916 through a 7-3-2-1 ledger.
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