Tom Law

Two John Morrissey Stakes winners stood in their stalls on opposite sides of Union Avenue Wednesday morning

On the Oklahoma side was 2015 winner Moonlight Song, who craned his dark bay neck over the stall webbing to accept a peppermint from trainer Charlton Baker. Staring intently and nodding for more, the 9-year-old gelding finally lost interest and gazed out at the horses striding past to the training track.

Alfred Nuckols Jr. is feeling the heat as the days count down until the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings. He’s not warm under the collar because of any pressure with his Saratoga-bound consignment of six, quite the contrary, just feeling the effects of the rising temperatures in Central Kentucky the last few weeks.

Sarah Sis took several turns around the shedrow before going out for a light jog Monday morning, her feet piercing the brown dirt with every step. Ingrid Mason sat on her pony just outside the barn, half under the overhang and half out in the open air. She liked what she saw as the filly loosened up.

“Go ahead, give her another turn,” she told her small crew.

The $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes is set for Tuesday, the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown following on the heels of the Queen’s Plate and a race that the connections of Leavem In Malibu probably wish he could leave behind.

The few days that Songbird has spent in upstate New York make it pretty easy to comprehend why those closest to her say they feel no pressure when it comes to maintaining the California filly’s unbeaten record, growing legend and rightful position atop her division and among the best North American racehorses of 2016.

There’s an elephant in the room, and her name is Tepin.

Last year’s champion turf female and Breeders’ Cup Mile winner is absent from the entries for today’s Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and that’s likely causing trainers to breathe a sigh of relief. Seven of the 10 fillies and mares entered in the $500,000 stakes have unsuccessfully gone head-to-head with the dark bay powerhouse on at least one occasion.

Olive Branch did everything right on the grounds and racetrack leading up to the OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale. She did most everything right – she is a 2-year-old after all – when she arrived at Rick Violette’s barn at Belmont Park shortly after Ralph Evans bought her for $185,000.

Do yourself a favor and take a break from packing or loading up the car, truck, horse van, whatever, as you get ready for Saratoga to take in one final Saturday before the biggest meeting in North America gets underway. This week’s getaway Saturday Special presented by Pin Oak Stud, home of Alternation, Broken Vow and Cowboy Cal as always winds its way across the country and around the world.