Jeremiah Englehart hit the sales grounds a little midway through Saturday morning, scouting future prospects after he wrapped up training of several current prospects he’s excited to run later in the Saratoga meeting. (Originally published in the Aug. 6 issue of The Saratoga Special.)
A majority of the group bedded down in his usual spot on the Oklahoma Training Track are 2-year-olds and many should find races in the third condition book to wrap up the meet. Englehart is off to another strong start with three wins through Saturday, including impressive juvenile Aveenu Malcainu for supportive client Al Gold’s Gold Square.
“Our young horses are running well,” Englehart said. “I was a little nervous this year because I had a lot more 2-year-olds to run up here than in years past. I’ve still got a dozen or so left to run before the end of the meet.
“Overall I’ve been very happy, three wins so far and hopefully we’ll get some more before the end of the meet. Everything’s going pretty well.”
The barn received a boost last week when Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells decided to transfer his August Dawn Farm horses to Englehart. Seven joined his Saratoga stable with three more at the farm expected soon.
Before getting started with his yearling inspections Saturday morning Englehart sat down with The Special’s Tom Law.
Aveenu Malcainu: One of the barn’s three winners, 2-year-old Into Mischief colt broke his maiden in July 28 debut for Gold Square. “He’s a colt I have high hopes for, he doesn’t remind me of a New York-bred, he’s a big, good looking Into Mischief colt. We don’t know whether we’re going to run in the Hopeful next or the Funny Cide. One of those two races. He’s good enough where I can have that option. He seems like he’s better than just a New York-bred.”
Alex The Terror: The barn’s first winner, Loooch Racing Stables’ 5-year-old by Mineshaft won for $40,000 tag going 7 furlongs July 22. “I thought that day Jose (Ortiz) did a nice job of taking advantage of what the track was. We had an inside post, speed, there was kind of a lack of pace in the race.”
Fixedincome Larry: Gold Square homebred 2-year-old by Flatter finished third in debut going 5 1/2 furlongs at Belmont July 8. “He’s going to run on the 12th. He’s another for Al Gold we have high hopes for. I didn’t think he’d be a 2-year-old but all along he’s advanced the way you want to see them come along. He’s by Flatter, a Pennsylvania-bred.”
Purrfect Miss: The barn’s first starter nearly lit up the tote board when second at 53-1 in 5 1/2-furlong maiden for 2-year-old fillies. Orlando DiRienzo and Southfield Farm bought daughter of Discreet Cat for $20,000 at 2016 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. “We kind of liked her and she ended up being precocious like we thought. She had some trouble out of the gate. If she didn’t have that trouble she might have won. The other filly (Southampton Way) had a race under her, that helped, and the track was pretty tiring.”
Homerun Maker: Kindred Stable bought 2-year-old Into Mischief colt for $205,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. Worked a half on the main track in :49.34 July 30. “At first he was real immature but he’s starting to show that the light bulb turned on a little bit. He worked with a nice horse last time and he stayed with him. He’s a horse that maybe by the third book he’ll be ready to go. He’s going to be a nice colt.”
Indy’s Lady: Two-year-old filly by Take Charge Indy cost DiRienzo and Southfield Farm $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. “This filly, Travis Durr and I picked her out of Timonium sale in May and she’s been working really nice. She’s a New York-bred Take Charge Indy and she’s got speed and she’s got gears. It looks like she could be a real nice filly if we can get her there. Second book, third book.”
Miss Aliphant: A $75,000 buy for Gold Square at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, daughter of Violence shows four works at Saratoga that include half in :49.54 on the main track July 29. “Cosmetically she wasn’t perfect, I think that’s why I got her for 75 but she’s just a real striking, good-looking filly. She’s big, she’s working very well. Hopefully the third book, possibly Belmont.”
Circle The Bases: Gold Square spent $130,000 for 2-year-old daughter of Orb at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. She worked in company with Miss Aliphant last time on the main track. “Same thing, she’s pretty talented and maybe the third book. She might be grass and she’s an Ontario-bred so I might play with that, Woodbine in a small stakes. I’ll know when I get to start galloping her more on the turf but she’s precocious enough where she’s going to make this meet.”
Cadeyrn: Tom O’Grady’s 4-year-old Malibu Moon colt has been off since winning 6-furlong allowance at Belmont May 18. “He’s going to run in the Tale Of The Cat Aug. 11, worked this morning (half in :48.02 on the main track) for that and he’s doing well. He likes Saratoga so I wanted to try at least to get one race into him up here. He’s been struggling with a foot issue but now he’s doing a lot better.”
Missbigtimes: An $85,000 buy at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale, the daughter of Flatter finished behind subsequent stakes winner Pure Silver in June. “She’s a real nice filly, ran once at Belmont and was third. Had a lot of traffic trouble. We had her pegged as one of our nicer 2-year-olds. It seems like in her next race she should be tough. Going to run on the 18th.”
I Still Miss You: Gold Star Racing Stable’s, Matthew Hand’s and Brian McKenzi’s 2-year-old daughter of Majestic Warrior beat New York-breds in her debut then topped open company in the Astoria at Belmont June 8. Second last time in the Lynbrook against state-breds, she’s worked once at Saratoga. “She looks like she’s going to be a really nice filly as well. I’m going to probably point her to the Seeking The Ante (Aug. 25). Originally it was going to be the Spinaway but after watching Chad’s filly (Separationofpowers) run the other day I think I’m going to stay away from her right now.”
Trade The Pick: August Dawn’s 2-year-old son of Exchange Rate cost $70,000 as a yearling. “He’s a little immature but you can tell he’s got the makeup for probably turf. He looks like a horse that is going to be a nice colt, just needs to get it together.”
Mrs. Ramona G.: A $250,000 purchase this year, 2-year-old by Kantharos is owned by Gold Square and shows one work at Saratoga. “I believe she’s going to be turf and seems like a very talented filly. He named that filly after his wife, so she better be good. If not I’m in a lot of trouble. She’ll probably be third book, maiden special weight on the grass.”
Moves Like Ali: Ohio-bred 3-year-old son of Maclean’s Music for Loooch Racing and Imaginary Stables, he’s been off since finishing third in the Grade 3 Futurity last October at Belmont. “He’s back up here, might not make a race here. My original goal was third book but he just started working a couple weeks ago. He’s doing very well and I’d run him in a 1x, a nice easy start. He’s battling back from pneumonia and I’ll tell you, Bruce Jackson and his crew down at Fair Hill did an amazing job with him. Just getting him back to where he is now I owe a lot of thanks to Bruce.”
Square Shooter: Gold Square’s 3-year-old Trappe Shot colt won his first two starts at Parx for Michael Lerman then finished sixth in Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct in early February. He suffered a severe cut on his left front leg after being struck but another horse’s shoe in that race. “I picked him up for Gold Square, got him off the farm and maybe looking at the third book or the first at Belmont. He’s just coming back but doing very well.”
Sandlot Star: Mark Stanley paid $210,000 for son of Shanghai Bobby at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. He breezed in :48.45 from the gate Wednesday on the Belmont training track. “He’s another one, looks like his last work was really nice out of the gate. I’m kind of excited about him. He’ll be third book up here, New York-bred.”
Indy Union: Robert Hahn’s 2-year-old Union Rags filly finished fourth in maiden here July 27. “She came from Webb Carroll’s training center and she ran well. She’s long, leggy, looks like she wants to run all day, I ran her 5 1/2 in an off-the-turf race that was a pretty nice little race. She came flying to finish fourth, just got beat a nose for third. When she stretches out she’s going to be a really nice filly.”
Dirty?: “He’s not named yet but he’s a Maclean’s Music out of Martini. We bought him, Travis Durr and I, for $120,000 at Timonium and he looks like he’ll be a nice precocious colt, probably ready by the third book. I like him, seems like he’s doing OK right now.”
Scatjack: Homebred Pennsylvania-bred for Gold Square, 2-year-old by Scat Daddy out of Brilliant Katie, by Gone West. “He looks like he’ll probably be turf. He actually could be this book or the third book, he looks like the 5 1/2 on the turf will really suit him well.”
Foreset: Neal Allread’s Forestry gelding won three times since being claimed last year for $40,000 “He’s a 4-year-old who has won three of six since we claimed him up here at Saratoga. He’ll be pointed for an a-other-than.”
Small Bear: Runner-up in the Curlin for August Dawn won off-the-turf allowance June 24 and finished third in Paradise Creek on the grass May 27. “We’ll probably look for a race at the end of the meet here or at Belmont. He’s one when I first saw him I thought he’d be turf, El Prado on the bottom side, and by Macho Uno, who can do both. For as good as he ran last time on the dirt it’s hard to make the change.”
