Best Runners Eye Spa Engagements

[Wandering Eyes]

OXO Equine’s Rowayton (Into Mischief), most recently a troubled third in the July 6 GIII Dwyer S., will make his next start in the July 26 Curlin S. at Saratoga.

“He was supposed to breeze this morning, but the rain set that back,” said trainer Don Chatlos. “He’ll breeze on Friday. The race for him is the Curlin and I only wanted one breeze in between for him.”

Rowayton, twice Grade I placed as a juvenile, made his sophomore debut with an impressive allowance victory June 6 at Belmont Park. He was boxed in traffic before finishing a good third behind Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) in the Dwyer.

“That trip is what won us the allowance race, but probably cost us second in the Dwyer,” said Chatlos. “I can’t take anything away from Code of Honor. He ran huge that day.”

How Rowayton handles the nine-furlong Curlin will determine which route he takes later in the summer.

“We can judge from there if it’s the [Aug. 24 GI Runhappy] Travers S. [at 10 furlongs] or the [Aug. 24 GI] Allen Jerkens next [at seven furlongs],” continued Chatlos. “We can always cut back to the seven furlongs if we think the mile and an eighth was too much for him.”

Graded stakes winner and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Instagrand (Into Mischief), also owned by Larry Best’s OXO Equine, is back in training with Chatlos after having a chip removed from his left hind ankle following an eighth-place finish in the May 4 GIII Pat Day Mile.

“Instagrand got in here on Saturday. He’s just jogging right now. He wants to do more, but we’ll take our time and let him tell us when he’s ready,” said Chatlos. “We’ll let him get ready on his own and if that means Belmont fall meet, that’s fine.”

Instagrand won last year’s GII Best Pal S. and was third in the Mar. 9 GIII Gotham S. and Apr. 6 GI Santa Anita Derby before the Pat Day Mile.

Chatlos also has a bevy of Best’s high-priced juveniles readying for racetrack debuts.

Forever Poe (Colonel John), an $850,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May purchase, turned in a three-furlong breeze in :35.02 at Belmont July 6.

“He will probably work here this week,” said Chatlos. “He had a shin that was bugging him and we didn’t want to press on him.”

Madison Parc (Curlin) worked four furlongs in :48.87 (14/80) at Saratoga Sunday. The $420,000 Fasig-Tipton November weanling purchase is a half-sister to Best’s GISP ‘TDN Rising Star’ Brill (Medaglia d’Oro). Chatlos expects the New York-bred filly to be ready to make her debut in about three weeks.

Mundaye Call (Into Mischief), purchased for $950,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, worked four furlongs in :49.98 (45/80) at Saratoga Sunday.

“Jose Ortiz worked her the same day as Madison Parc and she went a little slower, :49 and change,” Chatlos said. “He let her gallop out faster than she worked. He was just getting a feel for her. He’ll work her out of the gate on Sunday.”

Also on the Saratoga grounds is Snap Chap (Into Mischief), a $1.2-million Keeneland September yearling purchase.

“We have Instagrand, which is a play on Instagram, and this one is named Snap Chap,” said Chatlos. “He looks the part for sure. He’s a ways away from a work, but he’s a nice-looking horse.”

Snap Chap is out of the unraced Gaudete (Distorted Humor), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Munnings (Speightstown).

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