Quality Over Quantity in Personal Ensign

[Wandering Eyes]

After putting on a show in last summer’s GI Coaching Club American Oaks, Abel Tasman (Quality Road) and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Elate (Medaglia d’Oro) co-headline Saturday’s GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga, a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Abel Tasman, last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, has only gotten her picture taken once since outslugging Elate by a head in that aforementioned thriller last summer, running away with a 7 1/2-length tally in Belmont’s GI Ogden Phipps S. June 9.

Elate emerged from the CCA Oaks with a pair of wins at the highest level-the GI Alabama S. here Aug. 19 and the GI Beldame S. over older horses Sept. 30. She began her 4-year-old campaign with a facile win in the GII Delaware H. July 14.

Both fillies took on their elders in last fall’s GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, with Abel Tasman rallying to finish a strong second while Elate tired to fourth.

“We’re sending the big mare to take on Bill Mott,” Hall of Famer Bob Baffert said of Abel Tasman. “Bill’s been braggin’ on her and that means he’s got her sharp and ready to go. [Abel Tasman’s] doing fine, right on schedule. If she just runs the race she did in New York last time, we’re in good shape.”

Mott added, “They were a head apart here last year, so it should be a good race. She’s run well this year, so we have reason to believe she is doing well.”

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