Smith, Baffert Go For Spinaway Firsts

[Wandering Eyes]

What have Jeffrey Fell, Martin Pedroza and Donnie Meche accomplished that Mike Smith has not? And what can Lou Rondinello and Joe Pierce, Jr. claim to have accomplished that Bob Baffer cannot? Neither Smith nor Baffert, each of whom had a productive Travers weekend, has ever won Saratoga’s GI Spinaway S., but that could very well change in the span of 83 or so second this weekend when the two Hall of Famers team with Summer Wind Equine’s aptly named Chasing Yesterday (Tapit). The Spinaway is a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The chestnut’s pedigree requires little introduction, as she is the half-sister to one Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and–in fact–has already outdone her illustrious sibling by breaking her maiden at first asking. Sent off at 30 cents on the dollar, the chestnut never looked a loser, as she kicked away to graduate by 4 1/4 lengths en route to becoming a no-brainer ‘TDN Rising Star.’

But the Spinaway will be anything other than a walkover for Chasing Yesterday, her regal bloodlines notwithstanding. John Oxley and Mark Casse teamed to win the 2015 renewal with Pretty City Dancer (Tapit)-who dead-heated with Sweet Loretta (Tapit)-and the owner/trainer duo look dangerous here in the form of Catherinethegreat. A daughter of the former Oxley/Casse galloper Uncaptured, the $170,000 OBS October yearling got her career going in Florida, parlaying a 10 1/4-length romp through the Gulfstream slop June 23 into a 4 1/4-length defeat of favored Nonna Madeline (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GIII Schuylerville S. on opening day July 20. The latter is conditioned by Todd Pletcher, who has won a record six Spinaways, and whol will also saddle late-on-the-scene GII Adirondack S. runner-up Virginia Eloise (Curlin) and that heat’s third-place finisher Guacamole (Flat Out).

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Restless Rider (Distorted Humor) is undefeated in two tries to date, having won her maiden first time out at Churchill June 8 before overcoming a severe check to add the June 30 Debutante S. by a whopping 11 1/4 lengths in her most recent racetrack appearance.

Sippican Harbor (Orb), an even fourth in a two-turn turf maiden July 22, took her chance in a rained-off event going seven panels Aug. 12 and decimated her rivals by some 17 lengths. She’ll need an effort as good and probably better than that one to be a factor here.

 

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