Today’s Race of the Day is the Galway Stakes at Saratoga, surprising no one even slightly familiar with this website. Not only is it a turf sprint stakes race, but it’s also a race I’ll have the opportunity to see in person, as my family and I are taking our annual trip upstate this week.
Not only is today the second day of the Moquin family’s Saratoga trip, but it also happens to be my father’s birthday! Instead of giving him a tangible gift (a hit-and-miss proposition for a guy who usually just wants new shirts or socks or a pair of slippers), we’ve decided to spend his day at one of his favorite venues. The fact that I happen to benefit from this arrangement is purely coincidental and none of your business. Happy Birthday Dad!
The Galway Stakes may be ungraded, but it’s loaded with talent and includes runners from Christophe Clement, Bill Mott and Jonathan Thomas. Let’s take a look.
Saratoga, Race 9
Galway Stakes (Ungraded) for Three-Year-Old Fillies, Five and a Half Furlongs on the Mellon Turf
Post Time: 5:39 p.m. EST
1- Poppy Flower
This filly has improved as a three-year-old for trainer Bill Mott, running very well in two ungraded stakes races at Laurel and Saratoga. She’s a fairly obvious contender after running well in this company before, and Jose Ortiz stays to ride.
2- Delmona (Ire)
Oddly enough, this filly improved by moving from trainer Jeff Mullins’ barn at Santa Anita to Monmouth with James Begg, where she earned an 83 BSF finishing second in an ungraded stakes last month. She has a very sharp workout at Saratoga under her belt and adds Luis Saez for this start, but the long shot will have to take a small step forward to contend.
3- Benbang
Her starts on turf have been sporadic, but she’s run solidly on the grass when given the opportunity. The ungraded stakes win at Monmouth over fellow runner Delmona was an effective demonstration of her early speed, as she won in wire-to-wire fashion with an 86 BSF. She’ll have to deal with other front-running types this time around but remains an interesting outsider.
4- Have A Good Day (Ire)
She was busy at two years old but hasn’t raced since, and there’s a lot that she’ll have to adjust to quickly. After eight races in Europe in 2021, she will make her three-year-old debut at Saratoga for trainer Gustavo Delgado, who doesn’t typically train this sort of runner. At two, she had tactical speed and managed to compete with a handful of Breeders’ Cup contenders. She may be a good horse in time but probably needs a race or two.
5- Half Is Enough
After a runner-up finish in the G3 Victory Ride, it’s surprising to see this filly on the turf for trainer Michael Trombetta. She has three wins in four starts on dirt, but there’s very little evidence to suggest that she possesses comparable form on turf. In fact, her pedigree (Frosted, Morea) suggests otherwise.
6- Breeze Easy (GB)
In two starts this year for Christophe Clement, an unexpected runner-up finish in a G3 stakes at seven furlongs in May arguably remains her best start. In June, she ran in an ungraded stakes at a mile with Joel Rosario aboard, and she was probably good enough to win but tired late and settled for third. The mild concern is that 5 ½ furlongs is too short for her; the serious concern is that Rosario is riding Clement’s other runner, Derrynane, in this Galway field.
7- Empress Tigress
Jonathan Thomas seems to have a live one in the Galway, as his filly proved herself on the turf last time out in a competitive running of the Coronation Cup. The 90 BSF she earned that day was enough to beat fellow runners Poppy Flower and Derrynane, though she didn’t win by much. She’s a deserving favorite but has to go off at the right price.
8- Makin My Move
This NY-bred has won her last two starts on the turf against other statebreds, but this field is much deeper and faster. It’s interesting that Irad Ortiz chose to stay and ride for John Kimmel despite having other options in the race. She remains a long shot, but she’ll be near the front early.
9- Artos (Ire)
The potential has always been present and she’s shown flashes of ability in the past, but things have gone sideways recently. In four starts this season, she has never been particularly formidable against a litany of runners in this field. Maybe today’s her day, but she’ll need to improve.
10- Derrynane
Her speed figures are light and she remains winless in 2022, but this filly will remain a contender as long as Christophe Clement trains her. She deserves an excuse for her third-place finish in the Coronation Cup last time out, as she was closing fast despite steadying twice. The distance is right and Joel Rosario returns to ride. She might be due.
Also Eligible:
11- Freedom Speaks
Without any turf experience, this Jeremiah Englehart trainee will be a long shot until she proves herself on the surface.
12- Mystic Eyes (MTO)
As a Saratoga attendee this week, I sincerely hope I don’t see this runner.
Order: 10 7 1 9
Derrynane has been running competitively all year in spots where she wasn’t necessarily expected to win, and with a clean trip at this distance, I think she’s dangerous. Empress Tigress is undefeated in two starts and seems poised to repeat for Jonathan Thomas, but I’m willing to take a small chance against her. Poppy Flower has been very solid for Bill Mott at this level recently and there aren’t any obvious signs that she’ll regress. Artos (Ire) deserves another look at long odds, as she’s competed against runners of this caliber several times in the past. It wouldn’t take much for her to pull off the upset.