Saturday Morning Notes

- Two winners for trainer Stanley Hough at Saratoga yesterday, both 2 year olds, and I’m sure I’ve mentioned something about his propensity with those before. Maybe if I spent more time actually reading what I write, I would take advantage and cash some tickets. In the third, Sensation (Dixie Union) showed that he may be one, following up his 11 length win in the mud at Belmont with a handy 4 ½ length win over 4 others including the favorite, stakes placed Joint Effort. This intensely inbred colt (4x2 to Mr. Prospector, 3x4 to Northern Dancer) is out of a Mr. P mare and is a half to stakes placed I’ve Decided.

Then in the 4th, Hough struck on the turf with first timer Mystic Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus)($13.40) who I completely ignored in my preview of the race. This $300K yearling is out of a mare by Sri Pekan, and is a half to graded turf stakes winner Chattahoochee War, who recently ran second in the Virginia Derby on the grass. Guess I wasn’t really paying attention. Hough also ran second in the 9th race, so pay attention now.

Another offspring of Fusaichi Pegasus took the 5th, as Dale Romans sent out 3 yo filly Winged Wishes, who had made one prior start, that beint last November. Romans hits nearly 30% in the +180 days category, and this one was pounded to 4-5. She’s out of a Seattle Slew mare and is inbred 3x3 to Danzig.

Linda Rice continues to be live, sending out Second in Command, the winner in the 6th, a 5 ½ furlong turf claiming event that we’ll be seeing more of from new racing secretary PJ Campo.

The feature was the G2 Honorable Miss at 6 furlongs, and it was Steve Asmussen’s Forest Music with a surprisingly easy win, opening a clear lead in zippy fractions in a race that figured to be contentious up front and thereby aid favored Bank Audit, who was only able to close for a no-threat 3rd. As it turned out, Forest Music was Asmussen’s 3,000 career win. He had 11 entrants at 6 different tracks, and he was pleased that the milestone winner occurred at the Spa.

A few hours before the Honorable Miss, Asmussen's first starter of the day, Barton Creek, finished second in a maiden race for Louisiana-breds at Louisiana Downs. By "about that far," said Asmussen, holding his hands about a foot apart, indicating the margin of difference between a souvenir photo from Saratoga and Bossier City. [NY Daily News]

And another impressive winner in the 9th, as Reunited, a 3 yo filly by Dixie Union shipping from Churchill for Neil Howard, won her 3rd race in 4 starts, and she’s a neck from being undefeated.

- While some of his rivals prepare for the Whitney, Roses in May worked a bullet 5f in 59.97, preparing for a possible start in the Saratoga Breeders Cup on 8/21. Trainer Dale Romans may opt to skip that race, however, and give Roses in May only one prep before the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup Classic. [NY Daily News]