Appleby raiders Nations Pride, El Cordobes arrive for G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer

• Appleby raiders Nations Pride, El Cordobes arrive for G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer
• Post Time among eight millionaires in G1 Whitney
• Highland Falls returns to the Spa in G1 Whitney
• Think Big swings for the fences in G1 FanDuel Fourstardave
• My Mane Squeeze earns career-best 100 BSF for Johnstone
• West Point Thoroughbreds could have strong showing on Whitney Weekend

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby has shipped a pair of serious contenders for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer over 1 1/2-miles of the inner turf and appears delightfully intent on adding a 28th North American and sixth NYRA Grade 1 to his trophy case.

On Thursday at 10:20 a.m., a pair of Godolphin colorbearers - four-time top-flight winner Nations Pride and last-out Group 2 winner El Cordobes - arrived safe and sound in Saratoga Race Course from their Moulton Paddocks base in Newmarket. Head traveling lad Chris Connett and six-time British Champion jockey-turned-top Godolphin morning stable rider Kieren Fallon were among those accompanying the pair.

“They’ve both traveled over well,” Connett confirmed. “Nations Pride is a veteran at this stage in his career. He’s really coming into form, and Kieren rides him daily and he’s really good at sweetening up these older horses. Getting back to a mile and half really suits him. [El Cordobes] is a very strong-finishing mile and a half horse.”

Appleby is pleased to get back racing in the region after what has been a relatively quiet stateside year by his, or any, standard. Fresh off a 2024 that saw him win 14 North American graded stakes - five of those Grade 1s, including the Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational with Cinderella’s Dream and Resorts World Casino Manhattan with Measured Time - he has raced just three runners in America, all off-the-board runs on Pegasus World Cup day, Jan. 25, at Gulfstream Park. The most disappointing of those was Nations Pride finishing ninth-of-12 in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf as the market leader.

The 11-for-22 6-year-old son of Teofilo has raced just twice since, including a smart win over nine furlongs in the Group 2 Singspiel at Meydan, easily besting Group 1 Queen Anne third Cairo, and a 10th-of-11 in the Group 1, $5 million Dubai Turf, a race in which the 115-rated charge had placed in 2023, but ultimately failed to factor this go-around as the market’s second choice.

With three subpar runs in his past four efforts overseas, a return to this side of the Atlantic appears appropriate. Not only a winner of the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational and Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby in 2022, Grade 1 Canadian International in 2023 and Grade 1 Arlington Million in 2024, the emblazoned bay entire also ran strong seconds in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in 2022 and Measured Time’s aforementioned Manhattan.

“I’m looking forward to running both of these in the Sword Dancer; two very interesting horses and two I feel are going to be very competitive around there a week from Saturday,” Appleby said.

Connett said Nations Pride would appreciate the stretch out in distance.

“He's shown his versatility - he's got speed but stretching him out gives him time to ease into his races more than being pressured into them early,” Connett said.

On the other side of the experience spectrum is 4-year-old Frankel gelding El Cordobes, whose rating went up five pounds to 113 after a strong victory in Newmarket’s 12-furlong Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes on July 10 - the same fixture Appleby standouts Yibir and Hawkbill have won in the past.

Kept busy in 2025, the $2,379,118 Tattersalls 2022 buy has yet to finish worse than third in six runs and is 2-for-4 at the Sword Dancer distance. El Cordobes entered the Princess of Wales’s from a third-place finish in the 1 3/4-mile Listed Race to the Ebor Grand Cup.

“He's an unexposed type,” Connett said. “The mile and three quarters might have been a step too far for him that run at York, hence he came back to a mile and a half next time.”

Per Appleby, William Buick will fly in to ride Nations Pride and Flavien Prat has been confirmed to ride El Cordobes.

Joining Team Godolphin on the same shipment from England was Bobby Flay’s former John & Thady Gosden pupil Go Go Boots, who will point toward a possible run in the Grade 2, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational on the same card.

Trainer Miguel Clement confirmed Thursday morning that the dual winner and last-out fourth in Royal Ascot’s Group 2 Ribblesdale will be joining his yard.

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Post Time among eight millionaires in G1 Whitney

Hillwood Stable’s Post Time is among eight millionaires in a star-studded 10-horse field for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, a storied nine-furlong test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Whitney, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar, serves as the headliner on a 13-race program that includes five graded-stakes worth $3.2 million in purses.

The Whitney is slated as Race 11 on Saturday’s 13-race card, joined by the Grade 1, $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave [Race 8] - a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Mile – Grade 1, $750,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational [Race 9], Grade 1, $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster [Race 10] and Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special [Race 3]. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Brittany Russell, the 5-year-old gray son of 2016 Whitney-winner Frosted finished third beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Arthur’s Ride in last year’s Whitney. Post Time earned a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure for the rallying performance under returning rider Sheldon Russell and contributed to an impressive 18-for-18 career on-the-board record.

“He ran well up there last time we were in it,” said Russell. “Honestly, it’s tough but we’re in a tough spot. The division is very deep, but he’s also doing really good and we’ve got to swing at them again eventually.”

Post Time will be making his fourth start of the year, adding blinkers to return victoriously on May 3 at Laurel Park, and most recently winning by 3 1/2 lengths in the nine-furlong Deputed Testamony on June 28 there after a third to 2024 Kentucky Derby-winner Mystik Dan at the distance in the Grade 3 Blame on May 31 at Churchill Downs.

“We wanted to have a fresh horse this year, and it just took him a little longer to get back ready, that’s all,” said Russell. “I’ve told everyone, we were kind of swinging at the big guys last year so we were really seasoned. He had kind of campaigned all winter and this year is just a little different.

“At Churchill, I don’t think that was a bad race at all, but I also don’t think he was quite 110 percent cranked up for it, either,” added Russell.

Post Time, in other career Grade 1 attempts, was second in last year’s one-mile Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap here and the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar. He is tabbed at 12-1 from the outermost 10th post, a contrast to his rail draw in last year’s running.

“You know, some of those horses, we need them to have a bad day. But it’s Saratoga, you see it all the time up there in these big races. Favorites get beat. It’s the ‘Graveyard of Champions,’” said Russell.

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Highland Falls returns to the Spa in G1 Whitney

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Highland Falls, who won the local 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in September, will look to double up on Saratoga Race Course stakes success in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney. The nine-furlong Whitney offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the 5-year-old Curlin chestnut utilized a prominent approach under Flavien Prat in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, powering away to a four-length score to secure his first top-flight win. Highland Falls completed his campaign with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

Highland Falls, listed at 8-1 on the morning line with Luis Saez to ride from post 3, enters the Whitney from a 5 1/2-length optional-claiming romp traveling a one-turn mile on June 27 in his seasonal debut at Belmont at the Big A.

“We were looking around and Brad found that race at Aqueduct. It wasn’t an ideal distance for him but timing-wise it was great, and it was a good place to get him started back in again,” said Michael Banahan, Godolphin USA’s Director of Bloodstock. “Those horses that race at that level, it’s awkward to get back in without running in stakes races so it was the perfect spot for him. He actually showed plenty of speed that day, more than maybe we would have expected out of him but he was coming off a long layoff, so he was fresh enough.”

Highland Falls has banked in excess of $1.3 million via an 11-6-2-1 ledger. He first stepped into stakes company last March when fourth in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap ahead of a good second in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap last April when two lengths back of reopposing Skippylongstocking. His Oaklawn effort registered a career-high 104 Beyer Speed Figure which he matched in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Highland Falls made the grade in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Blame last June at Churchill Downs when one length the better of Cagliostro.

Banahan said he is hopeful that Highland Falls will continue his steady progression in a  loaded Whitney field that features Champions Fierceness and Sierra Leone along with six other millionaires in the nine-furlong route.

“It’s not going to be an easy race. We all know the older division this year is stacked, and he’ll have plenty of competition in there,” Banahan said. “We’ll take our chances with him. He was a lightly-raced horse, too, when he was doing what he did last year. He had only broken his maiden deep into his 3-year-old year.

“That was the first break he’d ever had once he started racing,” added Banahan regarding the post Breeders’ Cup freshening. “He was learning on the job, and we were pleased with what he did last year and he did it well. We think he’ll hopefully be better again this year based on his first race back. Hopefully it’ll be the start of a big second half of the year for him.”

Highland Falls, out of the dual Grade 1-winning Awesome Again mare Round Pond, is a half-brother to Group 1-victor Long River.

Banahan also noted that Godolphin’s multiple graded stakes-winning Kentucky homebred First Mission, last seen finishing third in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 28 at Churchill Downs has exited that race in good order. He indicated the 5-year-old Street Sense horse could target the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin on August 16 at Monmouth Park.

“We might look at a race like the Iselin for him to get him back going again. Nothing set in stone with him. He’s doing well,” Banahan said.

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Think Big swings for the fences in G1 FanDuel Fourstardave

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Think Big will vie for his first top-level score in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave, a one-mile inner turf test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course. The Fourstardave offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Del Mar.

Trained by Michael Stidham, the 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy began the year as a turf sprint specialist, but successfully stretched out to one-mile last out on July 5 with a one-length win in the local Grade 3 Kelso. There, he showed great adaptability when able to replicate his turn-of-foot that he showed sprinting, with an added degree of difficulty when Donegal Momentum stumbled heading into the stretch and forced Think Big to steady under Jose Ortiz. Nevertheless, Think Big found his best stride again to rally past returning rival Intellect in the lane and earn the win in a final time of 1:32.81.

“He’s doing great. It was obviously a bit of a scary trip when the horse stumbled in front of him and almost went down,” Stidham said. “We had to alter course a bit and lose some momentum, but luckily he was able to regain his stride and he finished strong. It was something we were hoping he could do – have the turn-of-foot at a mile like he does going short, and he did have it. That’s what’s giving us confidence to go into here.”

Think Big’s impressive off-the-pace style led to narrow Grade 2 wins this spring in Kentucky, taking the Shakertown in April at Keeneland and the Turf Sprint on May 3 at Churchill Downs and earning respective 101 and 100 Beyer Speed Figures for the efforts. He then endured an awkward start and finished an uncharacteristic seventh in the Grade 1 Jaipur on June 8 here ahead of his Kelso coup.

“I’m hoping we can get in a comfortable position and have a similar finish where he comes running again,” Stidham said. “You don’t often see horses that have the same turn-of-foot sprinting as they do two turns, but he showed that and that to me was the most impressive part of his race last time.

“His only race that he didn’t run as well was the Jaipur where he got off bad and had no position down the backside on a track that was favoring speed that day,” Stidham added. “You draw a line through that and with a good break, hopefully we can get some position and finish strong again.”

Think Big, who holds a consistent 11-6-0-1 record with more than $800,000 in earnings, will exit post 4 [6-1ML] in rein to Luis Saez for the first time in the afternoon.

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My Mane Squeeze earns career-best 100 BSF for Johnstone

William "Buck" Butler and WinStar Farm’s reigning NYTB Horse of the Year My Mane Squeeze proved well-deserving of that award with a 6 1/4-length score in Wednesday’s $150,000 Johnstone, a seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Mike Maker, the 4-year-old Audible dark bay won from gate-to-wire for the first time in her 17-race career, completing the course in 1:22.66 under Luis Saez and registering a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.

The dual Grade 1-placed My Mane Squeeze rebounded from a last-out off-the-board finish in the Grade 2 Chicago on June 21 at Churchill Downs as she made her first start with state-breds since a trio of stakes wins as a juvenile and sophomore at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“She came back well,” said Maker, the reigning NYTB Trainer of the Year. “I always thought she was sitting on a big one, but I was surprised to see a 100.”

Potential pacesetters Landed and Bernietakescharge scratched from the Johnstone, but Maker was confident My Mane Squeeze would adjust accordingly. He said his main concern was that she didn’t handle the heat well before landing a distant fifth to Vahva in the Chicago.

“She didn’t handle the heat well at Churchill in her prior start,” said Maker. “All the speed scratched from the race so she ended up on the lead. If we were on the front end, they were going slow [laughs].”

My Mane Squeeze may consider the seven-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina on August 23 here, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November at Del Mar.

“I still need to get with Mr. Butler and discuss it,” Maker said.

Out of the three-time winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, My Mane Squeeze is a half-sister to the NYTB Breeder of the Year Butler-homebred Rotknee, the NYTB Champion Male Sprinter, and stakes-winner Mama’s Gold, entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney here– a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic– for trainer James Ferraro.

With the accomplished family, In Spite of Mama was named 2024 NYTB Broodmare of the Year. My Mane Squeeze is only adding to her success with a now 17-7-2-5 record with over $1.2 million in earnings.

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West Point Thoroughbreds could have strong showing on Whitney Weekend

West Point Thoroughbreds could be gearing up for a banner weekend as the partnership has seven horses slated to run on Whitney Weekend at Saratoga Race Course, led by dual graded stakes-placed Cugino in the Grade 1, $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave, a one-mile inner turf route for older horses, on Saturday.

Along with Cugino, West Point will be represented by the impressive juvenile Ewing in the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, as well as a host of promising maidens. Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, said it is an exciting time for the partnership that is headed by Terry Finley.

“It’s going to be super. We’re emptying the barn it seems,” Blewitt said, with a laugh. “We’re super stoked.”

Cugino, co-owned with Jimmy Kahig, was twice Grade 3-placed last year, landing second in both the Transylvania in April at Keeneland and the Hill Prince in November Aqueduct before capping his sophomore campaign with a win in the Listed Tropical Park Derby in December at Gulfstream Park. He returned with gusto last out on June 19, notching a one-length optional claiming score traveling 1 1/16-mile under Irad Ortiz, Jr. at Belmont at the Big A and earning a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.

Blewitt said Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey knew the 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy was ready last time, and has continued that form as his preparations for the Fourstardave included a half-mile breeze in 46.82 seconds over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training turf on July 20.

“He had trained phenomenally. Playing off of Shug’s confidence, I was feeling pretty good about it,” Blewitt said of the last-out win. “Irad always had everybody well-measured in the race, and he bounced out of it in great shape. Maybe he worked a little too fast a week and change ago, but in the end, it underscores how well he’s doing going into here.”

Out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Adorable Miss, Cugino is a half-brother to the West Point co-campaigned Grade 3-winner Battle of Normandy. Cugino will exit the inside post on Saturday in rein to Ortiz, Jr. with a morning-line assessment of 10-1.

“He’s a half-brother to Battle of Normandy, so that mare has been good to us,” Blewitt said. “I look at Cugino and it feels like classic Shug at play here – not only the consistency, but the way he has stepped up his game and I know Shug’s got him as good as good as hands can make a horse coming into Saturday.

“It’s a Grade 1 at Saratoga and it’s a real honor and privilege to run here,” Blewitt added. “I just hope he gets a good trip and if he does, I think he will have fired the best race of his life on Saturday.”

Earlier on the Saturday card, West Point sends out the impressive Mark Casse-trained Ewing in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special.

Co-owned by D.J. Stable and Kenneth Freirich, the son of Knicks Go trounced a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on debut on July 5 here, leading at every point of call en route to a 12-length score under Jose Ortiz in a final time of 1:04.42. He earned an 88 Beyer for the effort.

The $585,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training will face off against a compact group that includes Grade 3 Sanford-winner Obliteration, who is undefeated in two starts for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Ewing was my top draft pick out of the two-year-old sales and he trained awesome going into his first race,” Blewitt said. “We knew he was fast and I think we were all blown away by how he ran. Now, he has to step up and it’s a pretty awesome match-up between us and Obliteration.”

Blewitt admitted some concern about drawing the inside post [Irad Ortiz, Jr., 8-5ML] while Obliteration has the outside post.

“In a perfect world I would prefer to be outside of Obliteration, but our guy has been an amazing gate horse since the day we bought him and they can come and get him,” Blewitt said.

Blewitt noted West Point’s other Saratoga stakes entrant this weekend, Maui Strong, will be scratched from Friday’s Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in favor of an allowance next week. The Dale Romans trainee was last seen finishing a two-length fourth to Hall of Fame favorite Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 3 Manila on July 4 here.

“We’re going to scratch. I know Dale entered to take a look, but there’s a 3-year-old ‘a-other-than’ up here next week and we’ll reroute to that spot,” Blewitt said. “He’s a nice horse that tries hard and we like him a lot, but there’s no rush to run against Zulu Kingdom again.”

Stakes-winner Signator drops into allowance company for McGaughey off three consecutive stakes appearances as he takes on Race 2 on Friday, a 1 3/16-mile turf optional claimer.

Co-owned with Woodford Racing, Gainesway Stable, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone, Edward Hudson, Jr., Lynne Hudson and Lane’s End Racing, Signator posted back-to-back wins earlier this year after an eight-month respite. He captured an optional claimer at Tampa Bay Downs and the Listed Henry S. Clark at Laurel Park ahead of off-the-board efforts at Monmouth Park in the Cliff Hanger in May and Monmouth on June 14 won by next-out Grade 2 United Nations-winner Redistricting.

“He looks awesome and Shug is happy with how he’s training,” Blewitt said. “Hopefully we can get him trending in the right direction. I wasn’t expecting to beat Redistricting at Monmouth, but I thought he would run a lot better than he did. A little class relief, so hopefully even if there’s a slow pace it won’t matter in the end.”

Flavien Prat will be aboard from the outermost post 5 [4-1ML].

West Point will unveil a trio of juveniles this weekend, led by the Brad Cox-trained Abrigado in Race 1, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden, on Saturday. The $875,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is by Yaupon and out of the seven-time-winning Bluegrass Cat mare Blue Grass Mary, a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Sharp Impact.

“He was very popular at the March sale, and the Yaupons all looked pretty awesome during the sales,” Blewitt said. “A big, good-looking colt who looks like he’s training forwardly. I know they like him over at Brad’s. Whoever wins this race is going to be talented with a big future, and we’re excited to get him started.”

Abrigado, co-owned by Spendthrift Farm, James Shurman and CJ Stables, will emerge from post 8 in rein to Manny Franco [3-1ML, part of an entry].

Intricate Spirit, co-owned with Madaket Stables, Kenneth Beitz and Gail Beitz, makes his debut in Race 6 on Friday, a 5 1/2-furlong inner turf sprint. Trained by Miguel Clement, the son of Complexity was a $185,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is a half-brother to the Clement-trained dual graded stakes-placed Spirit Prince.

“Miguel has liked him. Big, strong, good-looking horse,” Blewitt said. “The vibe with him has been excellent. Miguel isn’t sure what trip the horse will excel with, but he says the horse is professional and likes his job.”

Hall of Famer Joel Rosario rides from post 6 [5-1ML]. 

Clement will also send out British Invasion for his debut in Race 2 on Saturday – a 1 1/16-mile inner turf maiden – after scratching from an off-the-turf maiden last Sunday here. The $437,024 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale purchase, co-owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tony Weintraub and Brandon Dalinka, is out of the stakes-placed Dalakhani mare Paraphernalia, who also produced multiple group-winner Max Vega.

“He’s trained like a good one. He was the most expensive yearling West Point purchased during the fall,” Blewitt said. “Christophe Clement was key in picking this horse out, and from the moment he arrived at Payson Park in April, they’ve liked him from the get-go. I would love for him to just run off the screen, but we’re just looking to get a positive first run for him. Miguel and the team are very happy with him.”

Manny Franco rides from post 6 [8-1ML].

Rounding out West Point’s weekend contenders at the Spa is the Romans-trained Ivory and Ebony, who makes her fourth lifetime start in Race 5 on Saturday, a seven-furlong maiden. The Spun to Run sophomore looks to break through after a pair of seconds this spring in Kentucky.

“She tries hard, a big, good-looking daughter of Spun to Run. Dale’s got her in peak form, so we’ll see how we stack up in there,” Blewitt said.

Last Saturday, the West Point co-owned Sandman finished a flat last-of-5 in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun. The Grade 1-winning son of Tapit added blinkers for the first time in the afternoon and trailed at the rear of the field throughout under Jose Ortiz, running evenly into the stretch and finishing 10 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Sovereignty.

Blewitt said the Mark Casse trainee emerged well from the effort, and that a surface switch may be in order soon.

“He came back good. Everybody is a bit disappointed and mystified by him not running,” Blewitt said. “He came back to the barn as if he didn’t run. He just kind of went through the motions out there. It sounds like Mark wants to let the dust settle, and I get the vibe that his next breeze will be on the grass. I don’t think we’d want to run him back in the Travers.”

Sandman won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in March at Oaklawn Park ahead of a seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and a willing third in the Grade 1 Preakness. Co-owned by D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable and CJ Stables, Sandman was a $1.2 million purchase at the 2024 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.