Phileas Fogg breezes half-mile for G1 Whitney

• Phileas Fogg breezes half-mile for G1 Whitney
• Title Role, Pacific Avenue work for G1 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing; Fort George breezes for G1 Christophe Clement Turf
• Cosmic Candy Girl earns career-best 79 BSF for $200K Suzie O’Cain score
• La Rascasse to scratch from Saturday’s G1 Coaching Club American Oaks
• G3 winner Tip Top Thomas to make 4-year-old debut on Sunday
• Moonlight Ready, recent winner off a 16-month layoff, steps up in Saturday allowance

Jupiter Stable’s Phileas Fogg breezed a solo half-mile in 48.73 seconds on Friday over Saratoga Race Course’s main track in preparation for the local nine-furlong Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 8, a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in October at Keeneland.

Trainer Gustavo Rodriguez was aboard Phileas Fogg for the work, which was the 6-year-old millionaire Astern gelding’s first move since a 10-length romp in the Grade 2 Suburban presented by Subourbon Life on July 4 here – a race he also won last year by a head.

“Everything went nicely. I breezed the horse myself because I didn’t want him to go too fast,” Rodriguez said. “The clockers got him in 48 and three, and I wanted to go 49 and change, but 48 and three is close enough to 49.”

Rodriguez confirmed Phileas Fogg is targeting the Whitney.

“Yes, we are,” Rodriguez said. “We just hope that the horse can stay healthy and if he is healthy and moving beautifully, we are going to run in the Whitney. Today’s work was beautiful. I didn’t even move, I broke and didn’t want to go too fast. He came back to the barn and everything looks good so far.”

Rodriguez entered Tommy Torres’ Gulfy in Wednesday’s Listed $150,000 Curlin presented by Casamigos, a nine-furlong test for sophomores who have not won a graded stakes, at the Spa.

The Constitution dark bay, originally a $500,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, was claimed for $50,000 out of a fifth-out graduation in February at Aqueduct Racetrack. In two starts for Rodriguez, both at the Big A, Gulfy won a one-turn mile starter optional claimer by a head in March ahead of a fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Peter Pan last out on May 9.

“He’s a very nice looking horse,” Rodriguez said. “We claimed him, and I think it was a three-way shake. Sometimes you win good claims, sometimes you don’t. If everything goes beautifully and the horse is training good, and everything is moving good, we will be ready.”

Kendrick Carmouche rides from post 2 in the six-horse field, headlined by Kentucky Derby graduate Chief Wallabee for Hall of Famer Bill Mott and Grade 1-placed Blackout Time for conditioner Ken McPeek.

***

Title Role, Pacific Avenue work for G1 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing; Fort George breezes for G1 Christophe Clement Turf

Friday’s works on Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma training turf had a European flair with Title Role and Pacific Avenue breezing for the Grade 1, $750,000 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing and Fort George prepping for the Grade 1, $750,000 Christophe Clement Turf.

Will Stroud, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Title Role proved resilient with a prominent effort under Hall of Famer John Velazquez to post a nose victory over West End Kid in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Derby last out here on July 4.

Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the Too Darn Hot colt, with traveling assistant Paul Holley up, went a solo five-eighths Friday in 1:02 and 4/5 according to NYRA clockers in his second work back.

“It went well. Very pleased with him and he seems in good form,” Holley said. “It was just a solo bit going five furlongs and picking it up gradually the whole way. He finished off well and galloped out well.

“He's happy and full of himself,” Holley added. “He seems to be loving it here. He'll do another piece next weekend on Sunday and all being well it will be all systems go."

Holley noted Title Role seems to enjoy racing around the somewhat sharper turns offered at Saratoga, noting the colt’s past success when taking the Jumeirah Two Thousand Guineas in February at Meydan Racecourse and the Group 2 German 2,000 Guineas in May at Cologne.

“In Dubai and Germany, he went around the bend and did well around the bend here last time. He does seem to like a bend,” Holley said.

The Saratoga Derby, at 1 3/16-miles on turf for sophomores, is part of a stacked card headlined by the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, offering a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in October at Keeneland. The August 8 program also includes the Grade 1, $750,000 Fourstardave, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier to the Breeders’ Cup Mile and the Grade 1, $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster.

Godolphin’s Irish homebred Pacific Avenue posted a seventh-place finish in the Belmont Derby and after working an easy half-mile solo last week here went a stronger five-eighths Friday in company with Watching Stars.

Chris Connett, traveling assistant for trainer Charlie Appleby, said the breeze went according to plan with NYRA clockers catching the pair in 1:04 flat with Pacific Avenue, under Irad Ortiz, Jr., galloping out strongly in 1:16 and change in front of the Richie Mullen-piloted Watching Stars.

“Last week was just a leg stretch and today was a slightly more serious piece in company. Visually, it looked like a nice, strong piece,” Connett said. “Watching Stars is a solid work horse at home and he led from five-eighths through to about a furlong and a half from home. Just as they straightened up, we had Pacific Avenue come and join up.

“They galloped out really strongly,” Connett added. “It's lovely to see them hitting the line hard and galloping out. All being well, Pacific Avenue will head to the Saratoga Derby.”

Pacific Avenue arrived at the Belmont Derby from a third-place finish in the Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas in May at The Curragh. By Dubawi and out of the Group 1-winning Shamardal mare Lumiere, Pacific Avenue is a half-brother to Group 2-winner Silver Lady and a full-sibling to Group 3-winner Highland Avenue.

Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Fort George missed by a nose to Ole Crazy Bone in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green presented by Emerald Ecovations on July 11 here.

Trained by Ed Walker, the 4-year-old British-bred Territories chestnut worked five furlongs in 1:04 and 4/5 Friday according to NYRA clockers with Hannah Smith, an assistant trainer and exercise rider, in the saddle.

“He went well. I'm very happy with him,” Smith said. “It was just maintenance. I didn't ask much of him first work back since he ran. He's doing well. Ed wanted me to go almost seven furlongs total, jumping off at the six and galloping out a furlong after the wire.”

Fort George made four starts over the winter at Meydan Racecourse, topped by a nose win in the 10-furlong Group 3 Dubai Millennium on January 30 ahead of a strong runner-up effort to Rebel’s Romance in the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold in February.

The talented gelding arrived at the Bowling Green from a more than three-month layoff following an off-the-board try in the Group 1 Dubai Turf on March 28 at Meydan.

Smith said Fort George is enjoying his time stateside as he continues preparations for a start in the 12-furlong Grade 1, $750,000 Christophe Clement Turf on August 15, offering a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in October at Keeneland.

“He's eating well, happy. He trains every day on the Oklahoma and has settled in well,” Smith said.

Fort George is out of the Teofilo mare Dusty Red, a half-sister to Spotlight, who won the 2004 Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga for the late Christophe Clement.

***

Cosmic Candy Girl earns career-best 79 BSF for $200K Suzie O’Cain score

DiRico Racing and Breeding’s Cosmic Candy Girl wired the field at odds of 26-1 to earn her first stakes score in Thursday’s $200,000 Suzie O’Cain, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for New York-bred sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Jim Ryerson, the Twirling Candy bay, with Chris Elliott up, set the pace and held on by 3 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:42.42 over the firm turf, which earned a career-best 79 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She came out of it great, everything is good,” Ryerson said. “We don’t know where we are headed, but we’re just happy with yesterday’s race. That performance was what we were hoping for this year. She hadn’t run back to some of her 2-year-old races this year, so we’re happy we saw her run well.”

Cosmic Candy Girl has made all eight starts against fellow state-breds, graduating at third asking in September over firm Belmont at the Big A turf by 1 1/2-lengths. She followed with a head second in the one-mile Key Cents in November to close out her juvenile campaign.

Cosmic Candy Girl may be considered for the $200,000 Yaddo, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, on August 30 here.

“That’s a possibility, but we’re going to take a look at other options. We’ll see if there’s any other options,” Ryerson said.

Elliott and Ryerson teamed up for their third stakes win together following past success at Aqueduct Racetrack with Sunday Boy in the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way in December and with Sweet Montreal in the Joseph A. Gimma in September.

“Chris has done great. It’s very tough for him here, riding against such a great jockey colony, but we’ve had some luck with Chris,” Ryerson said. “Sweet Montreal, Sunday Boy and this filly. That’s three stakes he’s won for us in a short time. We’re happy with that.”

***

La Rascasse to scratch from Saturday’s G1 Coaching Club American Oaks

Trainer Will Walden confirmed Thursday that Resolute Racing and MyRacehorse’s La Rascasse will be scratched from Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course due to a setback in her training.

“I just didn’t like the way she came out of her gallop [Wednesday] morning,” Walden said. “We were really high on her coming into this, but the horse comes first. I want to thank John and Chelsey Stewart for entrusting us with her, not only when good is good, but when bad is bad.”

Undefeated through two starts, La Rascasse won her April debut by a head at Keeneland and followed with a 2 1/4-length victory from just off the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Monomoy Girl on June 13 at Churchill Downs. The $750,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the winning Candy Ride mare Hallawallah, with her second dam being 2007 Champion Female Sprinter Maryfield.

“I don’t think she’s going to need a restricted 3-year-old [race] to get a graded stakes, and I think she’ll get that at four or five,” Walden said. “We’re looking forward to getting back. She’ll go to the farm for a little while and her prognosis to return to racing is excellent. We’ll decide to get her back towards the beginning of next year and gear towards the spring.”

While disappointed that La Rascasse is now on the bench, Walden has something to look forward to in impressive maiden-winner Side Quest, who captured Race 5 at the Spa on Thursday with a 5 3/4-length romp under Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint maiden auction event.

Campaigned by J.E. Stephen Horn, the Charlatan gray tracked just off the pace set by By Grace and pounced late in the turn, taking a two-length lead at the stretch call and powering home strongly to cross the wire first in a final time of 1:02.33. The effort earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

The win showed a marked improvement from her debut effort on June 20 over five furlongs of Churchill’s main track, where she was shuffled between rivals and gave a belated bid to land an 8 1/2-length fourth. Walden said the experience gained in that effort helped the filly greatly in her turf debut.

“A typical second-time starter versus a bunch of first-time starters, not to take anything away from her,” Walden said. “We’ve always thought she was talented, but we got that ‘first-starter-trip’ first time out – broke well and as soon as horses developed around her, she got intimidated and dropped the bridle. She did pick it back up and try to run down horses. She acted a lot more professional and turned on in the paddock [Thursday], kind of knew what the job was, Irad gave her a great trip and the rest is history.”

The well-bred filly is out of the turf sprint stakes-winning The Factor mare Factorofwon, making her a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Light Won Up. She was a $65,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Upcoming turf sprint events for juvenile fillies at the Spa include the 5 1/2-furlong Listed $200,000 Bolton Landing on August 26, but Walden would like to see how Side Quest's workmate, Sound of Madness, fairs in her debut over that course and distance in Race 6 on Friday before firming up any plans.

“We’re going to keep it all on the table,” Walden said. “We’ll see how the open maiden goes and see how we fit time-wise, [if it’s] comparable. I just want to see how it goes, how she exits… [the Bolton Landing] would be plenty of time.”

***

G3 winner Tip Top Thomas to make 4-year-old debut on Sunday

Tip Top Thomas – winner of two stakes, including the 2025 Grade 3 Indiana Derby – will make his first start in more than eight months when he competes in Sunday’s ninth race, a 6 1/2-furlong optional-claiming event for 4-year-olds and up. Jockey Flavien Prat will ride the chestnut son of Volatile for the first time in the afternoon on Sunday.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for James J. Bakke and Gerald Isbister, Tip Top Thomas was second in the 2024 Grade 1 Champagne as a 2-year-old and last year won the Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis by a half-length and the Listed Smarty Jones at Parx Racing by a head. In his final start at three, he was third, beaten 14 3/4-lengths, after setting the pace in the Listed Dwyer at Aqueduct Racetrack. Tip Top Thomas is eligible for Sunday’s race under the non-winners of $40,000 other than maiden, claiming, starter, or state-bred allowance since January 26, 2026 condition.

In two prior sprint starts, Tip Top Thomas won a six-furlong maiden special weight on debut at Saratoga two summers ago and was fourth at that distance in his first start of his sophomore campaign, an entry level allowance/optional claiming race during Keeneland's 2025 spring meet.

“We’re kind of limited in options with a horse like that who has accomplished quite a bit,” said Pletcher. “He’s eligible for this allowance race. I actually think he’s a little bit better going further, but this is a good starting point. I think he is talented enough and versatile enough to make a good showing.”

Pletcher has a busy weekend ahead as he has 11 horses entered across eight races Saturday and Sunday at Saratoga. Pletcher confirmed that Mike Repole’s Zany, who is cross entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga and Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks, will compete at the Spa. Pletcher also has six first-time starters entered at Saratoga this weekend in maiden special weights for 2-year-olds.

“We have a lot of babies getting under way,” said Pletcher. “We’re anxious to see how they perform. We hope they run competitively, and, hopefully, some of the other ones do as well.”

***

Moonlight Ready, recent winner off a 16-month layoff, steps up in Saturday allowance

Trainer Charlton Baker is hopeful that Moonlight Ready, who returned from a 16-month layoff to break her maiden at 37-1 on June 21 at Belmont at the Big A, will be able to take another step forward when she faces winners for the first time Saturday [Race 11] in an entry-level allowance race for New York-bred fillies and mares.

Moonlight Ready debuted in February 2025 while in the barn of the late Christophe Clement, finishing fifth on dirt at Aqueduct Racetrack in a seven-furlong maiden special weight for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies. She later was transferred to Baker and did not make her return until her half-length victory in the six-furlong turf sprint for state-bred fillies and mares in June.

“She was a little muscle sore behind when we got her, so we gave her the time off,” said Baker. “She was ready to come back in December, but in the winter there is a deep track and we were thinking about turf, so we didn’t bring her back until later. She showed a lot of speed in her first start, so we were expecting her to flash some speed coming off the layoff. [In her second start off the layoff], she should be fitter and have more finish. She’s cutting back to 5 1/2 [furlongs]. We’ll see what she gives us. She’s coming back in four weeks. Ideally, you want to come back in five or six weeks, but with the way the race set up she’s coming back in four weeks.”

The homebred Moonlight Ready hails from one of Albert Fried, Jr.’s prominent families. She is from the penultimate crop of More Than Ready and is the first foal out of Cryinthemoonlight, who was third in the 2018 East View at Aqueduct. Cryinthemoonlight is a half-sister to 2009 Grade 3 Excelsior winner Giant Moon and three-time stakes winner Moonlight Song. Moonlight Ready’s second dam, Moonlightandbeauty, won a stakes at Finger Lakes and herself was out of 1991 Grade 2 Demoiselle winner Stolen Beauty.

Baker trained Moonlight Song and also conditions Giant at Work, who is out of The Giant’s Beauty, a three-time winning full sister to Giant Moon and half-sister to Moonlight Song and Cryinthemoonlight. Giant at Work is entered in Friday’s seventh race, an optional claiming event for New York-bred fillies and mares that will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on Saratoga’s inner turf course.

“For my career, [Fried, Jr.] has been great a great person to train for,” said Baker. “I started training for him in maybe my second year of training and I have been with him since then. We’ve done great and he’s a guy who is laid back and let’s you do what you want to do. It’s been super training for him.”

Baker confirmed he is targeting the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam with White Smoke Rising, who also is owned by Fried. White Smoke Rising will be stepping up off a maiden win at Belmont at the Big A in May and an entry-level allowance score July 3 at Saratoga Race Course. Baker said White Smoke Rising is scheduled to breeze Saturday, the same day entries will be taken for the Amsterdam, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds scheduled for next Friday.

“Sooner or later, we have to step up in class,” said Baker. “This seems like a good time. He is going to breeze tomorrow, and if he breezes good then he’s definitely targeting [the Amsterdam].”