Photo:Candice Chavez / Eclipse Sportswire
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will have two chances to secure a fifth victory in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama as he sends out Grade 1 winner Candied and promising stakes-winner Miss Justify in Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile test for sophom*ore fillies at Saratoga.
The two talented fillies posted a steady work in company Aug. 2, covering a half-mile in 50.66 seconds over the Spa main track.
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“They seemed to make good companions. I’m happy with the way they did it,” said Pletcher, whose past Alabama wins came with Princess of Sylmar in 2013, Stopchargingmaria in 2014, Malathaat in 2021 and Nest in 2022.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied arrives from a runner-up finish to divisional leader Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20 at Saratoga. The daughter of Candy Ride was patiently ridden by Manny Franco, stalking in third of four behind an even tempo set by Grade 1-winning stablemate Leslie’s Rose. She made up ground willingly when asked to angle two to four wide in the final turn but could not catch the powerful Thorpedo Anna and was defeated 4 1/2 lengths.
Pletcher said he was pleased with the bay’s effort behind a standout like Thorpedo Anna, who is targeting the Travers (G1) against males Aug. 24.
“She’s been super consistent, just second-best last time,” said Pletcher. “I think she’ll handle the mile and a quarter. With Thorpedo Anna going to the Travers, I think this race is much more wide open.”
Candied brings top Grade 1 form to the field of eight after taking the Alcibiades in October at Keeneland. She closed out her juvenile campaign with a solid third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November and returned in April to finish fourth in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland. The filly came up just shy on the road to the Kentucky Oaks and did not draw into the prestigious Grade 1 test after landing on the also-eligible list.
After a two-month respite, she made a grand return against elders in Monmouth Park’s Listed Lady’s Secret, crushing the 1 1/16-mile route by 4 1/2 lengths over Honor D Lady, who exited that race to win the Delaware Handicap (G2) on July 7. Candied was awarded a career- and field-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form for the victory.
Candied has banked $784,675 in earnings through a 6: 3-1-1 record.
Miss Justify makes a step up in both class and trip after back-to-back wins going one mile. The Justify bay was last seen winning the local restricted Wilton going one mile from Saratoga's Wilson chute July 12. The Wilton was successfully used as a springboard for last year’s Alabama winner Randomized.
In the Wilton, Miss Justify was six lengths off the pace through the first quarter-mile and inched into contention throughout each point of call to be just one length back of the prominent Striker Has Dial at the top of the lane. She found more with each stride under Flavien Prat to rally up the rail and take control inside the final sixteenth and win by one length, earning a lifetime-best 87 Beyer.
Pletcher said Miss Justify, who also notched a 2 1/2-length win in her first effort beyond sprint distances in June at Churchill Downs, continues to improve with each start.
“We are hoping she will handle the added distance,” Pletcher said. “She has handled the mile well the last two times. Coming off two wins, she’s deserving of the opportunity.”
?Miss Justify made her first two starts in Maryland for conditioner Susan Cooney, including a third-place effort when making her stakes debut in the six-furlong Smart Halo in November. She moved to Pletcher’s care this year and finished fourth going seven furlongs in a March optional claimer at Gulfstream Park ahead of her two recent wins.
Graded stakes-winner Intricate remains the only horse to have defeated Thorpedo Anna after taking the Golden Rod (G2) in November at Churchill, but she could not duplicate that feat in the CCA Oaks and settled for third after tracking in last of four throughout and passing the tiring pacesetter Leslie’s Rose late in the lane.
"I think she can improve,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “She struggled a little bit with the track early in the (CCA) Oaks. That filly has had her issues, but she seems to train better and better every week. Having had a run over the track and a couple of works on it, I think she's coming into it a lot better. I wouldn't discount her chances. She shouldn't have a problem with the distance either."
The Gun Runner chestnut seeks her first win since the Golden Rod, where she soundly bested Thorpedo Anna by 5 1/4 lengths with a smart off-the-pace trip engineered by regular rider Tyler Gaffalione.
"She ran really well,” Walsh said of the effort. “The race set up really good for her and she was very impressive that day.”
Three months after the Golden Rod, she headed south to Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans to run second in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) in February and a distant fifth in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in March before being shelved until June because of excess mucus in her throat.
“She's a nice filly. She just had her issues down in New Orleans during the winter. It took us a long time to get her right after that,” Walsh explained. “She's finally coming right now. If she can make a return to her 2-year-old form, I can't see why she couldn't have a good second half of the year."
Intricate flashed her talents again in her June return at Churchill, finishing a close second to Our Pretty Woman in the Monomoy Girl ahead of the CCA Oaks.
2024 Alabama G1
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Intricate Gun Runner | 6.55 | Brendan P. Walsh Tyler Gaffalione | 3rd, 2024 Coaching Club American Oaks G1 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 3rd, 2024 Coaching Club American Oaks G1 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
| 2 |  | Chatalas Gun Runner | 6.47 | Mark Glatt Frankie Dettori | 1st, 2024 Indiana Oaks G3 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, 2024 Indiana Oaks G3 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
| 3 |  | Power Squeeze Union Rags | 7.03 | Jorge Delgado Javier J. Castellano | 1st, 2024 Delaware Oaks G3 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, 2024 Delaware Oaks G3 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
| 4 |  | Just Basking Arrogate | 4.12 | Ian R. Wilkes Chris Landeros | 1st, Iowa Oaks 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, Iowa Oaks 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
| 5 |  | America's Vow Constitution | 0.00 | Timothy Hamm Junior Alvarado | 1st, Sar AlwOC (7/28/24-R5) 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, Sar AlwOC (7/28/24-R5) 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
| 6 |  | Miss Justify Justify | 0.00 | Todd A. Pletcher Flavien Prat | 1st, 2024 Wilton RS 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, 2024 Wilton RS 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
| 7 |  | Candied Candy Ride | 6.88 | Todd A. Pletcher Manuel Franco | 2nd, 2024 Coaching Club American Oaks G1 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 Coaching Club American Oaks G1 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
| 8 |  | Neon Icon Arrogate | 0.00 | George R. Arnold Luis Saez | 5th, 2024 Indiana Oaks G3 2024 Alabama G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 5th, 2024 Indiana Oaks G3 2024 Alabama G1 | |||||
