Go for Launch set for stakes debut in Listed $200K Bolton Landing
Blue Heaven Farm’s Kentucky homebred Go for Launch will step into stakes company for the first time in Wednesday’s Listed $200,000 Bolton Landing, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for juvenile fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Kevin Attard, the well-bred bay is by Flightline and out of the Indy Wind mare Starship Jubilee, Canada’s 2019 Horse of the Year and a three-time Sovereign Award-winner as Champion Turf Female [2017-19]. Starship Jubilee won the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Ballston Spa here in 2020 for these same connections.
“Anything out of Starship Jubilee is exciting but when you know it's a Flightline that's the cherry on top,” Attard said. “She's not a very big horse. She's a lot like her mom from that perspective. She can be very aggressive and keen in the mornings, but in the stall has a good temperament.”
Go for Launch [post 2, Pietro Moran] arrives from a three-quarter length victory in a five-furlong maiden sprint over the inner turf on July 25 at Woodbine under returning rider Pietro Moran, who earned Eclipse Award honors last year as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.
Go for Launch broke alertly from post 3-of-7 and showed the way through splits of 22.08 seconds and 44.50 over the firm footing. She traveled well down the lane and through the wire under a hand ride to stave off the late bid of Royal Foxtrot, who exited that effort to run second in the Listed Catch a Glimpse.
“She ran well. That horse came to her, and she fought her off and galloped out well. She didn't win by much, but she did what she needed to do,” Attard said.
Go for Launch has worked back twice, including a half-mile breeze in 47.20 seconds over the Woodbine dirt training track August 19 – one of a number of bullet works on her page.
“She's always worked quickly and status quo for this race. She's coming into it in good order. We're happy with her,” Attard said.
Starship Jubilee was claimed for $16,000 by Attard's father, Tino, in February 2017 at Gulfstream Park. She won the Grade 2 Nassau in May 2017 at Woodbine in her first start for Kevin Attard and would add eight more graded wins to her ledger under his tutelage, including Grade 1-scores in Canada in the 2019 E.P. Taylor and 2020 Woodbine Mile versus males.
“Her mom got better with age and we're hoping the same holds true for her [Go for Launch],” Attard said. “I didn't get the mom until the beginning of her 4-year-old year. This filly has been with me from the get-go and came to me with some hype from where she was broke and she's living up to it so far, so it's nice to see.”
Attard said he expects Go for Launch will be able to stretch out down the road but will be focused on sprint races for the time being.
“She gallops out and doesn't want to stop. She shows me signs that she will [stretch out],” Attard said. “She's pretty quick and we're going to try and utilize that to our advantage for now. Any time you ship in to Saratoga, the competition gets tough. She'll have to up her game now and we'll see what transpires. Hopefully, she continues to progress.”
Attard has had four runners at the Spa this summer topped by an allowance win with Eponine in July. The two-time Sovereign Award-winner as Canada’s Outstanding Trainer is planning to have a larger presence in New York this winter with an eye towards the Empire Trillium Series, a 14-race program of stakes races restricted to horses foaled in New York or Canada worth $3.2 million in total purses. 12 of the 14 races are to be contested on Tapeta.
“The goal is to go there this winter and maybe be able keep a string there year round if we can get enough of a clientele that wants us there,” Attard said. “With younger horses just getting ready, it's [the Empire Trillium Series] a good bridge to Belmont this winter. The climate is very similar, and the ship isn't that demanding as opposed to going to Florida, it makes things a lot easier.”
Robert M. Evans’ maiden winner Allura [post 6, Flavien Prat] made every pole a winning one over course and distance on July 3 at odds of 12-1 under Tyler Gaffalione.
Trained by Kelsey Danner, the Mind Control bay exited post 5-of-7 alertly and showed the way through splits of 21.80 seconds and 44.89 over the firm turf. She put 1 1/2-lengths on her rivals at the stretch call and just held off the pressing Rockabye by a neck to win in a final time of 1:02.70. The winning effort earned a 65 Beyer Speed Figure.
"She was professional, did everything right and showed some grit at the end there. I thought she ran really well,” Danner said.
Allura has worked regularly at the Spa since, including a half-mile breeze over the Oklahoma turf training track in 48.48 seconds August 16, in company with maiden Bittersweet Memory.
“She had a nice breeze on the grass the other day,” Danner said. “I think she's put on a ton of weight since her race. I like that when fillies run and fill out even more. She's showing all good signs.”
Danner said Allura made a good impression at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale where she was purchased for $72,000. Allura is out of the winning Shamardal mare Alluring Miss – a half-sister to dual Grade 1-winner Scat Daddy, Grade 3-winner Antipathy and stakes-winner Grand Daddy.
"She's a beautiful filly. She has a great hip on her, real balanced. You can't fault her own looks. She's a lovely filly with good pedigree - her second dam [produced] Scat Daddy,” Danner said.
Danner noted that the Kentucky-foaled Allura will stay in New York and possibly take advantage of the New York Stallion Stakes Series offerings down the road. The conditioner has another promising 2-year-old daughter of Mind Control named Slinging Slasher, a New York-bred, that is currently in training at the Spa.
“She will likely run at the end of the meet there or beginning of Belmont. She's like Allura - professional, quick, and a nice-looking filly as well,” Danner said.
Side Quest [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] earned a field-best 87 Beyer for her second out graduation on July 23 here in 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden restricted to juvenile fillies that sold or RNA’d for $65,000 or less in their most recent auction.
Trained by Will Walden for Pivotal Racing, Madaket Stables and William Strauss, the Charlatan gray finished fourth on debut in a five-furlong maiden sprint on June 20 at Churchill won by Manuka Honey, who exited that effort to win the Ellis Park Debutante.
The $65,000 acquisition from the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale switched to turf and graduated in style here last out, stalking from second position through splits of 21.56 seconds and 44.47 before making a wide move at the top of the lane and drawing clear to score by 5 3/4-lengths in a final time of 1:02.33.
Side Quest, out of the turf stakes-winning The Factor mare Factorofwon, is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Listed turf stakes-winner Light Won Up.
A pair of fillies exiting off-the-board efforts in the 5 1/2-furlong Group 2 Queen Mary on the straight in June at Royal Ascot will attract attention in More Champagne [post 1, John Velazquez] and Shining Moment [post 8, Luis Saez, blinkers OFF].
Star Ladies, West Paces Racing, Titletown Racing Stables and U Racing Stable’s More Champagne, by 2021 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint-winner Golden Pal, bested Shining Moment by 6 1/2-lengths on debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlolngs over firm Keeneland turf on April 24.
Trained by Tom Morley, More Champagne was subsequently a 10 1/4-length 19th in the Queen Mary. She worked five-eighths in 1:02 flat August 14 over the Oklahoma training turf.
The $100,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the winning Wildcat Heir mare Wildcat Gaze, a half-sister to stakes-winners April Gaze and Saratoga Treasure.
Qatar Racing, Breeze Easy and Riley J. Ward’s Shining Moment, also by Golden Pal, exited More Champagne’s maiden score to graduate at second asking in a five-furlong turf maiden on May 21 at Churchill Downs, powering away to a three-length score over next-out winner Randie’s Rascal.
Trained by Wesley Ward, she was 24th in the Queen Mary and has since worked back over the Oklahoma training turf here, including a half-mile effort in 49.25 August 16.
The $120,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, out of the Distorted Humor mare Blind Copy, is a half-sister to multiple Listed turf sprint stakes-winning millionaire Coppola.
A robust field includes the Jena Antonucci-trained Luminous Beauty [post 7, Jose Morelos], who will make her turf debut out of a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Adirondack on August 2 here; and maiden winners Extravaganzoo [post 4, Tyler Gaffalione] for trainer George Weaver, Lexi’s Charm [post 5, Jose Ortiz] for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, and Army Salute [post 9, Manny Franco] for trainer Jose D’Angelo. On the outside looking in are also-eligibles Legacy Lady [post 10, Javier Castellano] for trainer Jorge Delgado, and Tiz Candy [post 11, Katie Davis] for trainer Wayne Potts.
The Bolton Landing is slated as Race 7 on Wednesday’s eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
Saratoga Live presents daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
