My Gun’s Loaded demonstrates her class in G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales

• My Gun’s Loaded demonstrates her class in G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales
• Casse on even keel following And One More Time’s dramatic G2 Ballston Spa presented by STIHL victory and strong efforts from Measure and Counting Stars in G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales
• McLaughlin savoring 4,000 win milestone with Saez
• Deep Satin could target G1 First Lady

Douglas Scharbauer’s My Gun’s Loaded completed a Saratoga Race Course hat trick in style with a neck score over Measure in Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales.

The Gun Runner chestnut joined the barn of five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown for her sophomore campaign and has thrived at the Spa, defeating elders in her first two outings, including a maiden win sprinting seven furlongs in June and an optional-claiming score traveling one-mile on July 24.

On Saturday, the $650,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase stepped into stakes company for the first time at the highest level and proved she belonged with a sustained stretch run in a strategic strike to overtake dual Grade 1-winning pacesetter Counting Stars while staving off the inside rush of a ground-saving Measure.

“The race unfolded exactly how we thought it would. The outcome was to be determined - I wasn't certain we were going to win,” Brown said. “As far as where everyone was in the race - we drew it up the way we thought it would happen with 'Plan A' and I was pretty confident Counting Stars would go to the lead and off the rail.”

Jose Ortiz guided the 1-4 favorite Counting Stars to the front through splits of 24.55 seconds, 49.44 and 1:14.06 while racing several paths wide over the fast main track. Manny Franco kept close watch of the proceedings aboard My Gun’s Loaded from third position and waited for the right moment to make his move.

“On paper, it seemed like she [Counting Stars] was best and by riding up the center of the track you can intimidate everybody behind you,” Brown said. “We anticipated that and if that's what she was going to do, we'd just stay behind her knowing that when we did engage her, we would probably be carried out and have to go around her quite wide because it would be a surprise if she went down towards the rail and became a target for somebody.”

My Gun’s Loaded made her bid outside of Counting Stars at the five-sixteenths and was in the lead in upper stretch while racing several paths out as the Flavien Prat-piloted Measure took advantage of ample racing room along the rail.

“Jose rode a smart race that way, but we anticipated it, and it opened up a third horse coming up the rail that didn't have a wide trip and ran a significantly shorter distance around the track than us that made the finish quite close,” Brown said.

My Gun’s Loaded stopped the clock for 10-furlongs in 2:04.87 and earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Brown credited a heady ride by Franco, who secured his second Grade 1 of the meet. The veteran rider is second in the Spa jockey standings with 50 wins.

“He's been a mainstay on the New York circuit for a number of years now and he's gained a lot of experience. He's putting it to good use on one of the biggest stages in the racing world right now,” Brown said.

My Gun’s Loaded made one off-the-board start last year for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen before being transferred to Brown.

“I'm very pleased with her development. She came to us in good shape, and she's really thrived since we've had her,” Brown said. “Sometimes things work out and you have a horse land in your barn unexpectedly and they turn out to be a good one. We're very appreciative of Mr. Scharbauer and his team. They brought a nice filly here and trusted us and it's all worked out.”

Brown said My Gun’s Loaded exited the race in good order and potential targets include the nine-furlong Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame on September 25 at the new Belmont Park or the nine-furlong Grade 1 Spinster on October 4 at Keeneland.

Absent from the Alabama was Brown’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winner Always a Runner, who is targeting the Grade 1 Cotillion on September 19 at Parx Racing. However, the family was represented on the undercard with the 2-year-old full-sister Forever Carina rallying from ninth-of-11 and 13 lengths off the pace to score a two-length victory in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight. Forever Carina stopped the clock in 1:17.43 and earned a 74 Beyer.

The stylish effort saw the Jose Ortiz-piloted Forever Carina break outward and steady briefly before making a strong inside run through the turn and in upper stretch. Ortiz tipped her off the rail once straightened away and Forever Carina was in command with an eighth of a mile to run.

“I wasn't too surprised that she was that far back, but I wasn't certain she would win from there,” Brown said. “The pace was blistering. She's a route filly and I was 50/50 to enter her 6 1/2-furlongs because I know she wants a mile, mile and an eighth down the road.

“She was ready to run and I wanted to give her a fair chance to be a Breeders' Cup filly,” Brown added. “Even though her best days are ahead of her as a potential Oaks horse next year, I figured if I could get her started here before we go downstate - we don't have many options for route horses - it seemed feasible she was quick enough to get up in time, and she was.”

Brown said that there are similarities between the more sizable chestnut Forever Carina and dark bay Always a Runner.

“They have the same shape head, the same eye and the same white marking. Where they're different is different colors, and this filly is one size bigger in every area,” Brown said. “She's a couple inches taller, she's a few inches longer, she's heavier, her limbs are one size bigger from her foot all the way up. She's just a bigger version of her sister. I'm not saying that means she's going to be better, but she trains as good as the sister did last summer.”

The Kentucky-homebred for Three Chimneys Farm is by Gun Runner and out of the Grade 2-placed Malibu Moon mare Always Carina, a half-sister to 2019 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf-winner Structor. Both Always Carina and Structor were trained by Brown.

Forever Carina joins a strong group of 2-year-old dirt fillies to have graduated this summer at the Spa for Brown, including Bret Jones’ Libby Lloyd, a 10-length winner of a six-furlong maiden on August 15 [78 Beyer]; and Klaravich Stables’ New York-bred Cash Burn, who won by 13 1/2-lengths on August 20 versus fellow state-breds [60 Beyer].

The next logical spot for 2-year-old fillies on the New York circuit is the one-mile Grade 1, $500,000 Frizette on October 3 at the new Belmont Park.

“It's a good group. We'll see how they train and what kind of feeling I get on how far I want to run any of them and on what tracks. New York is there, Keeneland is on the table - there's different moves I can make,” Brown said.

Brown also had a good word for Classic Nora, runner-up at odds of 15-1 to Forever Carina in her career debut.

“She ran excellent. That was no surprise. I hated to run them against each other but she ran good,” Brown said.

Brown said to draw a line through the fourth-and-fifth place finishes from Grayosh and Segesta, respectively, in Saturday’s Grade 2 Ballston Spa presented by STIHL. Juddmonte’s Kentucky homebred Segesta, the odds-on mutuel favorite, was bothered at the start by eventual winner And One More Time and was herded out several paths in the stretch run. Grayosh made a wide run through the turn and kept on down the lane to finish one-length back of the winner.

Brown indicated Segesta will likely point to the Grade 1 First Lady on October 3 at Keeneland.

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Casse on even keel following And One More Time’s dramatic G2 Ballston Spa presented by STIHL victory and strong efforts from Measure and Counting Stars in G1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales

Although Mark Casse’s eventful Saturday could have been included in a “The Thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat” highlight reel, the dual Hall of Fame trainer was on an even keel Sunday morning as he discussed the performances of Grade 2 Ballston Spa presented by STIHL winner And One More Time and Grade 1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales second- and third-place finishers Measure and Counting Stars.

“As I said to someone earlier, as a horse trainer, you ask for a fair race,” said Casse. “We got that. You ask for your horse to show up. You got that. And that everybody returns safely. And we got that.”

In the Ballston Spa, Live Oak Plantation’s And One More Time set the pace and held off Sunlit Uplands to win by a neck. And One More Time drifted out in the stretch under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, but following an inquiry, the stewards elected to make no change to the original order of finish for the 1 1/16-mile inner turf race for fillies and mares. The Ballston Spa was the second stakes win of the meet for And One More Time, who used similar front-running tactics to win the restricted Listed De La Rose on July 17. She also won the Listed Plenty of Grace this April at Aqueduct Racetrack and the 2024 Grade 1 Natalma at Woodbine.

“I was listening to the FOX [broadcast team] talking about [the stretch run],” said Casse. “It was tough for me to see. I watched it this morning, and there is no question that we came out, but I would say to say that [Sunlit Uplands] had almost an eighth of a mile to get by her, and she couldn’t. The best horse won the race.”

And One More Time likely will make her next start in the Grade 1 First Lady on October 3 at Keeneland, the trainer said.

In the Alabama, Casse sent out odds-on favorite Counting Stars, who entered the race off Grade 1 wins in the DraftKings Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks, and 10-1 third choice Measure, who was third in the Coaching Club American Oaks. Counting Stars set the pace before yielding to eventual winner My Gun’s Loaded in the stretch, while Measure’s late inside rally came up a neck short, denying Casse, who won last year’s Alabama with Nitrogen, a second consecutive victory in the race for 3-year-old fillies.

“Did it turn out the exactly the way we wanted? No, but [Counting Stars] gave a good account of herself,” said Casse. “[Measure’s] performance was tremendous. [The chart says the margin was] a neck. I say ‘a head’ from winning. I’m proud of her, too.”

Casse said that plans have not been fully decided for either filly, but Gary Barber, Bridlewood Farm, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Measure could face males in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 19 at Parx Racing, while Counting Stars is under consideration for the Grade 1 Spinster for fillies and mares on October 4 at Keeneland.

“I have to talk to everybody involved,” said Casse. “There’s a shot that Measure will go to the Pennsylvania Derby. I don’t want to back her up. I’m not going to run her a mile and a sixteenth in the [Grade 1] Cotillion [for 3-year-old fillies September 19 at Parx]. So, I’m going to look at the Pennsylvania Derby. As for [Counting Stars], maybe the Spinster, but we’ll see.”

On Friday, Casse sent out Golden Siren to a four-length victory in a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Golden Siren, who is owned by Brad Smith, will target Belmont Park’s Grade 2, $250,000 Miss Grillo, a 1 1/16-mile turf event on October 3, the trainer said. In her lone prior outing, Golden Siren was second on July 10 to stablemate Pros and Cons, who won by three lengths that day at Saratoga. Owned by D. J. Stable, Pros and Cons has been pointed toward the $200,000 Listed P. G. Johnson, which will be contested September 4 at the Spa. With Sunday’s turf works canceled because of rain, Pros and Cons will now breeze tomorrow over the Oklahoma training turf course, according to the trainer.

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McLaughlin savoring 4,000 win milestone with Saez

Jockey Luis Saez reached an impressive milestone on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, notching his 4,000th North American victory with the Norm Casse-trained Rothschild in Race 2, a 1 3/8-mile inner turf optional claimer.

His agent, retired multiple Grade 1-winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, has represented the 34-year-old Panamanian native since early 2020, and reflected on what the talented rider has accomplished during their time together.

“It was fabulous it happened here at Saratoga,” said McLaughlin as he waited for Saez to return to the Kelsey Danner barn after breezing one of her trainees on Sunday morning at the Spa. “It’s the best racing in the country and he rides a lot of places, but he loves Saratoga. It’s just a lot of hard work, and he’s a great rider that’s been lucky to stay healthy. It’s a lot about the owners and trainers everywhere that support him, and all the grooms, hotwalkers, exercise riders and assistants that put in days and days of long hours and hard work. It’s great that it happened and he’s pretty young to have hit 4,000. Hopefully, he keeps it going.”

Saez has won 35 Grade 1s with McLaughlin as his agent, including the Breeders' Futurity, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Belmont Stakes and Travers with Essential Quality in 2020-21, the Kentucky Oaks with Secret Oath in 2022, and an additional Belmont Stakes with Dornoch in 2024 at the Spa ahead of their win together in the Haskell. Last year, Saez again won the Kentucky Oaks with Good Cheer, and a pair of Saratoga Grade 1s with Patch Adams in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial and Woody Stephens.

Outside of his 4,000 North American wins, Saez also owns a victory in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup atop Mystic Guide in 2021.

McLaughlin reminisced about some of his favorite memories with Saez.

“The Dubai World Cup, Dornoch, and Secret Oath – that one was huge, Wayne [Lukas] rode him early in his career and coached him, and they had a close relationship, as did I, and that was probably one of the most special wins for me as an agent,” said McLaughlin, who also represents Hall of Famer John Velazquez. “It’s been six years and it’s been great. We have a great relationship and we work well together. He never says, ‘I don’t want to work any horses.’ He’s always there, willing to drive hours to work one or ride one in a race. He works very hard, and the ups and downs are tough sometimes, but he handles things very well.”

And while the pair have enjoyed their fair share of wins both on the biggest stages and in everyday races, McLaughlin said there is more work to be done thanks to the support of their trusted clients.

“We’re always working, and we’re just happy he’s consistently doing this well,” McLaughlin said. “We just thank everybody who has supported us.”

As of Sunday, Saez, who brought his total to 4,001 after winning Saturday’s seventh race with Cat On Time, holds a North American record of 23,083-4,001-3,456-3,088 with nearly $271 million in total purses earned. His resume prior to his partnership with McLaughlin includes his first Travers win with the Lukas-trained Will Take Charge in 2013, and his first Haskell with Maximum Security in 2019.

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Deep Satin could target G1 First Lady

John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services’ Deep Satin closed up the inside from 6th-of-7 to a land half-length third in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Ballston Spa presented by STIHL, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the 5-year-old American Pharoah bay was a 1 1/2-length second in last year’s Ballston Spa and exited to run a half-length fourth in the Grade 1 First Lady in October at Keeneland. Deep Satin may once again target that one-mile Grade 1 test on October 3 at the Lexington oval.

“She came out of the race very good and looks great this morning,” DeVaux said. “Maybe the First Lady.”

In the Ballston Spa, Deep Satin made up about three lengths when Jose Ortiz navigated her from six-wide at the top of the lane to an opening along the rail. The race was won by the pacesetting And One More Time, who finished a neck ahead of forwardly-placed Sunlit Uplands, that pair dueling multiple paths out from the rail-skimming Deep Satin.

“Jose rode a really great race,” said DeVaux. “Looking at the head-on, it was hard for her to engage [late] because the other horses were so far away from her, but she ran a great race. We’re really pleased with her.”

DeVaux also provided an update regarding 2-year-old colt Imperial Tempo, a younger half-brother to dual Classic winner Golden Tempo, bred by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stables.

The Nyquist bay is approaching his debut following weekly works beginning in late June at Keeneland.

“He’s coming along well,” DeVaux said. “Probably a start at the upcoming Churchill [Downs] meet.

“I try not to compare them,” DeVaux added while facing her $1.25 million DraftKings Travers contender Golden Tempo. “They’re two different horses, but he [Imperial Tempo] has the same personality: really professional. But I think it is fair to treat them as individuals, and not compare them.”