A championship showdown is about to take place in the older mares and mares divisions for the second time in about five weeks.
by Juddmonte Idioms the old earth horse won the Eclipse Award last year, fighting Godolphin quite mischievousdefending champion 3-year-old, in the $500,000 Odgen Phipps Stakes (G1) on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course. Early last month, they met in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downswith Idiomatic pulling away to win 3 3/4 lengths in the slide Free like a girl . Pretty Mischievous ran one and a half lengths further back in third place.
Both Idiomatic and Pretty Mischievous made their first starts in 2024 at La Troienne, and while Idiomatic picked up right where she left off in 2023 winning eight of nine starts, Pretty Mischievous was unseated. late, perhaps need a fresh start.
It’s all idiomatic in the G1 Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes! Florent Geroux was on the Champion Juddmonte farm for trainer Brad Cox. pic.twitter.com/SmtRHW4y3Q
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2024
While these two female runners are undoubtedly Phipps’ star power, four other quality runners are also participating in the 1/8-mile race. They include Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Random finished second to Pretty Mischievous in Eclipse Award voting in the 3-year-old category last year, along with stakes winner Tizzy in the sky , The soul of an angel And Coast . The latter two were classified as winners.
Phipps was a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) in the fall at Del Maran Idiomatic race took place last year when the Breeders’ Cup was held at Santa Anita Park. That win, which capped off her stellar 2023 season, placed her third in voting for Horse of the Year, the most coveted award in thoroughbred racing.
She continues to be the leading contender for that award this season, although she may need to beat the men to gain full support.
First things first for Idiomatic and leading jockey Florent Geroux: beat Pretty Mischievous and four others on a unique day in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
Juddmonte is chasing a fourth Phipps record, after winning with Close the hatch (2014) and Tour (2003-04).
“She is training very well and Florent told me she was working very well again (June 1),” said Juddmonte USA general manager Garrett O’Rourke. “She certainly reached admirable heights last year and showed she’s reaching those heights again this year in La Troienne. All we really hope to do is help her keep stay in form and try to maintain form.”
Long-legged Idiomatic, a 5-year-old child raised at home curled up is looking for her seventh straight win and fifth straight promotion to Grade 1. She is 10-for-13 from coach Brad Cox.
Trainer Brendan Walsh wants to see a dry run for Pretty Mischievous, whose biggest wins for the Godolphin owner-breeder have come on fast surfaces, including the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn Stakes ( G1) and Test Stakes (G1) last year.
Daughter of into mischief was scratched in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in early November and has been out of action at La Troienne since finishing runner-up in the sloppy Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx racing in September. Another race on the slopes led to a 1 3/4-length victory at Churchill Downs in the fall when she was a 2-year-old.
Tyler Gaffalione is back in his irons.
“She’s doing fine,” Walsh said. “She finished the last race well and we were happy enough with her. She should move forward from there.
“I think we were hurt a little bit by the wet track. She wasn’t at her best on that track and that’s been proven in the past. From a fitness point of view, she worked Trained and did great and looked great. Hopefully we’ll have a nice, dry run and no excuses. That’s all we want.”
As of June 4, the National Weather Service forecasts partly sunny skies with a 70% chance of showers on Saturday. Rain could start as early as midweek in upstate New York.
Perhaps assisting her prospects is the presence of another pace in Phipps. Randomized and Tizzy in the Sky have grabbed the lead and are likely to take over Idiomatic early. The latter isn’t the type to need to lead, however, having shown she can win when pushing the pace out.
Chad Brown trains Randomized and Raging Sea, who won the Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) in the Keeneland in her last outing on April 19.
Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Soul of an Angel, who upset Randomized in the May 4 Ruffian Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is looking for a fourth Phipps with Tizzy in the Sky, a nine-length winner of the Top Flight Stakes at Aqueduct on April 14.
Due to the different track layout at Saratoga, the Phipps is one-sixteenth of a mile longer than last year when it was held at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes Festival is taking place at Saratoga due to the reconstruction of Belmont.
Phipps is the seventh race on Saturday’s program at 2:23 p.m. ET.
Item: Ogden Phipps S. Presented by Ford (G1)
Saratoga Race CourseSaturday, June 8, 2024, Stage 7
- Class I
- 1 1/8m
- Dust
- 500,000 USD
- 4 years and up Fillies and Mares
- 2:36 pm (local)
