Disco Star breaks her maiden Oct. 26 at Aqueduct (NYRA/Coglianese)
Christian Abdo/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hall of Famer Mark Casse will send out a pair of dual stakes-placed contenders with Charlotte’s Heart and Disco Star in Wednesday’s $150,000 Suzie O’Cain, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for New York-bred sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Live Oak Plantation’s Charlotte’s Heart [post 5, Javier Castellano] rallied from sixth-of-7 for a three-length second to the well-regarded Kay Cup last out going seven furlongs on the main track in the state-bred Bouwerie on June 4 here. She was making her second start off the layoff, landing a two-length fourth to next-out stakes-winner Brindi in the six-furlong Listed Star Shoot in April on the Woodbine Tapeta.
“I thought her last race was good,” Casse said. “The dirt was probably not her preferred surface, so I think that the grass will definitely help her.”
The Authentic bay graduated sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in her August debut here, ahead of a close second in the seven-furlong Listed Glorious Song and a distant finish in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Mazarine on the Woodbine Tapeta.
“She is a filly that has shown promise from the beginning,” said Casse. “Her one turf race was good. This looks like a nice opportunity and I don’t see why she wouldn’t be able to get two turns.”
CHARLOTTE'S HEART, the 2YO daughter of @spendthriftfarm stallion Authentic and half sister to Casa Creed, breaks her maiden in the sixth race under @jjcjockey for trainer @markecasse. pic.twitter.com/IiyfRDJi7S
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 25, 2024
Bred by 30 Year Farm, Charlotte’s Heart, a $725,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale out of the Bellamy Road mare Achalaya, is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winner Casa Creed, who was dubbed “the Mayor of Saratoga” due to his 2022-23 Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap triumphs and a loyal following at the Spa.
“She’s growing up nicely,” Casse said. “I think she looks good. She has been a late developer but I can see that she is doing well. She’s thrived since getting to Saratoga. She likes it here. A half to Casa Creed, who loved the grass here as well.”
Peter Deutsch’s Disco Star [post 9, Dylan Davis] was a distant fourth last out in the off-the-turf NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy over six furlongs of sloppy and sealed dirt on June 14 at Belmont at the Big A.
The Disco Partner gray was previously third twice at the Big A, in the 6 1/2-furlong dirt NYSSS Park Avenue in April and when defeated three-quarter-lengths by next-out stakes-winner Love Cervere in the open-company six-furlong Take the A Train on turf in May.
Casse was encouraged by a previous 5 1/2-length seventh to now multiple graded stakes-winning stablemate Nitrogen in the one-mile Listed Ginger Brew in January at Gulfstream Park.
“In South Florida, this winter, she got beaten only [around] five lengths by Nitrogen, which wasn’t too bad. I would think given that performance, she’d be tough,” Casse said. “We tried to keep her a little closer last time. That didn’t work. She has a running style where she wants to sit back and make one run.”
Disco Star, bred by Patricia Generazio, out of the Sky Mesa mare Sky Gazer, is a half-sister to stakes-winners Saratoga Treasure and April Gaze. The $75,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale purchase has banked $126,750 via a 7-1-2-2 record.
Trainer David Donk, whose Saratoga barn neighbors Casse’s, will provide opposition with Trail of Gold [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], a last-out winner at 1 1/16 miles when rushing from last-of-8 to defeat elders in a state-bred allowance on June 12 at Belmont at the Big A.
Piloted by returning rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., the Solomini chestnut traveled last early and was keen when tucked in, recovering to travel smoothly down the backside before closing strongly down the center of the course to nail returning rivals Mommy’s Turn and Grace and Grit.
Trail of Gold crossed the wire in 1:41.43, a nose better than Mommy’s Turn, who finished the same margin over Grace and Grit, earning a 74 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.
“Irad took her back off the pace and she finished up really well. That was a good step forward. I’m hoping she can take another step forward,” said Donk. “She is a little bit of a light-mouthed filly, who is still really green about things. I’m hoping she continues to mature. Irad said not to change anything, but we are hoping she gets a little more mature.”
Three horse photo finish in Race 7!
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) June 12, 2025
TRAIL OF GOLD gets up to win the seventh race with @iradortiz aboard for trainer David Donk. pic.twitter.com/pigrDQHdjg
The 74 Beyer matched Trail of Gold’s career-best for a two-length third to Spool when moving to turf in a 1 1/16-mile state-bred allowance versus elders on May 2 at Belmont at the Big A. All three of her efforts this year have been at that distance on turf there, also landing fifth on May 17.
As a juvenile, Trail of Gold made five starts, all on dirt and around one-turn. She graduated second out sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga ahead of fourths in the Seeking the Ante, Joseph A. Gimma and the Maid of the Mist, all restricted to New York-bred juvenile fillies.
“She is a bit one-paced, but I always thought she may have more ability on grass,” said Donk. “Some of the Solominis do run on grass. Her first race of the year, which was her first on grass, she finished third, but finished up well. She is still learning, but I definitely think this is her preferred surface– not that she couldn’t run if it came off the turf.”
Bred by Spruce Lane Farm, America’s Pastime Stable, Copper Beech Stable, et al., Trail of Gold, a $100,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred sale, is out of the Bernardini mare Bene Pista. Her second dam is Grade 1-winner Carriage Trail. She is owned by Donk, John Behrendt, Charles Marquis, Gerald Donk, William Punk, Jr., Philip DiLeo, Peter Hayes and Suzanne Haslup.
Lawrence Goichman’s New York homebred Marvelous Madison [post 7, Junior Alvarado] was a 2 3/4-length sixth last out in the Take the A Train in May at Belmont at the Big A. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Caravaggio gray finished two lengths back of Disco Star, but was making her sophomore debut off a seven-month layoff.
Last year, the lightly-raced Marvelous Madison made two starts for trainer Chad Brown, winning her 5 1/2-furlong state-bred debut in September here ahead of a troubled effort in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Miss Grillo in October at Belmont at the Big A.
There, Marvelous Madison showed the way before bolting out in the final turn nearing the quarter-pole, which set up for Scythian to win, who was a fellow Goichman homebred trained by Mott. Out of the stakes-placed Street Sense mare Shea Darby, Marvelous Madison is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Shawdyshwadyshawdy, stakes-winner No Salt and stakes-placed Just Step On It.
Rounding out the field is multiple dirt stakes-placed Carmen’s Candy Jar [post 10, Jose Ortiz], who is cross-entered in a local state-bred optional claimer July 11 for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher; dual stakes-placed Boston’s Phinest [post 6, Flavien Prat] for conditioner Bruce Brown; stakes-placed She’s Our Tiz [post 8, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Michelle Giangiulio; as well as Blossoming Erudite [post 4, Chris Elliott] for conditioner Carlos David, Mommy’s Turn [post 2, Jose Lezcano] for five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, and Grace and Grit [post 1, Manny Franco] for conditioner John Kimmel.
Kay Cup is entered for the main track-only.
The Suzie O’Cain is slated as Race 9 on Wednesday’s nine-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
