SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Phoenix Thoroughbred III’s Crazy Beautiful will look to extend her win streak to three in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, a 10-furlong test for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Kenny McPeek has saddled two of the past three winners of the Alabama with Eskimo Kisses [2018] and Swiss Skydiver [2020] and will attempt to one-up his record with Crazy Beautiful.
The Liam’s Map grey boasts a record of 10-5-3-0 with purse earnings of $700,865 and enters from wins in the Grade 3 Summertime Oaks on May 30 at Santa Anita ahead of a six-length romp in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 3 at Delaware Park.
“If she runs back to her last couple of races, I think she’s definitely in the picture,” McPeek said. “She’s a lovely filly to be around and we’re cautiously optimistic.”
Crazy Beautiful will exit the inside post Saturday under Jose Ortiz, who guided the filly to a convincing score in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in March.
All three of Crazy Beautiful’s graded wins have come at 1 1/16-miles but McPeek said he is confident the filly will handle the stretch out in distance.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” McPeek said. “Jose Ortiz rode her perfectly in his last ride on her in Florida. I think it’s just a matter of timing the race and hopefully she finishes up like she can.”
Crazy Beautiful finished tenth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in May, a race won by Alabama rival Malathaat, but McPeek said he has drawn a line through that effort.
“She got hammered leaving the gate and nothing really went right,” McPeek said. “She never got in a rhythm and really had no chance. We look at it as a throw-out.”
Crazy Beautiful has posted four works on the Oklahoma training track in preparation for Saturday’s test.
“She’s done great here. She’s a very professional filly and very easy to be around,” McPeek said. “She’s had some nice maintenance breezes. It’s really uncomplicated with her. She’s ready to go.”
NYRA Press Release
Photo: Last year’s Alabama winner, Swiss Skydiver. (Chelsea Durand)
