Governor Sam (inside) takes the Indian Summer Oct. 6 at Keeneland (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Mary Eddy/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Grade 1-placed Governor Sam tops a triad of contenders for trainer George Weaver in Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Quick Call presented by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.
Campaigned by Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables, Governor Sam seeks the first win of his sophomore campaign on the heels of a pace-pressing fourth in an off-the-turf allowance on June 6 at Churchill Downs, his only start on dirt to date.
“He’s doing well, and that’s why we’re running him,” Weaver said. “He had never run on the dirt and it was a point in his career where we said, ‘let’s leave him in and see how he does.’ Some turf horses can handle the Churchill [dirt] surface and it was worth taking a shot, but clearly he did not care for it as much as he does the grass.”
Governor Sam kicked off the year with a pacesetting third in the Listed William Walker on April 30 at Churchill, his first start off a nearly six-month respite. There, he led through pressured splits of 22.16 seconds and 44.57 over the firm footing before kicking clear to a one-length lead at the stretch call, but was collared in the lane and defeated 1 1/2 lengths by Bridle a Butterfly while holding onto show honors by a neck over Coming in Hot.
Bridle a Butterfly goes from last to first to win the William Walker Stakes presented by Resolute Racing!
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) April 30, 2025
John Velazquez with the perfectly timed ride for trainer Al Stall, Jr. and owner Glen Hill Farm. pic.twitter.com/igWKWsQ47o
“I thought he ran well, just not well enough,” Weaver said. “Hopefully he’ll bounce back to bigger and better form as the year goes on, and we’re looking forward to running him here.”
Governor Sam put together a solid juvenile campaign last year that featured four consecutive wins at five or 5 1/2 furlongs, including a trio of stakes scores in Monmouth Park’s Tyro, Colonial Downs’ Rosies and Keeneland’s Listed Indian Summer. The Improbable bay capped the year with a game third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar where he set the pace and was outfinished late to be defeated just one length by the victorious Magnum Force.
Weaver added Governor Sam has shown all the right signs as he has matured.
“He’s bigger, stronger and faster,” Weaver said.
A $275,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, Governor Sam is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Into Mischief mare I’m Betty G, who also produced dual graded stakes-winner Pin Up Betty.
Irad Ortiz, Jr., aboard for Governor Sam’s second-out maiden win over course and distance last July, has the call from post 2.
Governor Sam will be joined by stakes-placed stablemates Insubordination [post 6, Javier Castellano] and Ortley Avenue [post 7, Eric Cancel], both Irish-bred sons of Bungle Inthejungle.
Two Eight Racing, Berry Family Racing and Kaleta Racing’s Insubordination was last seen finishing an even third in the Listed Paradise Creek on May 24 at Belmont at the Big A. The bay colt owns one victory from five starts, graduating at second asking in a 7 1/2-furlong maiden tilt in April at Gulfstream Park.
Bona Venture Stables’ Ortley Avenue seeks to finish one better than his last start when second in the Roar on May 17 at Gulfstream with a stalking trip. He graduated on debut in April going this distance over the Gulfstream Tapeta when wiring a seven-horse field by 2 1/4 lengths.
Out of the Titus Livius mare Titian Saga, Ortley Avenue is a full-brother to Group 1-winner Winter Power and a half-brother to listed stakes-winner Hay Chewed.
Both Ortley Avenue and Insubordination received an 80 Beyer Speed Figure for their graduations.
Weaver has also entered stakes-winning New York-bred Soontobeking for the main track-only.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R.A. Hill Stable and Brandon Dalinka’s No Evidence [post 4, Manny Franco] has finished a close second in his last two outings as he eyes his first stakes score for trainer Miguel Clement.
The Vekoma bay arrives from a five-furlong optional claiming effort on April 18 at Gulfstream Park where he stalked the pace under Paco Lopez and was defeated three-quarter-lengths by next-out Roar-winner Most Handsome. He utilized similar tactics in his prior start to finish a neck back of Incanto in the Texas Glitter in March over the same course and distance.
No Evidence looks for his first win since a second-out graduation sprinting five-furlongs at Gulfstream in a prominent effort that saw him defeat next-out winner Absolutely Hot by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 55.46. His other start was his lone attempt at Sunday’s distance when debuting with a third in a July maiden here.
Hall Stables’ Kentucky homebred Jet Sweep Joe [post 1, Ben Curtis] was a last-out winner of a five-furlong optional claimer facing elders on June 12 at Woodbine Racetrack for trainer Paul McEntee.
The Frosted dark bay tracked in fifth-of-6 through the first quarter-mile and was patiently handled by Rafael Manuel Hernandez before unleashing his bid in the lane and reaching the wire three-quarter-lengths in front in an effort that garnered a career-best 83 Beyer.
Jet Sweep Joe also enjoyed a strong juvenile campaign that featured stakes placings in the Prairie Gold Juvenile at Prairie Meadows, the Tyro when a neck back of Governor Sam, and the Skidmore over Sunday’s course and distance . He was ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint before this year, where he has finished off-the-board in the William Walker and the Paradise Creek en route to his recent win.
Jet Sweep Joe is out of the stakes-winning Pioneerof the Nile mare Sister Blues, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-placed Moyer’s Pond.
Stepaside Farm’s Kentucky homebred Supersonic Blue [post 5, Luis Saez] looks to rebound from a last-out sixth in the Paradise Creek, where he stalked in ninth under Flavien Prat and made a mild bid to pass tiring rivals in the lane. The Air Force Blue gelding, trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, made two winning starts at Santa Anita Park to kick off the year, including the Listed John Shear by a half-length sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on April 6.
Completing the field is e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Grayscale [post 3, Flavien Prat], who seeks his first score against winners as he makes his turf debut. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the Frosted colt was a 4 1/2-length winner sprinting six furlongs on debut in November at Gulfstream in an effort that produced an 86 Beyer. Grayscale, out of the Into Mischief mare Petunia, is a half-brother to turf winner and dirt stakes-placed Zoe’s Prime.
The Quick Call is slated as Race 9 on Sunday’s 10-race program. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
