Memorialize graduates at second asking Aug. 20 at Saratoga (Susie Raisher)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Gainseway Stable’s Kentucky homebred Memorialize is possible for the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo on October 1 at Belmont at the Big A off an eye-catching graduation at second asking on August 20 at Saratoga Race Course for trainer Graham Motion.
The Miss Grillo, a 1 1/16-mile turf route for juvenile fillies, offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 3 at Santa Anita Park. Motion seeks his second Miss Grillo victory after sending out Tin Type Gal nose score in 2015.
Memorialize, a daughter of Karakontie, finished second in her July 20 debut at Colonial Downs where she was unsettled at the start and missed the break to race in last-of-9 through the first three-eighths of the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint. She made up ground impressively in deep stretch to land place honors by a nose and 2 1/2 lengths back of the victorious Zo Lee, who exited that effort to win an optional claiming event at Colonial.
“I was surprised with that first race,” said Motion. “It was pretty extraordinary what she did. I think she showed that wasn’t just luck in her next start. I really wasn’t expecting her performances. She’s always worked OK in the mornings, but never anything that had me jumping up and down.”
The chestnut filly stretched out considerably in her next outing and showed similar off-the-pace tactics under Manny Franco, charging home late from as far as 6 1/4 lengths back to draw clear at the top of the stretch and post a three-length score at odds of 6-1. The effort garnered a 71 Beyer Speed Figure, a 24-point improvement from her debut.
“She’s been training super,” said Motion. “I was a little surprised she went off at the price she did. Since she ran that first time, she’s a different horse. That’s often what happens with 2-year-old, they kind of figure it out. She’s grown a lot, but she is still learning, no doubt about that.”
Memorialize had her first work back on September 10 over the Fair Hill synthetic, covering five-eighths in 1:02. She is the first named foal produced from the stakes-placed Smart Strike mare Smart Emma, a half-sister to Japanese stakes-winner and earner of over $800,000 Symboli Empire.
