Malloy breaks her maiden Oct. 25, 2020, at Churchill Downs (Coady Photography)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Three-time winner Malloy will step up to the plate for trainer Wayne Catalano in Friday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga Race Course.
Owned by Bob Cummings and Annette Bacola’s Coffeepot Stables, Malloy enters from a 5 1/4-length win in an off-the-turf allowance optional claimer going one mile and 70 yards at Hawthorne Race Course. The 5-year-old Outwork bay ended a 12-race slump in proving two-turn capabilities, having not won since defeating winners going seven furlongs in June 2021 at Churchill Downs.
Malloy will face the daunting task of taking on last year’s Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest, multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Clairiere and last year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath. Although a David amongst Goliaths in the nine-furlong Spa test, Catalano said his mare has given him all the indications that she’s sitting on a big race.
“She’s grown up, filled out and doing much better. I really like the way she’s progressing and I’m looking forward to running her. I think she’ll run a nice race for us,” Catalano said.
Catalano said a Personal Ensign triumph would be a sweet one for the owners, who spend lots of time in Saratoga Springs.
“We know that we’re in a real tough race, but the Cummings like Saratoga and they want to give her a try in the race.” Catalano admitted. “In a race like this, you never know if you’re going to be third or what. We’re just going to let her run her race and let the race unfold.”
Malloy is out of the dual stakes-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Hello Maggie May, who also produced dual Louisiana-bred stakes winner Late September. She was bought at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale for $175,000.
She will break from post 2 under Dylan Davis at 50-1 morning line odds.
On the Travers undercard, Catalano will unleash first time starting juvenile filly Willowy – a third generation Coffepot Stables homebred by More Than Ready.
The dark bay filly has breezed consistently at Saratoga since arriving in late July and last breezed on Sunday morning, going five furlongs in 1:02.41.
Willowy is one of several juveniles for Coffepot Stables under the care of Catalano.
“Right now, she’s come the furthest along. She’s shown a little more and showing some talent and I think maybe she’ll run well up there, so I brought her on up,” Catalano said.
Willowy is out of the two-time winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare She’s On Parade, whose second dam was 1987 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Sacahuista.
Tabbed at 15-1 morning line odds, Willowy will break from post 7 under Davis.
