Roses for Debra boasts a powerful performance in the Smart N Fancy (Chelsea Durand)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— John O’Meara and Cheyenne Stable’s Roses for Debra improved her turf record to 4-for-4 after winning Friday’s $150,000 Smart N Fancy, a 5 1/2 furlong sprint on the turf for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.
The victory from the 4-year-old gray or roan filly by Liam’s Map added to her Grade 3 Caress triumph on July 22 to contribute two stakes wins at the meet for trainer Christophe Clement. On Sunday, Clement said he is pleased with the way his rising star came out of the race.
“She came out in very good shape. She looks good,” Clement said.
The 1-5 favorite in a field of four, Roses for Debra sat off the pace set by Train to Artemus and Bubble Rock before taking off at the top of the stretch, sprinting past the leading pair under Irad Ortiz Jr. to win by 3 1/4 lengths. The final time was 1:01.82 over the Mellon turf course, rated as good.
Clement indicated that Roses for Debra will follow a similar path towards a potential Breeders’ Cup start that led last year’s Smart N Fancy winner, Caravel, to success in the championship event. She will target the Grade 2 Presque Isle Masters on September 18, a 6 1/2-furlong synthetic sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward. After that could be a start at Keeneland and/or a crack at the division’s most prestigious race in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on November 4 at Santa Anita Park.
“I’ve never trained her, never raced her at Presque Isle, but she did [run there] last year successfully. It’s a Grade 2, she’s a Grade 3 winner so far. Plan is to go there, and then after that we’ll have the Grade 2 at Keeneland or the Breeders’ Cup, a Grade 1. Let’s just go one race at a time,” Clement said.
Though Clement has never raced Roses for Debra beyond six furlongs, he is not concerned about her ability to get the added sixteenth of a mile in the Masters. She easily handled the 6 1/2 furlong trip in last year’s $100,000 Malvern Rose at Presque Isle Downs to win by 3 3/4 lengths for her previous connections.
On whether he thinks his filly is still suited for the added ground, Clement said, “I think so because I think she rates. I think she’s very kind.”
Roses For Debra now sports a 9-7-1-0 record, and seems to only be getting better. Earning a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure on Friday, Clement is excited for the future of his talented filly.
“We’ve seen some of her talents hopefully and she’s very nice. She’s exciting, nice, and she keeps winning. I like it,” he said.
