Silver Skillet sizzles in the Suzie O’Cain (Chelsea Durand)
City Man Eyeing $200K West Point Handicap
Amazing Grace Possible for G2 Flower Bowl
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco and Tango Uniform Racing’s Silver Skillet became racing’s newest stakes winner yesterday at Saratoga Race Course with a strong 3 1/4-length victory in the $125,000 Suzie O’Cain, a 1 1/16-mile test for New York-bred sophomore fillies over the inner turf course.
Trained by Christophe Clement, the daughter of Liam’s Map rallied from sixth-of-9 under Joel Rosario to take command at the top of the stretch and draw clear of post-time favorite Orange Freeze, who flew home down the center of the course from the back of the pack but could not catch a runaway Silver Skillet. The latter received a 79 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory.
“She came back well and I thought she was impressive yesterday,” said Clement, who notched his second stakes win of the Spa meet after winning the Grade 3 Caress with Roses for Debra. “It’s great and she’s clean-legged and sound this morning.”
Silver Skillet, bred by Robert Chasanoff, has relished a switch to the grass after beginning her career on dirt with five starts that included a stakes-placing as a maiden when third in the Maid of the Mist in October at Belmont at the Big A. She tried turf for the first time in a June 10 allowance at Belmont Park and finished second by a neck before shipping up to the Spa to win a July 15 allowance ahead of her Suzie O’Cain coup.
Clement said he is still mulling over options for Silver Skillet’s next target. The next open-company spot for sophomore turf route fillies at Belmont at the Big A is the nine-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Sands Point on October 14, while the next New York-bred spot is the 1 1/16-mile Ticonderoga for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on the October 29 Empire Showcase Day.
“I don’t know yet. You don’t have many choices – you can go in a New York-bred stakes with older mares, or you can go in open company,” said Clement. “I’m not sure, we’ll see.”
Clement sent out a tetrad of turf workers on Thursday, including Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles and Patty Searles’ New York-bred millionaire City Man. The son of Mucho Macho Man covered a half-mile in 48.48 seconds company with Grade 3 Soaring Softly-winner Queen Picasso [47.80].
City Man is eyeing the $200,000 West Point Handicap presented by Trustco Bank on August 27, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for New York-breds 3-years-old and up that he won in 2021.
“He had a nice work and is pointing to the New York-bred stakes,” said Clement.
Also on the tab was Moyglare Stud Farm’s graded stakes-winner Amazing Grace, who was last seen finishing a closing third in the Grade 2 Glens Falls on August 3 at the Spa.
The daughter of Protectionist covered a half-mile in 51 flat, working in company with debut juvenile maiden winner Carson’s Run [50.60].
Clement said Amazing Grace had a “good work and is possible” for the 1 3/8-mile Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl on September 2, a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Santa Anita Park.
