Unified Alliance sets the pace and scores in the Coronation Cup July 14 at Saratoga (NYRA/Coglianese)
Cynane Turns Attention to $500K Global Tote Juvenile Fillies
G2 Franklin Simpson Next for Son of a Birch
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Reagan Jack Racing’s stakes-winner Unified Alliance looks to double up on Spa stakes score for trainer Tom Morley in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Unified Alliance enters from a tidy pacesetting triumph in the off-the-turf Coronation Cup traveling 5 1/2 furlongs on July 14 at the Spa under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano. It was the daughter of Unified’s first start for Morley after making her first six outings for conditioner John Servis, including a runner-up effort to L Street Lady in the six-furlong Jersey Girl on June 11 at Belmont Park.
“She’s doing very good,” said Morley. “Any stakes win at Saratoga is a huge thrill, so to get one in the first week of the meet was massive for the barn. We toyed with the idea of going to Charles Town with her, but she’s won a stake over the track here and the next step is to try and get her graded black type.”
Unified Alliance won on debut in December going the Prioress distance at Parx Racing, and followed with two on-the-board efforts in optional claiming tilts before breaking through with a 10 1/4-length romp for her first triumph against winners in a seven-furlong sprint at the Bensalem oval.
Morley said Unified Alliance continues to change for the better since the Coronation Cup.
“She’s three and she’s a big girl, and I think when these 3-year-old fillies do start improving, the best thing you can do is stay out of their way,” said Morley. “Her works have been fabulous up here, and her coat and her weight are very good. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Castellano has been tasked with the ride again from post 2-of-5 with the speedy pair of Alva Starr and Dazzling Blue drawing posts four and five, respectively.
“I would have preferred an outside post position,” said Morley. “But, she’s a straightforward filly and I’m really looking forward to how she gets on. I think there’s enough speed in the race where I don’t think [the compact field] hinders anyone, but I would have preferred to be outside that speed – those fillies look like they’ll be a little faster than us to the turn, but she should sit a nice stalking trip.”
Morley was slated to send out VinLaur, West Paces and Rainbow’s End’s talented Cynane in Wednesday’s P.G. Johnson at the Spa, but withdrew the daughter of Omaha Beach after the race was moved to the main track. Morley said Cynane will now turn her attention to the $500,000 Global Tote Juvenile Fillies on September 10 at Kentucky Downs.
“That was a tough pill to swallow,” Morley said of the scratch. “She’s an extremely talented filly. But, we’ll regroup and have another go at it. She’s incredibly laid back and an accomplished traveler. I don’t think the extra week does her any harm or me any good. She was ready to run yesterday, but we have to take that on the chin and go forward.”
Cynane was set to make her two-turn debut on the heels of a trip to Royal Ascot in June, where she finished off-the-board in the Group 2 Queen Mary. She was an impressive winner on debut in May at Belmont Park when leading each step of the way to notch a 2 3/4-length score in a five-furlong maiden tilt.
Morley added he will also send Son of a Birch, whom he co-owns with Santa Rey Stable, to Kentucky Downs for the Grade 2, $1 million Franklin Simpson on September 9. The Temple City gelding finished a closing fifth in the Mahony on August 13 here, defeated just 1 3/4 lengths by the victorious Closethegame Sugar.
A $30,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale, Son of a Birch is a half-brother to Melting Snow, a 12-time winner from 25 starts with over $400,000 in total purse earnings.
