SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A victory following an equipment change, an affinity for the local turf course, and with a jockey enjoying a terrific meet, Awesome Czech has the look of a strong contender in a competitive renewal of Friday’s $150,000 Yaddo Stakes for New York-bred females at Saratoga.
A slow pace and wide trip compromised Awesome Czech when she finished third in the Mt. Vernon Stakes for New York-breds here on June 4. Trainer Horacio De Paz experimented with blinkers for an open-company first-level allowance on July 4 and Awesome Czech responded with a game front-running victory over pace-presser Vino Rouge, the pair finishing 3 3/4 lengths ahead of the field in the one-mile race.
De Paz wasn’t necessarily looking for that running style when he put the blinkers on Awesome Czech, but jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. told De Paz in the paddock that day he was going to put the filly on the lead.
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“Before, she was always one who would tuck in behind and make a run, but he felt that in the [Mt. Vernon] he needed to be closer, so I let him do his thing and it seemed to work out,” De Paz said.
Awesome Czech’s victory in the July 4 allowance – her third from four Saratoga turf starts – was flattered when Vino Rouge and fifth-place finisher Diamond Vega both came back to win their next starts.
The Yaddo field includes several early-speed types including Spinning Colors, who slowed down the pace and won the Mt. Vernon and then came back to finish second, beaten just a half-length, by Ozara in the faster of two divisions of the De La Rose Stakes here on July 10. Ozara came back to win the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes.
Spinning Colors, trained by Mark Hennig, is a three-time winner over Saratoga’s turf course, her only poor race coming in last year’s Yaddo, where she was very keen early and finished last.
Moonage Daydream won last year’s Yaddo at odds of 13-1, the first of three stakes victories in statebred competition to close out the year. Moonage Daydream would be named New York-bred champion female turf horse.
Moonage Daydream, a daughter of Candy Ride trained by Jorge Abreu, has not run since her victory in last October’s Ticonderoga, a layoff of 296 days. Trainer Jorge Abreu said he gave Moonage Daydream the winter off and didn’t get her back in the barn until March. He said he couldn’t find a suitable spot to run her in prior to the Yaddo.
Over the last three years, Abreu is 8 for 30 with a $1.81 return on investment when bringing horses back off a layoff of between 180 and 300 days. Moonage Daydream has the rail and will be ridden by Flavien Prat.
“I like the post and Prat breezed her twice already and was very pleased and happy with her,” Abreu said.
Brocknardini, second to Awesome Czech in last year’s Suzie O’Cain, comes in off a second-level allowance win here on Aug. 6 for trainer George Weaver. As a 2-year-old Brocknardini won the Selima Stakes at Laurel coming back two weeks after winning a maiden race.
Bernietakescharge and Sterling Silver were a neck apart when finishing one-two in the Critical Eye Stakes on dirt here on June 4. Bernietakescharge, who has finished third and last in two turf tries, is cross-entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Personal Ensign and trainer Dominick Schettino said Wednesday no decision has been made on where she will run.
Sterling Silver finished fourth, beaten two lengths in the six-furlong Autumn Days going six furlongs in November 2023, her lone start on turf in a 32-race career. Trainer Bill Mott was pleased enough with a turf workout last Friday to run here.
“She’s [a] New York-bred and no reason to pass it up if we feel there’s a good chance she’ll run on the turf,” Mott said.
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