Octave going after 'Triple Tiara' today
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- She's a millionaire, a grade 1 stakes winner and the daughter of a champion.
And on Saturday, while her stablemate Rags To Riches stays in the barn, Todd Pletcher-trained Octave will get her chance to shine in the $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
The 3-year-old daughter of Unbridled's Song, owned by Jack and Lorie Wolf's Starlight Stable and Donald Lucarelli, is out to become the first filly since Sky Beauty in 1993 -- and the fifth filly in history -- to win the combination of Mother Goose Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama, all grade 1 races.
The 1¼-mile Alabama is the final jewel in the "Triple Tiara," the female version of the Triple Crown. Octave, who was remarkably consistent in 10 career starts and has finished no worse than second while earning more than $1.2 million, seems ready to make the sweep.
"She's a very courageous, competitive horse," said jockey John Velazquez, who has ridden Octave in her last three starts and will be aboard Saturday. "She's doing so well right now and she's run all year long in some really tough races; she's been knocking on the door and it's great to see her getting the grade one wins."
Octave comes into the Alabama off those consecutive victories in the Mother Goose and Coaching Club American Oaks, and her past performances are nearly as impressive as those of her well-known stablemate. The most recent of her second-place finishes, three starts back, was the May 4 Kentucky Oaks, when she wound up beaten by Rags To Riches by 4½ lengths.
Belmont Stakes winner Rags To Riches is training well, but her days spent on the sidelines because of precautionary veterinary examinations instituted in mid-July by Pletcher and owners Derrek Smith and Michael Tabor have forced Pletcher to reevaluate her scheduled starts. Instead of running in the Alabama as originally planned, the 3-year-old filly will train up to the Sept. 8 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park while pointing toward the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park Oct. 27.
"We missed too much time and I didn't want to push the issue," Pletcher said. "Primarily, we'll do what's best for the filly."
What's best for Rags To Riches may also be good for the six other fillies who have entered to challenge Octave, the most impressive of which is Lady Joanne. A daughter of Orientate, she won her last start July 30 at Saratoga in the Banshee Breeze Stakes. One start earlier, she was second to Octave by a half-length in the Mother Goose, a loss that broke a three-race winning streak for the Carl Nafzger trainee.
"It'll be the toughest race she's run by far," Nafzger said. "It'll be her biggest challenge. But we always said the Alabama was our goal. If you win this race, it puts a feather in your cap."
Also up for a challenge is the Bob Baffert-trained Tough Tiz's Sis, winner of the grade two Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks in her last start July 21. Previously, the filly finished a well-beaten seventh in the Kentucky Oaks after getting a bad start and trip.
"We didn't have a lot of options," said Baffert. "She's a big, long-striding thing, and she has a high cruising speed. It's a big step up, but she's been doing well, and we'll give it a shot."
Least experienced in the field but perhaps the most versatile is Kiaran McLaughlin trainee Lear's Princess, who was unbeaten in three starts before running second to Octave in the Coaching Club Oaks last time out. The filly won her first start over polytrack at Keeneland, scored her next two victories on the turf at Belmont, and fell short by a half-length in the Coaching Club.
"She's a very nice filly, she does everything right," McLaughlin said. "There's plenty of pace in the race so we should be able to drop over and save ground. But whether we're sitting third or seventh, she should show up and run her race. She always has before."
Rounding out the field, trainer Tim Ritchey sends out likely pacesetter Moon Catcher, while Saeed bin Suroor saddles Folk, also likely to be on the lead.
The complete field for the Alabama is, from the rail: 1. Moon Catcher (jockey Kent Desormeaux) 2. Panty Raid (Edgar Prado) 3. Tough Tiz's Sis (Rafael Bejarano) 4. Octave (John Velazquez) 5. Folk (Garrett Gomez) 6. Lear's Princess (Eibar Coa) 7. Lady Joanne (Calvin Borel).