Saratoga: Fandom pursues 1st graded win in Quick Call

Stakes winner Fandom will look to make the grade in Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Quick Call at Saratoga.

The 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomores honors the late Quick Call, who won nine of his 17 starts from 1986 to 1991 at the Spa.

Fandom made his first three starts for trainer Wesley Ward, graduating on debut last April at Keeneland before heading overseas to finish 11th that June in the Coventry (G2) at Royal Ascot. The Showcasing bay returned to action April 7 with a rallying score in the 5 1/2-furlong, listed Palisades, besting returning rival Mansa Musa by a neck with reopposing pacesetter No Nay Mets in fourth.

He since has joined the barn of dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox and has posted his last three works over the Oklahoma training turf, including a half-mile effort in 47.80 seconds Monday that ranked second of 54 efforts at the distance.

“He’s doing well at Saratoga. We’ve breezed him a few times and we like what we’ve seen from him,” Cox said. “He’s a really good-looking horse and he’s obviously lightly raced. He has won a couple races, so there’s not a lot of options, but based off what he’s accomplished in his short career, I definitely think he fits with this group.”

The $195,857 Tattersalls October yearling sale purchase is out of the Pivotal mare Brogan, who is a half-sister to Group 1-winner Lezoo.

Godolphin’s British homebred filly Star of Mystery is cross entered in Friday’s listed Coronation Cup at Saratoga for trainer Charlie Appleby.

The Kodiac bay enjoyed success at Newmarket as a juvenile, taking the Maureen Brittain Memorial Empress last July 1 ahead of a runner-up effort in the Duchess Of Cambridge (G2) 13 days later.

Star of Mystery wintered in Dubai while making four starts against the boys at Meydan Racecourse, taking the Al Wasl in her seasonal debut Jan. 12 ahead of a score in the Blue Point Sprint (G2) on Jan. 26 that garnered a 109 TimeForm Rating. She completed her campaign with runner-up efforts in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) on March 2 and the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on March 30, the last three Dubai efforts coming against older company.

Star of Mystery, who has banked $683,862 through a 10: 4-4-1 record, arrives at Saratoga from a third-place finish against older males in the Jaipur (G1), a 5 1/2-furlong sprint on Belmont Stakes Day June 8 won in course-record fashion by Cogburn.