Horses to Watch: 7 return for Saratoga opening weekend

In this biweekly series, racing analyst J. Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.

Upcoming entries

Apollo Ten

Apollo Ten was beaten when trying Tapeta in the Tom Ridge at Presque Isle Downs last month, finishing second by 1 3/4 lengths after sticking close to the early pace. It wasn’t a bad effort given he’d never run over a synthetic track before.

Apollo Ten had previously shown promising form on turf, most notably wiring a five-furlong $75,000 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park in the quick time of 54.62 seconds. Getting back on turf for Sunday’s ninth race at Saratoga, the Quick Call (G3), post time 5:45 p.m. EDT, may help Apollo Ten outrun his 15-1 morning line odds.

Apollo Ten is also entered in Sunday’s fifth race at Monmouth Park, the My Frenchman, post time 2:45 p.m. EDT, a similar 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint that looks like an easier spot.

Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler misfired against a slow pace in the Poker (G3) racing one mile at Saratoga last month, finishing fifth by 2 3/4 lengths. But he’d previously rattled off three consecutive stakes wins, including the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) and Saranac (G3) at Saratoga last summer.

If Carl Spackler gets a better setup in Saturday’s second race at Saratoga, the Kelso (G3), post time 1:07 p.m. EDT, he can rebound in a big way. He’s versatile in terms of running style and has some tactical speed, so he has options for working for working out a suitable trip.

Chili Flag

Chili Flag has been in red-hot form for trainer Chad Brown, launching fast finishes to win the Honey Fox (G3), Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and Just a Game (G1) in succession. In the latter contest, contested at Saratoga, Chili Flag ran her final quarter-mile in 22.12 seconds, a sharp fraction.

Now Chili Flag will attempt to stretch out over 1 1/8 miles in Saturday’s 10th race at Saratoga, the Diana (G1), post time 5:43 p.m. EDT. The field has come up deep, with three other Grade 1 winners in the entries, but Chili Flag has every chance to record a fourth straight victory. If she does, she’ll be well on her way to winning the Eclipse Award for champion female turf horse.

Didia

One of Chili Flag’s most formidable rivals in the Diana is Didia, whose 11-for-17 lifetime record includes a victory in the New York (G1) at Saratoga last month.

Didia has more tactical speed than Chili Flag, and that could come in handy against this largely paceless Diana field. Three starts back, Didia vied for command throughout to win a slow-paced Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2) over a field that included Chili Flag.

Fandom

If you forgive an 11th-place finish in the Coventry (G2) at Royal Ascot in England, Fandom hasn’t run a bad race. He trounced his debut sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over the Keeneland turf by 6 3/4 lengths, and he recently returned to that course and configuration to post a stretch-running score in the Palisades off a long layoff.

Fandom is facing a tough field in the Quick Call, which is led by Star of Mystery, a filly who has placed multiple times against older horses at the Grade or Group 1 level. But Fandom has done nothing wrong in North America and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Mentee

Mentee impressed when debuting in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont at the Big A. The 2-year-old full-brother to champion and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Fierceness led by daylight through an opening quarter-mile in 22.37 seconds, opened up a five-length advantage through half a mile in 44.80 seconds and then ran his final furlong in a solid 12.17 seconds to hold off a late runner and win by a nose.

Mentee stopped the clock in 56.97 seconds, breaking a track record set in 1963. The future looks bright for this Todd Pletcher-trained Repole Stable homebred, so Mentee has every chance to make his stakes debut a winning one in Saturday’s 11th race at Saratoga, the Sanford (G3), post time 6:17 p.m. EDT.

Mysterious Night

Mysterious Night had to wait in traffic during the running of the Poker, and by the time he found racing room it was too late to catch gate-to-wire winner Ice Chocolat. The slow early/fast late race shape didn’t help Mysterious Night’s chances, and he deserves credit for running his final quarter-mile in approximately 22.50 seconds to miss by one length.

Now Mysterious Night is taking on Carl Spackler and others in the Kelso. He’s switching to jockey Flavien Prat, and if Prat can keep Mysterious Night out of traffic, the 4-year-old gelding is eligible to win. Don’t forget, he was a dominant winner of the 2022 Summer (G1) at Woodbine, so we know he’s capable of competing at a high level in North America.

Worth another try

Long Neck Paula

Long Neck Paula never challenged for victory while making her stakes debut in the Schuylerville at Saratoga, but she was caught wide throughout and launched a nice bid around the turn before battling on to finish third by 6 1/2 lengths. I saw enough from this Wesley Ward-trained juvenile to give her another try next time.