KEITH MCCALMONT, NYRA PRESS OFFICE (Edited)

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY—Arindel’s Florida homebred Mythical brings a perfect three-for-three record to Saturday’s $300,000 Spinaway (Grade 1), a seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course. The Spinaway offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

Trained by Jorge Delgado, the St Patrick’s Day bay has posted all of her wins in frontrunning fashion under Emisael Jaramillo while progressing up the distance and class ladder. She debuted in April at Gulfstream Park, scoring by eight-and-a-half-lengths in a four-and-a-half-furlong maiden before a pair of local starts that saw her take the five-and-a-half-furlong Tremont (Listed) over males on June 5 and the six-and-a-half-furlong Grade 3 Adirondack against her own kind on Aug. 3.

 

The Monmouth Park-based Delgado said he is humbled to be bringing Mythical [post 4, Emisael Jaramillo] back to Saratoga for a third time.

“It’s special to have a horse to be good enough to go to Saratoga and compete in these kind of races. We’re just trying to embrace the moment,” Delgado said.

Mythical’s connections entered in the Tremont rather than take on fillies in the Astoria on the same card as they felt Mythical would be the controlling speed. That decision proved correct as she held a two-length advantage at the stretch call and crossed the wire in a final time of 1:03.57, three-and-a-half lengths better than Blinging It Back with another seven-and-three-quarters-lengths back to Romeo, who would win the Listed Bashford Manor next out and subsequently sell for $1.7 million at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. That effort earned a field-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

 

In the Adirondack, Mythical showed the way through splits of :21.99 and :44.86, stopping the clock in a final time of 1:17.20 to score over returning rival Meringue.

Delgado said Mythical’s natural speed is an important asset.

“It’s crazy how she does it. She’s a small filly with a big heart. Once the bell rings, she just wants to go,” Delgado said. “She loves to run and she does not want to get passed. She likes to win and she knows where the wire is and enjoys it. She has really good chemistry with the jockey, who is a really good jockey from the gate. It’s a perfect match.”

Delgado said he is hopeful that Mythical can continue to stretch her speed as she now tries seven furlongs for the first time.

“The way she trains and the way she gallops out in her breezes suggests she won’t have any problem for only another half-furlong,” Delgado said. “We’ve increased [distance in her races] gradually. We knew after the Tremont that this was the ultimate goal for the summer. For this race, I’ve been working with her to stretch her and she’s been responding really well.

“In the gallop out of the Adirondack, she kept opening up lengths and she kept going easy,” Delgado added. “In the head-on [replay], you can see her open up a good six lengths from the second place and she did it easy.”

While Mythical did turn her head towards the grandstand in the stretch run of the Adirondack, Delgado said it was indicative of her curious nature and didn’t hamper the outcome.

“She likes to observe everything around her. When she walks in the shedrow, she looks at every horse and every gap. She likes to see what’s going on,” Delgado said. “When she goes to the track for training, she’ll stop a good three times to see what is going on. She’s very smart. She knows what’s going on and sometimes she knows too much. So, the jockey has to keep her mind on it – she runs straight, she doesn’t lug out or in, she’s pretty much like an arrow.”

Delgado said he expects Mythical will once again be on the lead Saturday.

“We know what our game plan is, and I think everyone else does. Whoever wants to go with her, they’re welcome, but I don’t think it’s the best idea,” Delgado said.

Mythical is out of the winning Brethren mare Lailoni. Her second dam is the Grade 3-winner Dat You Miz Blue. She has banked $228,750 in her three races.

The 5-2 morning line favorite Mythical has post four and Jaramillo gets the return mount.

Hat Creek Racing’s Percy’s Bar arrives from a five-length romp in the six-furlong Listed Debutante on June 29 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Ben Colebrook and piloted by returning rider Luan Machado, the Upstart bay rallied to a four-length victory in her April debut at Keeneland sprinting four-and-a-half furlongs. She followed with another strong effort, closing four-wide through the turn to take command at the top of the lane and power home to victory in a final time of 1:09.71. The winning effort earned a 70 Beyer.

Percy’s Bar has trained into this event at Keeneland where she worked a half-mile in :47.80 Aug. 16.

The $52,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the Super Saver mare Honestly Deb, a half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Praetereo.

Percy’s Bar has earned $187,558 in her two starts and has post five. She is 6-1 in the program.

AMO Racing and Mark Marxer’s Ornellaia broke awkwardly under Flavien Prat in her Aug. 2 debut here before rallying from eighth-of-10 to post a visually-impressive two-and-a-quarter-length victory over returning rival Steer Clear.

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Girvin dark bay raced in the three path from the top of the lane before angling out wide and powering past four rivals to secure the win in final time of 1:11.57 for six furlongs. She earned a 72 Beyer in victory.

Ornellaia was purchased for $1.1 million at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale where she worked in :10.20. She earned $55,000 in her lone start.

Dylan Davis will ride Ornellaia from post one and she is 9-2 on the morning line.

Other fillies entered are Meringue with Luis Rivera Jr. named to ride, Rileytole and jockey Reylu Gutierrez, Sina has Jaime Rodriguez taking the assignment, Jose Lezcano will be aboard Steer Clear, Tommy Jo will have Kendrick Carmouche up, Edgard Zayas has the call on Spirit Doll and Day to Day will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr.

Return to the August 27 issue of Wire to Wire