BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Strategic Risk will try the turf for the first time in his third career start Thursday at Saratoga Race Course in the $175,000 With Anticipation (Grade 3) for 2-year-olds at a mile-and-a-sixteenth. Trained by Mark Casse, the bay son of Noble Bird is 10-1 on the morning line in the field of eight.

Strategic Risk was an eye-popping winner in his first start at Gulfstream Park on June 7 when he defeated fellow Florida-breds by eight-and-a-quarter lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight from the start. He then graduated to Grade 3 company in the six-furlong Sanford at Saratoga on July 5, finishing a distant fourth behind winner Obliteration but just three lengths behind runner-up Blinging it Back.

Casse has since worked him on the grass three times including a promising four-furlong breeze on Aug. 10 when he was clocked in :47.44, the third fastest of 80 works at the distance that morning. He since went four furlongs on the turf in :48.71 on Aug. 17, the 18th fastest of 61 works at the distance.

Strategic Risk has earned $46,300 for John Oxley Living Trust in his two races and enters the With Anticipation as the only starter with graded stakes experience.

Bred by John Oxley, Strategic Risk is out of unraced Afleet Alex mare Strategize, who has four winners from five starters, including multiple stakes-winning Florida-bred Strategic Bird, who was also trained by Casse and bred by Oxley but owned by Gary Barber. 

Dylan Davis will ride Strategic Risk for the first time and they have drawn post eight.

Klaravich Stables’ Capital Partner (GB) is the 5-2 morning line favorite for trainer Chad Brown.

The bay son of Kingman (GB) will make only his second career start after winning a maiden special weight by a half-length on the turf at Saratoga on Aug. 2.

Flavien Prat will ride Capital Partner from post three.

Return to the August 26 issue of Wire to Wire