Saratoga Notes: Harlem Rocker breezes in Travers prep

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Canadian classic winner Harlem Rocker breezed on the main track at Saratoga Race Course Sunday morning, prepping for the $1 million Travers on Aug. 23.

Trained by Todd Pletcher for owner Frank Stronach, Harlem Rocker was clocked in 1:00.24 for five furlongs, ranking second of 41 horses at the distance. He worked in company with graded stakes winner Ravel.

“I thought he worked very well. He’s become a much more willing workhorse,” Pletcher said Sunday between races.

“He was never one that would do much more than his companymate would do in the mornings early on in his career, even up through his first couple of starts. He’s become more and more professional in his training.”

Away from the races until February, Harlem Rocker is 4-for-5 this year, his only loss coming in the $150,000 Plate Trial at Woodbine on June 1, run over Polytrack.

Bred by Stronach in Canada, Harlem Rocker won the $500,000 Prince of Wales on July 13 in his most recent start. He is unbeaten on conventional dirt, including a victory over J Be K in the Grade III Withers at Aqueduct on April 26.

“He beat him convincingly going a mile,” Pletcher said. “I think that race more so than any stamped his quality because of all the accomplishments J Be K’s had.”

Now 4, Ravel was clocked in 1:00.64 for five furlongs. It was his first work at Saratoga, where Pletcher hopes to find a race for him before the end of the meet on Sept. 1.

Owned by Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Ravel won the Grade III Sham last February but was knocked off the Triple Crown trail with a fractured left front cannon bone. He has made three subsequent starts, but none since January.

WELL-DESERVED REST

Indian Blessing had a quiet morning, following her impressive runaway victory in Saturday’s Grade I Test.

“She looks good,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “You can tell she ran. She’s a little tired today, but she

deserves to be tired. She really put on a performance yesterday. It was pretty exciting.”

Returning to the track where she broke her maiden last summer in near-record time, Indian Blessing rolled to a seven-length victory in the Test, running seven furlongs in 1:22.70 as the 2-5 favorite.

“Going in, she looked fantastic,” Baffert said, “but you never know until they run. You’d love to make bold statements like [trainer Rick] Dutrow. I could never do that, but she looked like she was going to put on a show.”

Baffert remains undecided on the immediate future for Indian Blessing, the 2007 juvenile filly champion who is now 7-for-9 lifetime with four Grade I wins and $1,997,200 in purses.

“I’d like to keep her on dirt,” he said. “I really don’t like her on the synthetic. She doesn’t train as well on the synthetic as she does on dirt. She’s different on dirt.

“There’s always the Gazelle at Belmont [Sept. 13] or something like that. I’ll give her a couple of weeks, and then we’ll breeze her and see what our choices are.”

WAITING GAME

Eight days after being scratched as the program favorite for the Grade II A.G. Vanderbilt with a foot bruise, undefeated New York-bred Bustin Stones has yet to return to the track.

Trainer Bruce Levine said Bustin Stones, who hasn’t run since winning the Grade I Carter in April, walked the shedrow of barn 64.

“We’ll probably give him another day and shed row him, maybe two, then I’ll take him to the track,” Levine said. “We’re just being a little extra precautious. If it was another horse, I probably would have taken him out today or

tomorrow.”

Bred and owned by Troy native

Roddy Valente, Bustin Stones has won all six of his career starts. Levine wants to get a race into Bustin Stones before the Grade I Vosburgh at Belmont Park Sept. 27, and is leaning toward the Grade I Forego here on Aug. 30.

BIG DAY

Jockey Edgar Prado, trainer Carl Nafzger and horses Ancient Title, Inside Information and Manila will be inducted into the National

Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame today.

The free public ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion on East Avenue. Dr. Dean Richardson will be the keynote speaker.

Unable to travel, jockey Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela, another member of the Class of 2008, was honored in a ceremony at Del Mar on June 22.

AROUND THE TRACK

u Hint, trained by Shaker High graduate John Morrison, came flying late to get up at the wire and win the finale. Sent off at 54-1, he returned $110, $42.40 and $20.80. …

u Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, is scheduled to work this morning at 5:45 for trainer Steve Asmussen. A decision on Curlin’s next start will be announced on Tuesday. …

u Sightseeing extended his losing streak to nine by running third as the 4-5 favorite in the third race. The 4-year-old Pulpit colt, who was third in the Jim Dandy and fourth in the Travers in 2007, hasn’t won since the Grade II Peter Pan last May. …

u The 88th annual Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Sales begin tonight at 7. A total of 195 horses were catalogued for the sale, which wraps up Tuesday night. There have been 21 early scratches from the auction.