SARATOGA SPRINGS — Can­adian classic winner Harlem Rocker put in his final tuneup for the

$1 million Travers with a sharp five-furlong work Sunday morning at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Todd Pletcher for owner-breeder Frank Stronach, Harlem Rocker was clocked in :59.72, handily, on a fast main track.

“I thought he went really well,” Pletcher said. “It seems like he’s coming up to the Travers in good order.”

Exercise rider Valerie Buck was aboard the son of Macho Uno, who worked in company with Understatement, a 3-year-old Distorted Humor colt owned by WinStar Farm.

“I always work him in company,” Pletcher said. “He’s become a very good workhorse, which hasn’t always been the case. He’s gotten better and better as he’s gone along. He wouldn’t be the kind that would do a whole lot by himself.”

It was the fourth work at Saratoga this summer for the Canadian-bred Harlem Rocker, who won the Grade III Withers at Aqueduct on April 26 and the $500,000 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie on July 13.

“We were shooting between a minute and 1:01, and he shaded a minute,” Pletcher said. “It was maybe a tick quicker than we wanted to go, but I thought he did it the right way. He finished up well and galloped out strongly, and he seemed to cool out real quickly.”

The 139th Travers, the centerpiece of Saratoga’s 36-day meeting, is shaping up to be an 11-horse field that also includes Grade I winners Da’ Tara, Colonel John and Tale of Ekati, and Grade II winners Pyro, Cool Coal Man, Macho Again and Tres Borrachos.

A six-time Saratoga training champion and current meet leader, Pletcher won the Travers with Flower Alley in 2005.

COMING BACK

Multiple Grade I winner Country Star will make her comeback in today’s seventh race.

Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel entered the 3-year-old filly in a one-mile optional claiming allowance on the inner turf course.

Country Star will run as a

coupled entry with the Frankel-trained Pretty Carolina, carrying jockey Javier Castellano and 116 pounds, six less than topweight Jeux de Danse.

Owned by Stonerside Stable, Country Star hasn’t raced since finishing fifth to Proud Spell in the May 2 Kentucky Oaks. Frankel had entered Country Star in a dirt allowance Sunday, but the race didn’t fill.

Country Star made her career

debut lst September on the grass at Belmont, then ran in three straight races on synthetics. The Kentucky Oaks is her lone dirt start.

“She’s been training very good. I hope she runs good,” Frankel said Sunday morning. “She was trying to lug out in the [Oaks], and we could never figure it out. We just sent her back to the farm and put her through all the tests, and found nothing wrong with her.”

A daughter of Empire Maker, Country Star has had four five-furlong works at Saratoga. Her most recent was in 1:00.04 Aug. 13 on the Oklahoma training track, the fastest of eight horses.

LOOKING AHEAD

Impressive debut winner

Girolamo may find himself in stakes company for his second start.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said that he will take a look at the Grade II $250,000 Futurity next month at Belmont Park for the 2-year-old A.P. Indy colt, who is out of the

Mr. Prospector mare Get Lucky.

“We’re not sure, but it’s the logical spot,” he said. “It’s a month away, so that works out pretty well.”

Owned by Darley Stable and ridden by Alan Garcia, Girolamo came from off the pace to win a seven-furlong maiden race at Saratoga on Saturday by 31⁄4 lengths in 1:24.70 as the even-money favorite.

SUMMER STROLL

Summer Patriot came from off the pace to take command at the top of the stretch and sprint clear to a 73⁄4-length victory in Sunday’s $80,000 John’s Call.

Trained by Barclay Tagg and ridden by Eibar Coa, who teamed up for their third stakes win of the meet, Summer Patriot ($8.20) completed the 15⁄8-mile turf marathon in 2:42.50.

Taconeo finished second, while Codeword edged Luckman by a nose for third. Just as Well, the

2-1 favorite, ran last of eight, beaten 241⁄4 lengths.

Owned by Hare Forest Farm, Summer Patriot became the third two-time winner here this year.having captured an entry-level allowance at 13⁄8 miles July 30.