Cali Invaders Loom Large in Test

A trio of West Coast-based runners figure among the most likely winners of Saturday's historic GI Test S. at Saratoga. American Gal (Concord Point), unbeaten in sprints, was one of last year's standout 2-year-old fillies while under the tutelage of Bob Baffert. She aired by 6 1/2 lengths in Santa Anita's Anoakia S. in October, and wheeled back some two weeks later to be third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile fillies after enduring an incredibly wide journey. She was upended in the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 10 by then Simon Callaghan trainee Abel Tasman (Quality Road), who has annexed the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Acorn S. and local GI Coaching Club American Oaks this term for Baffert. American Gal, meanwhile, was sent Callaghan's way by owner Kaleem Shah, and was very impressive taking heat from all sides before drawing off on seasonal debut in Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. June 17. Vertical Oak (Giant Oak) was second. Two-time Test winner Baffert has been absolutely deadly this season when shipping east–from six starts, all in stakes, he has five wins and a second-place finish. A convincing second-out winner going this trip at Santa Anita in April, Baffert's representative Faypien (Ghostzapper) doubled up when besting Grade I-winning stablemate Noted and Quoted (The Factor) in the Angel Flight S. back in Arcadia May 14. She showed she could get two turns with a narrow tally in the GII Summertime Oaks June 17, and the $720,000 OBSAPR pick-up has been firing bullets at Del Mar in the interim. “She is a filly that has run really well her last two out,” Baffert told the NYRA notes team. “In California, there is really nothing out here for her. I just thought getting a Grade I for her would be important. She is a trier. She really tries hard. She has a huge heart. I just hope she gets a clean break.” Chalon (Dialed In) also makes the cross-country journey. She was last seen cruising by 6 1/2 lengths in Belmont's Jersey Girl S. June 11. Conditioner Peter Miller teamed up with rider Paco Lopez two days earlier to take Big Sandy's GII True North S. convincingly and in fast time with Roy H (More Than Ready). They're on leading trainer Chad Brown's turf, and he'll saddle Paul Pompa, Jr.'s two-for-two Your Love (Flatter). The $425,000 KEESEP yearling most recently defeated a trio of next-out winners narrowly in a June 18 Belmont allowance.