‘Star’ Hopes to Continue Her ‘Rise’

‘TDN Rising Star’ Tonasah (Malibu Moon) headlines an intriguing field of juvenile fillies set to line up for Saratoga’s GII Adirondack S. Saturday. Originally set to make her debut for trainer Todd Pletcher in Belmont’s Astoria S. June 4, the StarLadies Racing colorbearer was a late scratch from that test after she threw Javier Castellano during the post parade and took a lengthy tour of the track. Adding blinkers for her official career bow July 2 in Elmont, the bay was a total professional, taking the field from gate-to-wire to graduate by an impressive 5 1/2 lengths. “She’s pretty straight forward,” said Pletcher. “I think she’s fast, very speed-oriented. We’ll let her do what she likes to do.”

Tonasah’s stablemate Delicate Lady (Thunder Gulch) makes her first start for the Pletcher barn in this test. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners purchased the bay privately from her breeders William & Diana Shaffer after she scored a decisive 6 1/2-length victory in her career bow at Arlington July 2 for previous trainer Carlos Silva. “She seems to handle the dirt really well,” he said. “Plus, being a Thunder Gulch, she should appreciate the added distance. We hope that she can handle the step up in class.”

Big Chief Thoroughbreds and Gene Voss’s Decked Out (Street Boss) was also a debut winner at Santa Anita May 7 and finished second as the favorite in the Astoria. The Keith Desormeaux pupil was third last time out in this venue’s GIII Schuylerville S. July 24. “Her numbers have regressed a little bit, which we weren’t really happy with,” said Desormeaux’s assistant Julie Clark. “We like her. She’s an aggressive filly in the mornings and I thought she was a little more fit for the last one than she was. She got a little tired, so we’ve tried to correct that for this one. We’re really hoping to see a turnaround this time.”

Ron Winchell homebred Just Wicked (Tapit) was a close second in her turf unveiling downstate June 14 and earned her diploma for trainer Steve Asmussen when switched to the dirt her next out July 24. Chadds Ford Stable’s Lookout Sister (Giant’s Causeway) is another looking to take her record to two-for-two here after a good-looking graduation at Delaware July 18 for trainer Graham Motion. Bell Racing’s Kandoo (Kantharos) receives Lasix for the first time here following a front-running victory in her Gulfstream unveiling July 18. Rounding out the field is Heartbreaker Girl (Drosselmeyer), who takes a step up in class after thrashing a field of $50,000 maiden claimers in Hallandale July 23.