Pennine Ridge Kicks Off Trio of Graded Stakes at the Spa Thursday

A trio of turf graded stakes kicks off the Thoroughbred season at Saratoga on Thursday, headed by the GIII Pennine Ridge Stakes which features sophomores going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Installed the 9-5 morning-line choice, Mo Speed Racing's West End Kid (Twirling Candy) will attempt to secure his third consecutive victory after posting a pair scores over this distance in a 3 1/2-length win Keeneland maiden on Apr. 11 followed by another confident tally in a Churchill optional claimer on May 8. Trained by Will Walden, the colt will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.

Another enticing option is West Paces Racing, Rainbow's End Racing Stable and Michael Lyden's Glavine (Not This Time), who is making only his third career start. A second-out maiden winner at the Spa last summer, he returned to dominate a 1 1/16-mile maiden versus elders by 3 1/2 lengths on May 10 at Belmont at the Big A.

“I think he's a very nice colt,” said trainer Tom Morley. “He was unlucky to lose here last year and it didn't surprise me that he could win his first time back this year, as a colt we think a lot of. But look, he's the least experienced horse in this field. Running in graded stakes off a maiden victory is a very difficult thing to do. He's shipped here very well and we think he has a large amount of promise for the future. I'm looking forward to seeing how he gets on tomorrow.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, aboard for Glavine's maiden win, returns to ride from post 8, tabbed at odds of 4-1.

“Every day Glavine trains, he's a very athletic, strong individual. We'll find out more tomorrow,” Morley said. “I think he's got a lot of Giant's Causeway about him, and the sire is a fantastic sire. I hope this horse can be one of his fantastic progeny.”

Glavine, a $250,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the winning Bernardini mare Aspen Hilltop. His second dam is Grade I-winner Home Sweet Aspen.

Marking his 2026 debut, Dahman's Bottas (Vekoma) won his first two starts, including a narrow score in the GII Pilgrim at the Big A last on Oct. 3 before finishing a flat ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Halloween. Trained by Miguel Clement, the dark bay breaks from post 1 under Manny Franco.

Also featured on Thursday's 11-race card is the 5 1/2-furlong GII Intercontinental Stakes and the two-mile GII Belmont Gold Cup.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Harry Colburn's Corruption (Medaglia d'Oro), third in Churchill's GI Turf Classic last time out, was installed the 7-5 choice on the morning-line for trainer Mark Casse. Earlier this season, he was a neck behind Far Bridge (English Channel) in the 1 1/2-mile GIII Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream in March.

Trainer Keri Brion, who won Wednesday's opening day GI Beverly R. Steinman steeplechase event with Jimmy P (Slumber {Ire}), is represented by a pair of longshots in the Gold Cup–Mizertonic (Mission Impazible) and Worthington (Classic Empire). The former, a two-time winner at Saratoga, was last seen finishing a close-up third in an 11-furlong optional claimer at the Big A on May 7.

The latter made his most recent appearance last fall, finishing third in the John Forbes Memorial over two-flat miles on the at Far Hills turf.

“I know I have two longshots, but both are good in their own rights and I'm really excited to stretch Miztertronic out to two miles,” explained Brion. “I think he's begging for the distance and it'll just be a question if he's good enough, so we'll find out. He could not be doing any better.”