Kareena Gets Next 'Test'

Extremely promising 'TDN Rising Star' Kareena (Medaglia d'Oro) faces a very tough group of sophomore fillies as she makes her graded stakes debut in Saratoga's historic GI Test S. Saturday. The daughter of MGSW India (Hennessy) finished second to Lightstream (Harlan's Holiday) in their respective debuts at Gulfstream Mar. 6, and aired by five lengths over a maiden field that included four next-out graduates at Keeneland Apr. 16. She showed a new dimension when stalking in Belmont's June 10 Jersey Girl S., but the result was the same, as she drew off to win by 6 1/4 visually impressive lengths. The form of that event has held up pretty well, with runner-up Appealing Lady (Successful Appeal) taking Monmouth's Miss Woodford S. by open lengths next time; third finisher One True Kiss (Warrior's Reward) getting beaten just a neck in third in Belmont's July 9 GIII Victory Ride S.; and fifth finisher Quick Release (Trappe Shot) having missed by a dirty nose in the rained-off Coronation Cup S. earlier this week. “She's just an impressive filly and [the Jersey Girl] was a serious race,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin told the NYRA notes team. “We're hoping to do what we did with Cavorting (Bernardini) last year.” Fellow 'Rising Star' Cavorting took the Jersey Girl, Test and GII Prioress S. for the McLaughlin barn last season, and was last seen annexing the GI Ogden Phipps S. in June.

Lightstream defeated GISW Nickname (Scat Daddy) and Kinsley Kisses (Congrats) in Keeneland's GIII Adena Springs Beaumont S. one day after Kareena earned her diploma, and showed up in a somewhat surprising spot next out–the grassy Soaring Softly S. going this distance at Belmont May 21. Uncorking a powerful turn move, she got the job done over a surface she may not have adored. The bay was asked to stretch out for the 8 1/2-panel GI Mother Goose S. July 2, but raced well back with no cover throughout as Off the Tracks (Curlin) took them box to wire and Lewis Bay (Bernardini) completed the exacta. Lightstream settled for third.

Off the Tracks and Kinsley Kisses are both trained by Todd Pletcher, who hasn't won a Test since he took back-to-back renewals in 1998 and 1999. The former shipped from Florida to upend last season's GIII Schuylerville S. here for trainer Roderick Rodriguez and J Stables, and Newtown Anner Stables bought into her and transferred her to Pletcher after she took Gulfstream's Margate H. in February. Third at odds-on in the two-turn GII Gulfstream Park Oaks over a sloppy surface Apr. 2, she was second behind the talented 'Rising Star' Carina Mia (Malibu Moon)–and ahead of GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss)–in Belmont's GI Acorn S. June 11 before annexing the Mother Goose.

Lewis Bay hasn't gone this distance since breaking her maiden by six lengths at Belmont last October. She annexed the GII Demoiselle S. in November and GII Gazelle S. in April, and was third in the Oaks May 6. Leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., who also piloted Kareena last time, will stick with Lewis Bay for trainer Chad Brown.