Tepin Tepid Choice in Ballston Spa
Updated: August 28, 2015 at 4:12 pm
Robert Masterson’s Tepin (Bernstein) takes on eight rivals in Saturday’s GII Ballston Spa S. at Saratoga as she looks to bounce back from a nose defeat in the GI Diana S. July 25. The Mark Casse pupil wiped away a winless 2014 with a Gulfstream optional claiming score Mar. 21, and controlled the pace en route to a comfortable 1 1/2-length win over Coffee Clique (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GII Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile May 2. The bay had no trouble rating her way to victory in the GI Just a Game S. at Belmont June 6, and proved she could see out nine panels when getting tagged in the last jump of the Diana by Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun).
“I thought she ran a winning race in the Diana,” said Casse. “I was very disappointed she didn’t win. I expect her to run another big race for us and if she does that, we’ll be right there.”
Third by a neck in the Diana was Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Kitten’s Queen (Kitten’s Joy), who filled the same slot in the 10-panel GII New York S. at Belmont June 5. Seemingly entered as a rabbit for stablemate Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) on both occasions, she figures to appreciate this sixteenth-of-a-mile cutback, but will once again be joined up front by Diana fourth My Miss Sophia (Unbridled’s Song).
In addition to Kitten’s Queen, Chad Brown will saddle Chilean champion Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy) and GIII Waya S. 10th Danza Cavallo (Fr) (Sunday Break {Jpn}). The former was a three-time Group 1 winner in her native country last season for trainer Juan Silva Gajardo, having most recently annexed the G1 Las Oaks in December. She appears to have worked in company with Danza Cavallo last Sunday, covering five furlongs over the Oklahoma Training Track turf in 1:01.
“I liked the distance of the [Ballston Spa] and the timing of it. It seems like a good spot to get her started,” said Brown of the import. “She’s not a terrific work horse in the morning, but she works steady. We’ll get her started, see where we are at and move forward from there. I’m curious to see what she does.”