By J.N. Campbell
Saratoga Maidens, Presented by Keeneland
Coming off cover and driving up the rail, Oscar (Oscar Performance) broke his maiden on debut for Elements Racing at the Spa on Saturday.
The first timer was well-supported as the 2-1 choice here after favorite And the Runner Is (Oscar Performance) was scratched during the warmups, which resulted in an Irad Ortiz Jr. injury.
Oscar raced in the second flight into the first turn and up the backstretch. Looking for running room into the lane, the homebred had the fence open up and he fired his best shot. Bold Leadership (Not This Time) blitzed home, but could not deny Oscar the bob.
Trainer Miguel Clement cools down Oscar | Tod Marks
“I wasn't sure if we had it or not,” said co-owner/breeder Steve Smith on Saratoga Live. “But he trained well, we believe in Miguel [Clement] and he said 'he's a quality colt' and you know what, he is. He showed that today. What a big stage.”
Of note, Smith's Mesingw Farm bred 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' Explora (Blame)–the winner of the GI Test Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday afternoon.
Dam Catbrier (Street Sense) claims as her first foal SW Meringue (Frosted), who also placed in the GIII Adirondack Stakes at the Spa. Oscar–her second offspring–is a half-brother to yearling filly Capriciousness (Volatile) and an early May filly by Tiz the Law. A half-sister to the dam of SW Proton (Astern {Aus}), Catbrier was entered in Nyquist's book for next term.
8th-Saratoga, $115,000, Msw, 8-8, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.37, fm, nose.
OSCAR (c, 2, Oscar Performance–Catbrier, by Street Sense) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $63,250. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Elements Racing LLC; B-Mesingw Farm LLC (KY); T-Miguel Clement. *1/2 to Meringue (Frosted), SW & GSP, $691,050.
So proud of OSCAR PERFORMANCE son OSCAR with his brave effort coming up the rail and fighting for a head bob..
Miguel Clement/Elements Racing/Tyler Gaffalione
BIG STAGE-Whitney day pic.twitter.com/PW9Vgpi2ys
— Headley Bell (@headleybell) August 8, 2026
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