Woodslane Farm's 2017 GI Sword Dancer S. hero Sadler's Joy (Kitten's Joy) looked like he was home free in the GI Manhattan S. June 9 at Belmont, until a hulking gelding came charging down the center of the track to nail him on the wire at 18-1. He'll be a much shorter price this time around, but Augustin Stables' Spring Quality (Quality Road) is back to try to break the chestnut's heart again as he tries to defend his title in Saturday's Sword Dancer at Saratoga.
Since upsetting at 7-1 in the $1-million event last Travers Day, Sadler's Joy has managed just one victory, capturing the GII Mac Diarmida S. Mar. 3 at Gulfstream. Fourth as the favorite in the GII Pan American S. after that, he finished a close second in the GI Man O' War S. and Manhattan before running third in the soft-turf GII Bowling Green S. here last out July 28.
Spring Quality has been off since his Manhattan upset, but was progressing strongly before that. Running a good fourth as 23-1 in the GII Knickerbocker S. first time on turf last October, he scored at 12-1 in the GIII Red Smith H. and was second in the GIII Fort Marcy S. in his seasonal debut May 5 at Belmont. He's drilled steadily for this return, first at trainer Graham Motion's Fair Hill base and later locally, finishing preparations with a five-furlong move over the Oklahoma turf in 1:02 4/5 (6/9) Aug. 20.
Three Chimneys Farm's Funtastic (More Than Ready) will try to prove his last effort wasn't a fluke. Moving forward steadily this term, the gray broke through with a wire-to-wire upset at 23-1 in the GI United Nations S. last out.
The dead-heat winners of the Bowling Green also re-oppose here. Matthew Schera's Glorious Empire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) got an easy lead over the boggy going and appeared destined to pull the 22-1 shocker, but Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber's Channel Maker (English Channel) closed relentlessly to get on even terms with that one hitting the wire.
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