Pocket Listing Looks to Confirm Potential in Saratoga’s Sanford Stakes

Following a spectacular winning debut at Santa Anita, the Doug O'Neill trainee will face his first graded stakes challenge, where his primary rivals will include Waggley, Booked, and Ashcroft Lane

Waggley Faces Males in the Sanford Stakes / KEENELAND

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special to Turf Diario).— Following a highly impressive winning debut, Pocket Listing will attempt to confirm his status among the elite of the juvenile crop this Saturday when he lines up for the traditional Sanford Stakes (G3). The 1,200-meter dirt contest stands as one of the definitive summer showcases for two-year-olds during the prestigious Saratoga meet.

Carrying the prominent silks of Reddam Racing for trainer Doug O'Neill, the son of Listing turned heads in his June 14 career opener at Santa Anita. The colt set a dynamic pace from the break and easily drew clear in the stretch to finish 8.5 lengths best over 1,000 meters, a performance that earned a 62 Beyer Speed Figure and validated his strong morning trials.

"You never truly know until they do it in the afternoon, but his morning works showed us he was ready to roll. He confirmed it brilliantly," stated O'Neill, who has assigned regular pilot Manny Franco to ride from post 4. The trainer also noted that the stretch-out to six furlongs should prove well within the wheelhouse of a colt he considers a natural dirt specialist.

The primary challenge is expected to come from Waggley, the lone stakes winner in the lineup. Conditioned by Wesley Ward, the undefeated daughter of Life Is Good captured the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes (L) over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs, following an equally authoritative maiden score at Keeneland. Junior Alvarado will take the mount.

Another major contender is the Steve Asmussen-trained Booked (Yaupon), who earned a field-best 77 Beyer when breaking his maiden in his second career start right here at Saratoga. In his debut, he ran a close second to Fanshell Beach (Corniche), who subsequently traveled overseas to finish fifth in the G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Also entering with strong credentials is Goodbye to Romance (Complexity), a polished winner at Belmont at the Big A for trainer Jena Antonucci, who praised the colt's mental maturity. Meanwhile, the Robert Falcone Jr. trainee Ashcroft Lane (Keepmeinmind) looks to duplicate the brilliant form of his 9.75-length debut victory.

The highly competitive field is completed by Regent's Park (Bolt d'Oro), a $1.4 million auction purchase who graduated at Monmouth Park; Rasasi (Honor Code); Vissino (Preservationist); and Jack's Golden Goal (Omaha Beach), rounding out a Sanford renewal that once again gathers some of the most promising young talent of the North American summer season.