Personal Ensign Stakes: Ask the Moon Could Wire the Field Once Again

The first of three Grade I stakes races today at Saratoga is the Personal Ensign Stakes. This race is by invitation only and requires no subscription fees.

The Personal Ensign Stakes is open to Fillies and Mares ages three and older.  Their objective is to dispute the stakes at a distance of one and one-quarter miles—10 furlongs—on Saratoga’s main dirt track.

This year’s edition has attracted six contenders, headlined by morning line favorite Ask The Moon. Let’s review each participant and predict how the race should unfold.

1. Acronym – Jockey José Lezcano, trainer: Bill Mott, morning line odds 6/1.

2. Ask The Moon – Jockey: Javier Castellano, trainer: Martin Wolfson, morning line odds: 2/1.

3. Pachattack – Jockey: Ravij Maragh, trainer: Gerard Butler, morning Line odds: 9/2.

4. Protesting – Jockey: John Velazquez, trainer: Shug McGaughey, morning line odds: 6/1.

5. Super Espresso – Jockey: Ramon Dominguez, trainer: Todd Pletcher, morning line odds: 3/1.

6. Tiz Miz Sue – Jockey: Joseph Rocco Jr, trainer: Steve Hobby, morning line odds: 9/2.

The favorite, Ask The Moon, has the clear speed advantage in this race. She will be carrying 121 pounds—five over the rest—thanks to her recent win in the Ruffian Invitational over Super Espresso and Tiz Miz Sue.

The question mark for her, as well as for Super Espresso and Tiz Miz Sue, is whether or not they can go the distance.  None has ever run this far.

However, on her last race of just a furlong less in distance, Ask the Moon managed to finish strong. She should have an uncontested lead again today and might as well wire the competition unless they come to her earlier. She had a 98 Beyer Speed Figure on her last, a step up from 83 on her two previous.

Once again, her main competition comes from Super Espresso and Tiz Miz Sue. Both are top class horses, and have been running with the likes of Awesome Maria and Havre De Grace respectively. Both horses seem to have bounced on that race, and if no one presses Ask The Moon early it should be a repeat of the last race.

Among the rest of the horses, Pachattack will make her first start on dirt today. She is the only horse who has run at this distance—four times—and has the best Beyer among the runners at 103.

Pachattack also seems to have bounced on her last race, but she had a strong workout for today's race here at Saratoga, and could contend for the win.

Additionally, Acronym is coming off of a second-place finish at the Madame Jumel on August 5 here at Saratoga. Her time in that one was poor and her jockey, John Velazquez, has switched to Protesting today. Protesting is stepping up in class for this one and must prove her ability to contend here.

In my opinion, the five extra pounds as well as a different approach by the jockeys today will prevent Ask The Moon from wiring the field. I just don’t see them giving Castellano a chance to relax her during back stretch for a second time.

In the end I see Tiz Miz Sue beating Super Espresso on a stretch duel and Pachattack closing in on them for a close third.

It should be an exciting and close race.

- Carlos Torres