Peter Deutsch’s three-time stakes-placed Disco Star seeks a breakthrough victory in Wednesday’s $150,000 Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a one-mile inner turf test for eligible state-sired sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the daughter of Disco Partner enters from a two-length second to Mommy’s Turn in the state-bred Suzie O’Cain on July 16 traveling 1 1/16 miles here. She tracked in seventh-of-9 and seven lengths off the pace through the first quarter-mile, but improved position at each point of call under returning rider Dylan Davis while unable to reel in the winner down the lane after going four-wide in the final turn. The effort was a marked improvement from a distant fourth in an off-the-turf edition of the NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy on June 14 at Belmont at the Big A.

“I thought it was really good,” Casse said of the O’Cain. “She comes and plays hard. She’s thrived with all of this and is getting bigger and stronger, so I think she’s got a really good shot as long as it stays on the grass.”

The O’Cain marked the gray filly’s third stakes placing in her last four starts, adding to close third-place finishes in the NYSSS Park Avenue over the Aqueduct Racetrack dirt when a half-length back of Storm Changer, and three-quarter-lengths back of next-out stakes-winner Love Cervere in the open-company Take the A Train on May 10 over six furlongs of good Big A turf. Love Cervere went on to finish third in the Listed Galway on August 7 at the Spa.

Disco Star has made just two of her eight starts at a route of ground, with her best finish coming in her last-out O’Cain effort. Her lone effort at one-mile came with a dull seventh in the Listed Ginger Brew in January at Gulfstream Park.

“The distance isn’t perfect, but I think she can handle it given that the company will be a little easier than what she ran against last time,” Casse said. “It’s not ideal, but she’s capable.”

Bred in New York by Patricia Generazio, Disco Star holds an 8-1-3-2 record, her lone win coming in a third-out graduation sprinting six furlongs on the turf against fellow state-breds in October at Belmont at the Big A. The $75,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select New York-bred Yearling Sale purchase is out of the unraced Sky Mesa mare Sky Gazer, who produced stakes-winners April Gaze and Saratoga Treasure, as well as stakes-placed Veterans Beach. 

Davis returns to the irons from the inside post.

Our Sugar Bear Stable’s Boston’s Phinest [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] was just a head behind Disco Star in the O’Cain, which marked her second consecutive stakes-placing after a second to Mischief Lady in the aforementioned NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy on June 14.

Trained by Bruce Brown, the daughter of Honest Mischief was given a prominent trip by Flavien Prat last out, and gave good chase throughout before being passed by Mommy’s Turn in the far turn and edged out of place honors by Disco Star in the shadow of the wire.

Boston’s Phinest made her first five outings for five-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Chad Brown, including a runner-up effort to With the Angels in the state-bred Maid of the Mist last year at Belmont at the Big A. She was purchased by her current owner for $95,000 at the Fasig-Tipton February Digital Sale and transferred to Bruce Brown’s barn in February and has made four starts since, her best result coming in the Cupecoy’s Joy.

Bred in New York by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Cypress Creek Equine, Boston’s Phinest is out of the unraced Curlin mare All in Time, who also produced stakes-winner Libban. Her second dam is Grade 1-winner Point Ashley.

Head of Plains Partners’ New York homebred Nonna Lynne [post 8, Manny Franco] steps up off a half-length state-bred maiden win traveling 1 1/16 miles on July 26 here for trainer Chad Brown.

The deep-closing daughter of Slumber was eighth lengths off the early pace in eighth-of-9 under regular pilot Manny Franco, but improved steadily with a six-wide move and got up in time to earn the narrow score in a final time of 1:42.05. The effort saw her improve from a fourth on debut in September at Belmont at the Big A and a neck second in a similar maiden tilt on June 5 at the Queens oval.

Nonna Lynne is out of the unraced Gio Ponti mare Play a Song for Me, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Secret Message.

Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Michael Caruso’s Hangover Heaven [post 6, Jose Ortiz] was an impressive winner versus elders on debut sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on July 6 over the Spa turf, coming from last-of-10 under Irad Ortiz, Jr. with an eye-catching turn-of-foot to take charge at the stretch call and power home a five-length winner in the state-bred $50,000 maiden claimer.

Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the Mr. Monomoy filly has worked back three times since her graduation, including a half-mile in 50.50 seconds on August 3 over Saratoga’s Oklahoma turf training track. A New York homebred for Dubb, Hangover Heaven is out of the dual stakes-placed Scat Daddy mare Diannestillworks.

Completing the field are allowance-winners Trail of Gold [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] for trainer David Donk and Blossoming Erudite [post 7, Chris Elliott] for trainer Carlos David; maiden-winner Queen Atlas [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche] for conditioner Billy Morey; and the maiden Lazy Y Legacy [post 4, Jake Samuels] for conditioner Aaron West.

Stone Smuggler is entered for the main track-only.

The Statue of Liberty is slated as Race 8 on Wednesday’s nine-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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