Saratoga Notes: Purge Has Slight Injury; Strong Hope Works; Lady Tak May Get Break; Medallist OK

Edited from NYRA reports
Starlight Stable's Purge, the fourth-place finisher in Saturday's Travers Stakes (gr. I), came out of the race with a slight injury, but it is not expected to impact the colt's training.

"He was a little bit lame after the race, but now he's fine," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "He bruised an inside quarter. It seems like it was a tough track on feet."

Lion Heart, who finished last in the Travers, suffered a broken coffin bone and has been retired.

"At this point, he'd be ready to go back to the track now if I wanted to take him," Pletcher said.

Eugene Melnyk's Strong Hope, also trained by Pletcher, worked five furlongs over the main track this morning in :59 1/5, handily, with Angel Cordero Jr. up. The 4-year-old makes his next start in the Saturday's $250,000 Forego Handicap (gr. I) at seven furlongs.

Pletcher said he was pleased with this work after the colt had to avoid a loose horse in his last move Aug. 23.

Harmony Lodge, third in Sunday's Ballerina (gr. I), came out of the race well, according to Pletcher and will be pointed to the $150,000 Gallant Bloom (gr. II) on Oct. 10 at Belmont Park.

Meanwhile, Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, said Ballerina winner Lady Tak exited the race in good shape.

"She looks excellent," Blasi said. "It was a grueling race. She ran every step of the way. She'll be rewarded for her effort. This was the race we've been pointing for all year."

Blasi said there is a good possibility the Heiligbrodt Stable runner could get some time before making her next start.

The Ballerina was Lady Tak's second grade I win. The other was in last year's Test (gr. I), also at seven furlongs.

Blasi's name will appear in the program next week as a trainer of record as Asmussen serves a suspension.

Medallist, who finished seventh in Saturday's King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I), is doing fine and will return to morning action sometime this week according to Bernardo Callejas, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens.

"He's okay," he said. "He came out of the race in good shape. We checked his legs yesterday, and everything seems fine. We jogged him this morning, and he looks good. We are still trying to figure out why he ran like he did on Saturday."

Dwyer Stakes (gr. II) winner Medallist was coming off a fifth-place effort trying two turns for the first time in the Jim Dandy (gr. II) on Aug. 8.