Pletcher will be represented in the Adirondack, the second stakes event of the meet for 2-year-old fillies, by Ellla Bella. The daughter of Meadowlake, owned by Jack Wolf, broke her maiden by a length on July 17 at Belmont Park.
Purchased for $525,000 by Padua Stables at the 2001 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale, Freedom's Daughter has won both her starts leading from gate to wire.
"I just wanted to space the races out properly," Pletcher said. "I'm putting her on a schedule that, if she proves to be capable of stretching (out), will have us on a better schedule for the Breeders' Cup. This way we can go (to the) Spinaway and Frizette."
Saarland Works Toward Return this FallSaarland, who came out of the Kentucky Derby with a chip in his left ankle that required surgery, is working his way back to the races at Saratoga this summer.
"He's been back several weeks now," said Buzz Tenney, assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey. "He trains every day. He jogs about a mile and is galloping a mile-and-a-half. He's had one little two-minute lick. His attitude is very good. His ankle looks great. Everything is a go right now.
"I would think several more two-minute licks and then he'll be ready to breeze and kind of take it from there," Tenney said.
Tenney said that Saarland might be able to make his next start in the fall.Texas Glitter Set for Vanderbilt
Veteran sprinter Texas Glitter is scheduled to start Sunday in the 6 1/2-furlong A.G. Vanderbilt (gr. II) for trainer Pletcher.
It will be the 6-year-old gelding's first race on the dirt since Oct. 30,when he ran second in an allowance race at the Meadowlands.
"He's a little more consistent on the turf. There's not really a lot of turf options around," Pletcher said. "In the past, he's run a couple of good races at Saratoga. More or less, we're taking a shot in what appears to be a short field, in terms of numbers. If we get lucky and get a wet track, he moves up on that."Frankel's Labamta Babe Geared for King's Bishop Trainer Bobby Frankel said Thursday that he may run Labamta Babe in the King's Bishop (gr. I) for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on August 24.
"He's a good colt," Frankel said. "He's almost fit to run. Seven-eighths of a mile would be a good distance for him."
Labamta Babe has been out since the spring with a minor suspensory injury.
The King's Bishop lost Came Home as a possible starter this week when the colt's connections announced he will stay in California and run in the Pacific Classic (gr. I).
Squirtle Squirt ComingFrankel said that Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Squirtle Squirt will ship to Saratoga on August 20 and may be able to make a start before the end of the meet.
Multiple stakes winner Milwaukee Brew is also likely to make the trip to Saratoga from California for the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap.
"He's going to work on (August 10)," Frankel said. "If he works well, I'll bring him back here to run on (August 17)."
NOTES
In his first ride since a nasty spill in the Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. I) on Sunday, jockey Richard Migliore guided Mike's Thunder to a victory in the fourth race Thursday afternoon.
Migliore was thrown to the track when Iron Quest clipped heels with Quest during the stretch run. He spent the night in Saratoga Hospital and took off his mounts on Monday and Wednesday while he recovered from what turned out to be minor injuries.
Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens said Thursday that Greatness came out of the Amsterdam (gr. III) on Saturday with sore shins and will be out for a couple of months.
Tremont winner Zavata turned in a bullet five-furlong workout of :59.02 Thursday. The Phone Trick colt owned by Michael Tabor is scheduled to run in the Saratoga Special on August 14.
Trainer Kenny McPeek picked up the first Saratoga win of his career Thursday with the 2-year-old Clear Pouch in the third race.
