Rick Needham at Saratoga
RACE #9 - SARATOGA RACE COURSE - 5:18 PM EASTERN POST
The P. G. Johnson Stakes
8½ FURLONGS INNER TURF TWO YEAR OLD FILLIES STAKES $100,000.00 PURSE
#1 MENTALITY
#3 ORBOLUTION
#5 RMANTIC BABE
#4 LIFE TIME CITIZEN
Well folks ... this turf race for juvenile fillies was first run in 2005 and was named after Hall of Fame trainer Philip George Johnson, who had died the previous year. Johnson, a native of Chicago, bought his first horse in 1942 for $75 and won his first race with him two years later, the first victory in a career than spanned six decades. He was the leading trainer at Saratoga in 1983 and according to the National Museum of Racing, won at least one race each year at the Spa from 1962 to 2003. His biggest career victory came in 2002 with a horse he co-owned named Volponi, who pulled off a 43-1 upset of the Breeders' Cup Classic. Here in the 13th renewal of this stakes test, #1 MENTALITY comes off a maiden-breaking, "POWER RUN WIN" in his "first asking," 75 days ago at Belmont Park. Jockey Ricardo Santana was in his irons for that win, which produced a +680% return on investment in the process, and is back this afternoon here at "The Spa" for his 2nd ride, gunning for back-to-back "Circle Trips." #3 ORBOLUTION", the morning line favorite, is the pace profile leader, and has hit the board in each of her 3 career starts to date, including a "POWER RUN WIN" to break her maiden in her last start.