Here’s the Kicker Update

We stopped by trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.’s barn on the Saratoga backstretch this morning to check in on Here’s the Kicker. She has been brought along slowly following that disappointing effort in her most recent start, as is standard given her EIPH episode in that race. She also acted up a bit one morning during training where she came back with some superficial scrapes—those are healing up and are not a longterm concern. Plans are to let her tell us when she is ready to race again, and when the time comes it will likely be in a second-level allowance race in New York. The first half of the regular Saratoga meet, which begins July 10, might be more realistic rather than shipping down for something sooner at Aqueduct.