Kicking off the week at the Spa is the Jonathan Kiser Memorial Novice Stakes in race 1. Going two and three-eighth miles on the turf, this steeplechase race for older horses has been a staple at Saratoga and now works as a prep for the Grade I A.P. Smithwick in August. A field of eight up-and-coming hurdlers enter into the Kiser without any graded stakes tries, as the winner here may have their sights set on higher aspirations in three weeks.

With Midlantic bred runners off to a slow start this meet, the lukewarm 8/1 Morning March will look to jumpstart our northbound shippers with a strong performance in this spot. Breaking from post two here, this Pennsylvania bred gelding by Morning Line – Marching On, by Majestic Warrior has recently made the change to hurdles after trainer switch this year into the Katherine Neilson barn. A heavily raced seven year old, Morning March has thirty-six career races under his belt, most coming on flat courses with mixed results. Since his debut race over the fences, he has already picked up two wins in five tries and enters here off of a win at Laurel Park. Sitting twenty-eight lengths off the leader after a mile in that handicap try, Morning March surged late to eventually dominate by fourteen lengths at the wire. While he does face a few here who have a bit more experience over the fences, this gelding is the lone starter with multiple wins this year and appears to be on the improve when coming from mid pack. Returning jockey Freddie Procter has piloted Morning March in four of his last five, and typically saves ground with the hopes of making a late push following the final hurdle. With the others in this group still looking for a signature win and step forward in stakes competition, it’s clear that Morning March is ready to compete here in his Saratoga debut. Morning March was bred by Alexander Gordon Watson and is owned by Morning March Partners.

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