Sayonara

Recent form paints a picture of a horse knocking on the door. In its last six outings it has picked up three placings — a third, a second, and a fourth — interspersed with a couple of tougher runs, including a 21st-place finish. That second-place finish is particularly noteworthy: it shows the horse can run close to the front and nearly get the job done. What Sayonara needs now is a small drop in class, a helpful race setup, or simply a bit of fortune on the day to finally break through.

Trained by Andrew Slattery at Thurles in County Tipperary, Sayonara is part of a yard that has been firing on all cylinders, with 62 winners sent out already this season. That sort of record suggests a trainer who knows how to get horses ready to win. At just 3 years old and still actively racing, there is plenty of time for Sayonara to add that crucial first victory to the record books — and given how often it is finishing close, it may not be long in coming.