An impressive first-out winner last month at Belmont Park, Wine On Tap headlines a field of eleven juvenile fillies entered in Thursday’s Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes on opening day at Saratoga.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, the gray filly was bet down to even money in her debut and did not disappoint with a strong three-length win less than four weeks ago.
A daughter of Tapit, she was purchased for $600,000 as a yearling and was produced by the graded stakes winning Quality Road mare, Princess
Chief among her challengers in the 6-furlong opening day feature will be the D. Wayne Lukas-trained debut winner Saratoga Secret.
The aptly named gray is a daughter of Arrogate and was also a good-looking three-length winner the first time out. Her victory came on June 23 at Ellis Park.
The only stakes winner in the Schuylerville field is Closing Act. A chestnut daughter of Munnings, she is a Texas home-bred for owner Douglas Scharbauer.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, she broke her maiden with a late rally at Churchill Downs. She remained unbeaten last time out when she easily won last month’s Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park.
Schuylerville Stakes Predictions and Race Analysis
Wine on Tap
Todd Pletcher trains this daughter of Tapit, who was a $600,000 yearling purchase last September at Keeneland. She lived up to her big price tag with a stylish debut win at Belmont Park less than four weeks ago.
Sent off the favorite in a field of five, she comfortably stalked a strong early pace before taking command in the stretch. That ability to relax and pounce should suit her well as she faces a strong test here.
I believe that she is the filly in the race with the most upside in the field and is the most likely winner on Thursday. She is the top pick.
Saratoga Secret
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, this daughter of Arrogate battled on a sharp early pace and pulled away down the stretch to an impressive maiden victory at Ellis Park three weeks ago.
The likely second choice was a $200,000 yearling purchase, but was not heavily bet in that debut win. She will likely try to use her speed again on Thursday, but there are other fillies in the field with speed here.
Off the debut win, and a sharp workout since, she is an obvious threat in the Schuylerville, but the early pace might make it a difficult task.
Closing Act
The only stakes winner in this field, this Texas-bred filly will face her toughest test yet on Thursday. Trained by Steve Asmussen, she closed with a rush to win her debut and then followed it up with an easy score in Belmont Park’s Astoria Stakes last out.
Although she has yet to run very fast, the homebred daughter of Munnings has looked like a nice one in her first two career starts.
In a race with plenty of speed, she looks to be the most likely filly in the race to be finishing strongly in this 6-furlong test. I will include her in the exotics.
Carmelina
A $44,000 yearling purchase for Cash Is King Stable late last year, this daughter of the freshman sire Maximus Mischief could prove a bargain if her career debut is any indication.
The first of two for trainer Butch Reid, she made an impression with an easy gate-to-wire victory in her career debut four weeks ago. While things will get a whole lot more difficult against this field at Saratoga, her early speed makes her a real threat here.
Having said that, there does appear to be a good amount of speed in the race, so she will likely have to work early. Still, she could be the fastest of the fast.
Dancing Diana
This daughter of Bolt d’Oro was a $100,000 yearling purchase last October, Sent to the barn of James Lawrence II, she completely dominated a small field at Delaware Park four weeks ago in her career debut.
One of many in the field with early speed, it’s hard to know how that level of racing will translate against these.
She looked very good in her debut but so did many fillies in the field while facing stiffer competition. She is a threat, but I like others better.
Sugar Treat
Trained by Mark Casse, this Enticed filly was purchased for $120,000 earlier this year as a 2-year-old in training. Her debut came five weeks ago on the all-weather track at Gulfstream Park.
Sent off at 3/1 in the field of eight, she overcame some trouble to run down the favorite in the stretch. The filly she defeated that afternoon has since returned with an impressive victory in her second start.
Working well for her dirt debut, she is one of the few fillies in the field to rally in her debut. I will be including her in the exotics.
Status Seeker
Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, this daughter of Upstart stayed close to the early pace in her career debut, which came six weeks ago at Belmont Park, and finished nicely for the win.
It wasn’t one of the most eye-catching debut performances on the field, but it wasn’t bad either. A $45,000 2-year-old in training purchase in March, she will likely have very bettable odds here.
She is a consideration, especially if her odds are high, but I do like a few others better in Thursday’s test.
Becky’s Joker
Apparently, this filly is well-liked by her connections. Trained by Gary Contessa, she will be making her career debut in this deep Grade 3 test.
A $50,000 yearling purchase, she is bred to have success at one turn and has shown plenty of speed in a series of workouts at Saratoga. The daughter of Practical Joke comes in off a fast 3-furlong breeze last week.
While she has no race experience, most of her competition has only run once, so it is not out of the question that she can win this. I just think she has found a tough spot to begin her career in a graded-stakes race.
Union Suit
One of many in the field who has shown plenty of speed, this Graham Motion-trained filly was a front-running winner of her debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis before coming east.
In the Astoria, she set the early pace but had no answer for Closing Act down the stretch. It will only get tougher here, with a lot more fast fillies in the field.
A $9,000 bargain purchase early last year, perhaps this will be the race where she learns to rate. Still, I have a hard time recommending her in this spot.
Kiss for Luck
The second for trainer Butch Reid, this daughter of Accelerate also won in her debut at Parx. The heavy favorite in a field of six, she broke a step slow, but rushed up quickly to take the lead and was never headed from there.
Given seven weeks between races, she continues to work pretty well at her home base in Pennsylvania.
While she did nothing wrong in her only race, it appears that her stablemate is the faster of the two. Still, I wouldn’t dismiss her, as Reid is bringing her here for a reason.
Mila Junes
This Tapiture filly made a winning debut for trainer Kent Sweezey four weeks ago on a wet-fast track at Monmouth Park.
A $22,000 yearling purchase, she was ignored by the bettors and went off at 54/1, but overcame a bump at the start to rally for the win.
She will once again be a longshot as she will face faster fillies in this Grade 3 test. I am looking elsewhere.
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