The stakes action at Saratoga on Saturday kicks off with the 26th running of the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes. The mile and a sixteenth contest will be run over the Inner Turf Course and offers a purse of $250,000.
Topping the field of seven at 2-1 on the morning line is Filimbi, a four-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast bred and owned by Juddmonte Farms. Trained by Bill Mott, Joel Rosario will be I'm the irons after guiding the gray filly to her last two victories. After beginning her career in France, Filimbi made her stateside debut in April and has won two of her three United States starts. Her dam, Flute, won the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Second choice at 5-2 on the morning line is Dayatthespa who will break from post position five under regular rider Javier Castellano. Trained by Chad Brown, the five-year-old daughter of City Zip has won three of her four starts at Saratoga and was second behind Filimbi as the favorite in the De La Rose Stakes. An eight time career winner, she will be making only her second start of the year.
Also in the field is Abaco, installed at 4-1 on the morning line. Trained by Claude McGaughey, the five-year-old Phipps Stable homebred will have Jose Ortiz aboard as she attempts to earn her first win of the year. A five-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway, Abaco has had consecutive bullet workouts at Saratoga since finishing fourth in the Diana (G1) in July. She is scheduled to break from post position three.
The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $300,000 United Nations Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the turf, the Grade 1 event has drawn a field of ten colts and geldings.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, a key prep race for the Haskell Invitational (G1). The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth and has drawn a field of seven three-year-olds.
With five grade 1 races and a grade 2, the undercard for the June 11 Belmont stakes could be the best single day of racing on the calendar outside of the Breeders’ Cup.
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