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First Look: Diana leads stakes-packed Saratoga weekend

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First Look: Diana leads stakes-packed Saratoga weekend

Saratoga’s summer meet begins Thursday, and the Spa will host this week’s only graded stakes.

The action kicks off Thursday with 2-year-old fillies in the Schuylerville, and then the Coronation Cup is on Friday. Graded stakes begin Saturday, including the Diana (G1), and the Quick Call (G3) wraps up the weekend on Sunday.

Here is an early look at the likely fields.


Thursday

Schuylerville (listed), 6 furlongs, 2-year-old fillies

After finishing fifth and third in maiden special weights at Keeneland in April, Whatintheliteral moved into stakes company last out in the black-type Astoria at Saratoga and led gate to wire to win by a head over Aoraki, also entered here. West Memorial, fifth in the Astoria, was coming off a win in the black-type Kentucky Juvenile.

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Aoraki

Dominus

0.00

Steven M. Asmussen

Joel Rosario

2nd, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

2 Horse Silk West Memorial West Memorial

Caracaro

0.00

George Weaver

Manuel Franco

5th, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

5th, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

3 Horse Silk Sherbini Sherbini

Cairo Prince

0.00

Mark E. Casse

Florent Geroux

1st, CD MSW (06/16/2024-R3)

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD MSW (06/16/2024-R3)

2024 Schuylerville LS

4 Horse Silk Slang Slang

Omaha Beach

0.00

Norm W. Casse

Ricardo Santana, Jr.

1st, CD MSW (6/7/24-R4)

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD MSW (6/7/24-R4)

2024 Schuylerville LS

5 Horse Silk Complexion Complexion

Complexity

0.00

Danny Gargan

John R. Velazquez

1st, Aqu MSW (6/14/24-R2)

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Aqu MSW (6/14/24-R2)

2024 Schuylerville LS

6 Horse Silk Carmen's Candy Jar Carmen’s Candy Jar

Vino Rosso

0.00

Todd A. Pletcher

Irad Ortiz, Jr.

1st, Aqu MSW (6/23/24-R1)

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Aqu MSW (6/23/24-R1)

2024 Schuylerville LS

7 Horse Silk Dreamgirl Dreamgirl

Mo Town

0.00

Michael J. Maker

Luis Saez

1st, CD MSW (6/14/24-R6)

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD MSW (6/14/24-R6)

2024 Schuylerville LS

8 Horse Silk Whatintheliteral Whatintheliteral

Lord Nelson

0.00

Jena M. Antonucci

Javier J. Castellano

1st, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

9 Horse Silk Long Neck Paula Long Neck Paula

Uncle Mo

0.00

Wesley A. Ward

Flavien Prat

1st, CD MSW (5/2/24-R3)

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD MSW (5/2/24-R3)

2024 Schuylerville LS

10 Horse Silk Viggiedal Viggiedal

Vekoma

0.00

Steven M. Asmussen

Tyler Gaffalione

1st, CD MSW (6/14/24-R4)

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD MSW (6/14/24-R4)

2024 Schuylerville LS

11 Horse Silk The Queens M G The Queens M G

Thousand Words

0.00

Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.

Dylan Davis

7th, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

7th, Astoria S.

2024 Schuylerville LS

Friday

Wilton (listed), 1 mile, 3-year-old fillies

Miss Justify, one of two entries for Todd Pletcher, is 2-for-4 after an optional-claiming allowance win in her only start at one mile. His other entry, Courbe, was 2-for-3 last year and will make her 2024 here. Bells Beach broke her maiden on second try going a mile at Churchill Downs on June 1.

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Horse Silk Miss Justify Miss Justify

Justify

0.00

Todd A. Pletcher

Flavien Prat

1st, CD AOC (06/01/2024-R5)

2024 Wilton RS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD AOC (06/01/2024-R5)

2024 Wilton RS

2 Horse Silk Windy Walk Windy Walk

Munnings

0.00

Christopher Davis

Jose L. Ortiz

1st, CD STR (06/22/2024-R4)

2024 Wilton RS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD STR (06/22/2024-R4)

2024 Wilton RS

3 Horse Silk Courbe Courbe

Quality Road

0.00

Todd A. Pletcher

Luis Saez

1st, Kee AlwOC (10/15/23-R2)

2024 Wilton RS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Kee AlwOC (10/15/23-R2)

2024 Wilton RS

4 Horse Silk Striker Has Dial Striker Has Dial

Dialed In

0.00

Horacio DePaz

Kendrick Carmouche

2nd, Sar Allow (6/6/24-R7)

2024 Wilton RS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, Sar Allow (6/6/24-R7)

2024 Wilton RS

5 Horse Silk Lady Moscato Lady Moscato

Quality Road

5.34

D. Wayne Lukas

Tyler Gaffalione

3rd, CD AOC (06/28/2024-R10)

2024 Wilton RS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, CD AOC (06/28/2024-R10)

2024 Wilton RS

6 Horse Silk Bells Beach Bells Beach

Curlin

0.00

Chad C. Brown

Irad Ortiz, Jr.

1st, CD MSW (06/01/2024-R4)

2024 Wilton RS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD MSW (06/01/2024-R4)

2024 Wilton RS

7 Horse Silk Dazzling Move Dazzling Move

Not This Time

0.00

Michael J. Trombetta

Joel Rosario

1st, LRL AOC (06/01/2024-R8)

2024 Wilton RS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, LRL AOC (06/01/2024-R8)

2024 Wilton RS

Coronation Cup (listed), 5 1/2 furlongs (turf), 3-year-old fillies

Toupi has a record of 7: 3-2-1 and won the black-type Stormy Blues by 2 1/4 lengths as the favorite last out. Star Mystery had a record of 10: 4-4-0 before making her first U.S. start in the Jaipur (G1) last month, finishing a close third. Pipsy had two wins and a second in Ireland last year and scored in the Soaring Softly (G3) in her U.S. debut before finishing eighth last out in the Tepin Stakes.

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Horse Silk Toupie Toupie

Uncle Mo

0.00

H. Graham Motion

Jorge Ruiz

1st, Stormy Blues S.

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Stormy Blues S.

2024 Coronation Cup LS

2 Horse Silk In Our Time In Our Time

Not This Time

0.00

Jack Sisterson

Joel Rosario

2nd, GP AOC (05/19/2024-R7)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, GP AOC (05/19/2024-R7)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

3 Horse Silk Dancing Duchess Dancing Duchess

Munnings

0.00

Mark E. Casse

Javier J. Castellano

1st, Alywow S.

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Alywow S.

2024 Coronation Cup LS

4 Horse Silk Pipsy Pipsy

Kodiac

5.12

William Walden

Lanfranco Dettori

8th, 2024 Tepin Stakes LS

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

8th, 2024 Tepin Stakes LS

2024 Coronation Cup LS

5 Horse Silk Twirling Queen Twirling Queen

Twirling Candy

0.00

Jose Francisco D’Angelo

Luis Saez

1st, Mamzelle S.

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Mamzelle S.

2024 Coronation Cup LS

6 Horse Silk Ever So Sweet Ever So Sweet

Calyx

0.00

Brad H. Cox

Irad Ortiz, Jr.

1st, Aqu Allow (5/26/24-R5)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Aqu Allow (5/26/24-R5)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

7 Horse Silk Kairyu Kairyu

Kuroshio

0.00

Cherie DeVaux

Jose L. Ortiz

2nd, 2024 Soaring Softly G3

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, 2024 Soaring Softly G3

2024 Coronation Cup LS

8 Horse Silk Baraye Baraye

Midshipman

0.00

Wesley A. Ward

Gerardo Corrales

1st, CD AOC (05/26/2024-R6)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD AOC (05/26/2024-R6)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

9 Horse Silk Cloudwalker Cloudwalker

More Than Ready

0.00

Brendan P. Walsh

Tyler Gaffalione

1st, CD ALW (06/15/2024-R3)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, CD ALW (06/15/2024-R3)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

10 Horse Silk Star Of Mystery Star Of Mystery

Kodiac

5.45

Charlie Appleby

Flavien Prat

3rd, 2024 Jaipur G1

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, 2024 Jaipur G1

2024 Coronation Cup LS

11 Horse Silk Value Area Value Area

More Than Ready

4.45

Todd A. Pletcher

Rider TBA

7th, 2024 Miss Preakness G3

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

7th, 2024 Miss Preakness G3

2024 Coronation Cup LS

12 Horse Silk Do Gooder Do Gooder

Good Samaritan

0.00

Jena M. Antonucci

Javier J. Castellano

4th, Sar Allow (6/6/24-R7)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

4th, Sar Allow (6/6/24-R7)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

13 Horse Silk Golden Degree Golden Degree

Goldencents

0.00

Linda Rice

Jose Lezcano

1st, Aqu Str (6/22/24-R9)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Aqu Str (6/22/24-R9)

2024 Coronation Cup LS

Saturday

Diana (G1), 1 1/8 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

The top six finishers from the Just a Game (G1) at Saratoga return here, and five of them are trained by Chad Brown, who has won this race a record eight times. Chili Flag picked up her third graded-stakes victory in a row in the Just a Game. Another Brown entry, Whitebeam, won this race last year. Didia has been on a win-lose-win-lose-win trend, scoring last out in the New York (G1), with Neecie Marie, also entered here, finishing second. Moira will make her first start since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Horse Silk Moira Moira

Ghostzapper

6.37

Kevin Attard

Tyler Gaffalione

3rd, 2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, 2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf G1

2024 Diana G1

2 Horse Silk Coppice Coppice

Kingman

6.39

Chad C. Brown

Frankie Dettori

6th, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

6th, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

3 Horse Silk Mission Of Joy Mission Of Joy

Kitten’s Joy

6.70

H. Graham Motion

John R. Velazquez

3rd, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

3rd, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

4 Horse Silk Didia Didia

Orpen

7.62

Ignacio Correas IV

Jose L. Ortiz

1st, 2024 New York Stakes G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, 2024 New York Stakes G1

2024 Diana G1

5 Horse Silk Gina Romantica Gina Romantica

Into Mischief

6.80

Chad C. Brown

Manuel Franco

5th, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

5th, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

6 Horse Silk Whitebeam Whitebeam

Caravaggio

7.15

Chad C. Brown

Flavien Prat

2nd, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

7 Horse Silk Fluffy Socks Fluffy Socks

Slumber

7.07

Chad C. Brown

Joel Rosario

1st, 2024 Gallorette G3

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, 2024 Gallorette G3

2024 Diana G1

8 Horse Silk Neecie Marie Neecie Marie

Cross Traffic

6.74

Robert E. Reid Jr.

Luis Saez

2nd, 2024 New York Stakes G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

2nd, 2024 New York Stakes G1

2024 Diana G1

9 Horse Silk Evvie Jets Evvie Jets

Twirling Candy

6.60

Mertkan Kantarmaci

Dylan Davis

4th, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

4th, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

10 Horse Silk Chili Flag Chili Flag

Cityscape

7.61

Chad C. Brown

Irad Ortiz, Jr.

1st, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, 2024 Just A Game G1

2024 Diana G1

11 Horse Silk Venti Valentine Venti Valentine

Firing Line

5.56

Jorge R. Abreu

1st, Critical Eye S.

2024 Diana G1

Entered

Last Race

Next Race

1st, Critical Eye S.

2024 Diana G1

Kelso (G3), 1 mile (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Three of the seven runners from the Poker (G3) return here, including runner up Mysterious Night, who made his first start since finishing 13th in the 1351 Turf Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia. Talk of the Nation, who was third, has a 10: 4-4-1 record. Luis Saez has ridden two of the last three winners, including Casa Creed last year. This year, he’s on Call Me Harry, an 8-year-old gelding making his first graded-stakes start.

Sanford (G3), 6 furlongs, 2-year-olds

Mentee debuted June 15 at Saratoga and set a track record, going five furlongs in 56.97 seconds. Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Sanford a record eight times, gives the mount again to John Velazquez, who has a record seven Sanford scores. Studlydoright is 2-for-2 after winning the listed Tremont Stakes at Saratoga on June 6. Three Echoes won his debut at Churchill Downs before finishing third in the Tremont.

Sunday

Quick Call (G3), 5 1/2 furlongs (turf), 3-year-olds

Unraced as a 2-year-old, Set won his first two starts this year, both at 7 1/2 furlongs, including the black-type Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park. Then he was 12th in the American Turf (G2) after getting bumped at the start and fifth last out in the Penn Mile (G3). Fandom raced twice last year, winning his Keeneland debut then finishing 11th in a Group 2 stakes at Ascot in June. He returned in April to win the listed Palisades at Keeneland by a neck over Mansa Musa, also expected here.

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