SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Peruse the starting lineup in post position order for Thursday’s $100,000 Riskaverse Stakes at Saratoga and the farther down one goes, the more obvious it gets that there isn’t very much speed in the field. But then one arrives at the very last name on the list, Cherry Lodge. She exits a wire-to-wire allowance win on the grass and figures to have a pace advantage in the one-mile turf test for 3-year-old fillies who have never won a stakes at a mile or over. Cherry Lodge was an instant success at 2, graduating at first asking going 5 1/2 furlongs on the main course for trainer Todd Pletcher before finishing third in the Grade 1 Spinaway and second in the Grade 3 Matron to close out her abbreviated campaign. Cherry Lodge had worked exclusively on dirt both at 2 and upon returning to training this spring at Palm Beach Downs. But shortly after arriving at Belmont Park, trainer Todd Pletcher decided to experiment by breezing her on the grass. He liked what he saw, which led to Cherry Lodge launching her 3-year-old campaign with a 1 1/4-length allowance win going seven furlongs over the Belmont turf July 9. :: Save up to 55¢/card on PPs with a 5-pack “She’s a sister to a horse who won a graded stakes on the turf at Gulfstream Park a few years ago,” said Pletcher, referring to Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes winner Gala Award. “She was training okay on dirt but I wanted to give her a breeze on the grass one morning. She went extremely well, so we decided to give grass a try and it worked out well.” Drawn just inside Cherry Lodge is Defiant Honor, who was an impressive allowance winner at Belmont in her 2017 debut before finishing sixth as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 3 Lake George here earlier in the meet. “She displaced in her last start,” trainer Jimmy Toner said, referring to a displacement of the soft palate, which affects a horse’s breathing. Toner said Defiant Honor subsequently underwent a myectomy, minor surgery commonly used to treat the ailment. Defiant Honor has had two works since the surgery, including five furlongs in 1:02 over the Oklahoma turf course on Aug. 12. “Hopefully we’ve corrected the problem,” Toner said. “She breezed here last week and she’s doing great.” :: Free Travers Day webinar, beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. ET Trainer Mark Casse will take advantage of the conditions of the Riskaverse with Pretty City Dancer, who dead-heated for first here last summer in the Grade 1 Spinaway at seven furlongs. She’ll make her turf debut Thursday. Casse also sends out the stakes winner Let It Ride Mom, who finished fifth earlier in the meet in her only outing on grass. Chubby Star led early in the relatively paceless Lake George four weeks ago and gets some class relief in the Riskaverse after finishing fourth against Grade 3 company in her last two starts. Key Contenders: Cherry Lodge, by Bernardini Last 3 Beyers: 85-64-64 ◗ Pletcher said he’d like to see Cherry Lodge in front in the Riskaverse, but only “under the right circumstances.” “We drew a tough post, but she is good from the gate and hopefully she can get over and save some ground,” Pletcher said. Defiant Honor, by Speightstown Last 3 Beyers: 81-86-72 ◗ Toner said he’s not pleased that Defiant Honor will break from post 9 in the 10-horse field.