Brown pair among seven expected for well-matched Ballston Spa
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With the connections of cross-entered Be Your Best opting to run in Saturday’s Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs, Friday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga has become a wide-open affair.
Even though eight-time Ballston Spa winning trainer Chad Brown has two contenders in this field, neither Whiskey Decision nor Maggie Go tower over the competition. The field for the 1 1/16-mile race also includes Ozara and Deep Satin, the winners of split divisions of the De La Rose, the opening day stakes run here on July 13, and Ocean Club, winner of the Grade 2 Nassau last out at Woodbine. The Ballston Spa is likely to run with seven, as Freedom Speaks was also expected to scratch in favor of a Thursday allowance, according to trainer Heather Smullen.
Whiskey Decision and Maggie Go come out of a one-two finish in the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes on June 14 at Monmouth Park. In what was her first start in eight months, Whiskey Decision found a gaping hole along the rail turning for home and got the jump on both Maggie Go and Ozara, winning by two lengths.
“She didn’t totally surprise me. I guess where I was pleasantly surprised was that I had her fit enough to do that,” Brown said. “She certainly has class and her works were certainly very solid.”
Brown believes there is room for Whiskey Decision, a daughter of Into Mischief, to take another step forward.
“I think so, because I didn’t feel like I had her fully cranked,” he said. “She’s come back and trained really, really well.”
Maggie Go, a Group 2 winner in Argentina, was sent off the 6-5 favorite in the Eatontown in what was her first start in almost a year. Brown said Maggie Go may not have cared for the less-than-firm going that day at Monmouth, at least according to her rider, Flavien Prat.
“He said her wheels were spinning a little bit,” Brown said. “He said, ‘I’m not sure if it was Monmouth’s course or the wet turf, but I went from loaded to sort of trying to find the bridle in the stretch.’ She trained fabulous going into the race, so we’ll try it again on a different course and hopefully it’s firm.”
Manny Franco rides Whiskey Decision, while Prat again pilots Maggie Go.
Ozara won the faster division of the De La Rose Stakes on the opening-day card here on July 10. She got a stalking trip and came home well to beat Spinning Colors by a half-length, running a mile in 1:34.25. About 90 minutes earlier, Deep Satin won the other half of the De La Rose in 1:35.49.
Ozara, trained by Miguel Clement, is 2 for 2 over Saratoga’s turf course as part of a 6-for-12 career record.
“It’s aggressive, but she’s given every sign that she’s doing well in her training, the way she’s eating, her energy level,” Clement said. “We’re based in New York, so go for it.”
Ozara, Clement said, may not have cared for the ground at Monmouth.
“It was softer than it was labeled,” he said.
Deep Satin, like Ozara, is 2 for 2 over Saratoga’s turf course. She was a beaten favorite in her first two starts of this year but got up over In Our Time to win her division of the De La Rose.
“She’s definitely trained forwardly from that race and she’s a filly that continues to improve,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said. “She ran a really good race off the layoff and I think she bounced a bit [when fifth in Mint Julep] and ran a good race third off the bench. She has more improving to do.”
Ocean Club was a front-running winner of the one-mile Nassau, setting quick fractions in the process, but she is only 1 for 6 at 1 1/16 miles.
No Mo Candy upset last year’s Grade 3 Pebbles at 18-1 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. She is winless in two starts this year. Edict set the pace in the Grade 1 New York and the Deep Satin-won division of the De La Rose and finished sixth in both races.
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