California fillies invade for Test Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – California invaders have had success in this decade shipping east for the Grade 1 Test Stakes, and with no suitable options in the 3-year-old filly sprint division at the Del Mar meeting, a trio of West Coast invaders will try to add to that recent history in the $500,000 Test on Saturday’s Whitney Stakes program at Saratoga.
California shippers won the Test four years in a row from 2010-13, and two of the three fillies shipping east for Saturday’s renewal, Chalon and American Gal, have already made their mark in New York, having registered easy stakes victories at Belmont. They’ll be joined in the 10-horse field by the red-hot Faypien, whose trainer, Bob Baffert, won the Test with Indian Blessing in 2008 and Contested in 2012.
The local contingent is topped by Grade 2 winner Tequilita, the undefeated Your Love, and multiple stakes winner Chanel’s Legacy. Cursor, Divine Miss Grey, Minnie Blip, and Vertical Oak complete the lineup.
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Chalon has not started since winning the six-furlong Jersey Girl at Belmont by 6 1/2 lengths eight weeks ago in far and away the best effort of her four-race career. She received a 93 Beyer Speed Figure in that race, tops in the Test field. The seven-furlong Test will, however, be the first time she’s competed beyond 6 1/2 furlongs.
“Everything out here for the 3-year-old fillies is either on the grass or long, so this was the only real logical spot for her,” trainer Peter Miller said from California. “She ran well the last time we shipped her, she’s doing super, and we figured why not take a shot?
Miller said he considered running Chalon at Belmont again in the Victory Ride on July 9 but decided that he didn’t want to ship her from California to New York and back three times over the summer.
The speedy Chalon will break from post 3 in the Test, which might be more of a problem for her than the distance or weather forecast, which is calling for a 90 percent chance of rain here Saturday.
“She trains like a horse who wants seven furlongs – it shouldn’t be an issue – and she’s already won on a wet track,” said Miller. “There’s not much we can do about the post, but she’s a real good gate horse, has tactical speed, and I don’t think she necessarily needs the lead, even though she’s been in front in all her previous races.”
