Cavorting staying with own kind in Prioress

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wanting to keep Cavorting in her own age group as long as possible, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin plans to run the Grade 1 Test winner back in the Grade 2, $300,000 Prioress Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga on Sept. 6.

McLaughlin announced his intentions to run in the Prioress after Cavorting worked four furlongs in 49.25 seconds on the main track Friday.

McLaughlin’s initial thought about a Breeders’ Cup prep race for Cavorting was the Gallant Bloom at Belmont Park on Sept. 26. But that would have meant facing older fillies and mares like La Verdad at 6 1/2 furlongs. McLaughlin said he prefers to run Cavorting at six furlongs against her own age group in the Prioress.

“We give away a little weight, but she’s doing very well,” he said. “We thought we’d go from there to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Cavorting won the Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont coming off a 104-day layoff and the Test off a 64-day layoff. Cavorting’s speed figures for the Test were not as strong as they were for the Jersey Girl, so McLaughlin doesn’t fear her regressing while running back in four weeks since the Test.

“She got a slower [Ragozin] number – she got a 9,” he said. “It’s not like she’s supposed to react.”

Promise Me Silver, who has lost her last two starts after winning her first eight, worked four furlongs in 46.46 seconds Friday in preparation for an expected start in the Prioress. It was the fastest of 43 works at the distance.

Others pointing to the Prioress include Test runner-up Bar of Gold, Ekati’s Phaeton, Fusaichi Red, Paid Up Subscriber, and Sky Gold.