Cherokee Jewel wins Classy Mirage Stakes

Benefiting from a sizzling three-way pace battle, Cherokee Jewel circled widest into the stretch under leading rider Cornelio Velasquez and wore down second choice Sugar Swirl late to win the $82,500 Classy Mirage Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths Monday at Saratoga. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Rich Fantasy in third. Cuaba was used up dueling in between Sugar Swirl and Fast Deal through fast fractions of 21.79 and 44.59 seconds, and faded to fourth at 3-2.

Cherokee Jewel had also been entered in Sunday's Grade 1 Ballerina by trainer Tim Hills, but scratched from that tougher spot. She ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.10 on a fast track. Cherokee Jewel, who won the restricted Capote Belle Stakes at Saratoga last year, paid $8.70 as the third choice in a field of six 4-year-old fillies.

Earlier, Rick Dutrow Jr. and Edgar Prado teamed up to win a pair of overnight stakes for New York-bred fillies, as Ice Cool Kitty ($3.90) and Expect the End ($6.70) rolled home in dominating fashion. They were part of an all-Prado early pick four that paid $80.50.

In the $81,500 Saratoga Dew Stakes for fillies and mares, Ice Cool Kitty defeated Borrowing Base by 3 1/2 lengths, going 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.10. Expect the End drew off steadily under a hand ride to win the $82,500 Jena Jena Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by 13 1/2 lengths after six furlongs in 1:11.52.