Fierce Lady gets back to work in Stillwater Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It has been an interesting few weeks for the 2-year-old filly Fierce Lady.

On June 22 at Belmont Park, Fierce Lady made a smart-looking debut to win a five-furlong maiden race by six lengths. Sixteen days later, she was put through the auction ring at the Fasig-Tipton July selected horses of racing age sale, where she brought a final bid of $725,000, just below the reserve of $749,000 placed on her by her consignor.

The day after the sale Fierce Lady was sent back to New York and her trainer, Dermot Magner. On Thursday, Fierce Lady will start as the likely favorite in the $100,000 Stillwater Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies at Saratoga. The Stillwater was formerly run as the Lynbrook and held at Belmont Park. It was moved to Saratoga when this meet was extended to eight weeks.

In her debut, Fierce Lady broke running from the rail under Javier Castellano and ran fractions of 21.82 seconds for the quarter and 44.49 for the half before completing five furlongs in a sharp 56.47. Her 87 Beyer Speed Figure is second only to the 88 Amalfi Sunrise received among 2-year-old fillies so far this year.

“On paper, she’s got to be the filly to beat,” Magner said.

Magner said that Fierce Lady missed only three days of training due to the sale.

“I just galloped her into it, didn’t really have enough time to breeze her,” he said. “She trained pretty good right out of the race.”

There are several in here who have shown good early speed. Time Limit, a daughter of Bustin Stones, was a debut winner June 23, running fractions of 21.64 and 45.03 before covering five furlongs in 59.09 while winning by 6 1/4 lengths. Castellano was on her that day, but he has opted to stick with Fierce Lady. Jose Ortiz will ride Time Limit from post 6.

My Italian Rabbi broke slowly when she won her debut. She rushed up to attend the pace before edging away to win by 2 1/2 lengths while never changing leads in the stretch.

Trainer Gary Contessa has Classy Sadie and Jen’s Battle entered in the Stillwater. Classy Sadie won an off-the-turf maiden race in the mud June 20 in her second start. Jen’s Battle was checked early and fell way back in her only start, finishing 9 1/4 lengths behind Time Limit in third.

“She had the worst trip since the Titanic,” Contessa said. “Checked, blocked, making a late run and getting dirt in her face. Everything went wrong for her.”

Contessa said he expects Classy Sadie to be a pace factor and Jen’s Battle to be coming late.

Jewel of Arabia, a first-time starter from the barn of Christophe Clement, completes the field.

The Stillwater is carded as the third race on a Thursday card that begins at 1 p.m.