Filly on the rise Robin Sparkles goes in Caress Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Nearly a year after she won her maiden for a $40,000 claiming tag here last summer, Robin Sparkles will make her graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Caress Stakes for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

Robin Sparkles, a New York-bred daughter of Elusive Quality, has five wins and a second from six starts on turf. Her lone stakes victory came in the off-the-turf Mount Vernon Stakes for New York-breds in the mud on May 31. On June 24, she won an open-company allowance race, running six furlongs in 1:07.14.

“This year she’s really developed,” trainer Bruce Brown said. “Jose Ortiz has breezed her a couple of times, and he always says she’s still growing. She didn’t run until she was 3, so it’s almost like she’s a little behind. Last year was more like her 2-year-old year.”

The Caress drew a field of six, including Caravel, a four-time listed stakes winner in the Mid-Atlantic. A majority interest in her was recently purchased by Bobby Flay, and she is still trained by Elizabeth Merryman.

Also entered were Flower Point, Jakarta, Tass, and In Good Spirits.

◗ Notables on the Wednesday work tab were Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Silver State, who went five furlongs in 1:00.49, and Grade 1 Hopeful winner Jackie’s Warrior, who went five furlongs in 1:01.20. Both works were done over the Oklahoma training track.

Silver State is pointing to the Whitney, while Jackie’s Warrior is scheduled for the Grade 2 Amsterdam on Aug. 1.