SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The uber-consistent Future Is Now seeks to continue her present run of success when she aims for a repeat victory in Friday’s $150,000 Smart and Fancy Stakes at Saratoga. A 5-year-old Maryland-bred daughter of Great Notion, Future Is Now is a length away from bringing an eight-race winning streak into this 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for females. Beginning in May 2024, when she won The Very One at Pimlico, Future Is Now has won six of her last eight starts – all stakes – with two defeats coming by a half-length each. Three of those stakes wins have come at Saratoga, including a half-length victory in last month’s Grade 3 Caress at this same distance. “We don’t have as much time in between [races] as we did the last time, but that’s just how the schedule goes,” said Michael Trombetta, trainer of Future Is Now. “I certainly want to try to give her one more run at Saratoga. She seems to appreciate that track.” Future Is Now is a homebred of R. Larry Johnson, the prominent Maryland owner/breeder who died in February. Future Is Now runs for his estate, which is managed by Johnson’s two daughters, Tracy and Kelly. “It’s been emotional for all of us,” Trombetta said. “He had a fantastic year last year and he’s having a really good year this year as well. It’s very unfortunate that he’s not here to see it.” :: Bet Smarter at Saratoga. Unlock DRF data and expert analysis all meet long. Save with a Saratoga Handicapping Package from DRF.  Future Is Now has ample speed, and it seems like jockey Paco Lopez knows when to use it. He has more options when drawn in outside posts, so Trombetta is content that Future Is Now starts from post 6 in this nine-horse field. “When you’re outside, it’s a whole lot different,” Trombetta said. “If someone really wants to go on, you can allow that to happen, where when you’re down on the inside, you just don’t have quite the same amount of choices.” Future Is Now has mostly a new set of challengers than the group she faced in the Caress. Among the more intriguing is Ellen Jay, the first foal out of the female champion sprinter Covfefe, who did all her running on dirt. Ellen Jay, owned by the LNJ Foxwoods of Larry, Nanci, and Jaime Roth and trained by Brad Cox, is 3 for 3 on turf. However, she has not raced since winning the Glen Cove Stakes at Aqueduct last October, although she does have 11 workouts since May 20 leading up to her return. “She’s been ready for a month, just looking for a race,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We entered in a three-other-than that didn’t go. It’s a tough race off the layoff for her. We‘re just looking for a positive effort. I’m not saying she can’t win, but hopefully she can move forward off this.” Trainer Miguel Clement sends out the uncoupled pair of Dontlookbackatall and Gal in a Rush. Dontlookbackatall beat Future Is Now in the 2024 Caress Stakes, but she is 0 for 5 since. The New York-bred Sunday Girl is 7 for 9 in her career and is coming off a win in the John Hettinger Stakes, her lone try on turf, albeit against New York-breds. Though she won that race on the lead, trainer David Duggan said that was the result of there being no speed in that race. Duggan believes she’ll stalk the pace on Friday. “I see her sitting third [if] they’re going to go 21 and change” said Duggan, referring to the opening quarter. “They went so slow in the last race, by default we ended up on the lead. But this is a true acid test. I’m under no illusion, try to be optimistic. It’s not like she’s tapering off in her form. Se’s in the right kind of order to take a chance.” Risk Threshold, Benedetta, Twirling Queen, and Out too Late complete the field on turf. Legadema and Little Prankster are entered to run only if the race is moved to the main track. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.