Just three will challenge Curalina in Shuvee

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Curalina looks to rebound from a disappointing fourth-place finish as the favorite in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes on June 11 when she heads a field of just four in Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Handicap at Saratoga.

Curalina, trained by Todd Pletcher, is a multiple Grade 1 winner, including a victory via the disqualification of I’m a Chatterbox in the Coaching Club American Oaks last summer here.

Curalina began her year with a monster effort in the Grade 1 La Troienne, winning by 7 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs. She then ran fourth behind Cavorting in the Phipps.

“She ran a huge race off the bench, I thought that [the Phipps] was better than it looked, and she’s trained exceptionally well for this,” said Pletcher, who has won three of the last four runnings of the Shuvee.

Carrumba, third in the Phipps; Joint Return, second in the 2014 Alabama; and Sweetgrass, the winner of a second-level allowance at Belmont on July 1, complete the field.

Curalina will be the 122-pound highweight, giving five pounds to Carrumba (117).