Lake George, Schuylerville kick off Saratoga meet

ELMONT, N.Y. – The fields are starting to come together for the first weekend of the Saratoga meet, which begins next Friday.

Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Lake George for 3-year-old fillies on turf is expected to attract Celestine, winner of her last four starts; Feathered, second in the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita; Mississippi Delta, winner of three in a row; Mrs. McDougal and Partisan Politics from the barn of trainer Chad Brown; Quality Rocks, winner of the Grade 3 Florida Oaks; and Robillard, 2 for 2 on turf and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.

Also Friday is the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for juvenile fillies, which is expected to include Adhara, Banree, Decked Out, Little Miss Miss, Off the Tracks, and Positively Royal. Tonasah is possible.

On Saturday, the Grade 1 $500,000 Diana will attract Grade 1 winners Hard Not To Like, Stephanie’s Kitten, and Tepin as well as Lady Lara, Kitten’s Queen, and Waltzing Matilda.

Also Saturday is the Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds, which will include Awesome Slew, Cocked and Loaded, He’s Coming in Hot, John Q. Public, the filly Moment Is Right, Paynes Prairie, Twirling Cinnamon, and Uncle Vinny.

A small but select field is shaping up for the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, to be run July 26 at Saratoga.

Acorn winner Curalina, Mother Goose winner Include Betty, and Fair Grounds Oaks winner I’m a Chatterbox are all expected to run in the $300,000 Coaching Club, a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Alabama on Aug. 22. Others pointing to the CCA Oaks include Conquest Eclipse, a recent allowance winner at Churchill Downs; Danette, a recent maiden winner at Belmont Park; and Munasara, who won her first two starts before finishing last in the Mother Goose.