Lukas and Pletcher clash in Schuylerville

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Todd Pletcher have combined to win 10 runnings of the Schuylerville Stakes for juvenile fillies. There’s a 40 percent chance that one of them will win it again.

Only five 2-year-old fillies were entered Tuesday for the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes, the traditional opening-day feature on Friday’s 10-race card at Saratoga. Due to the short field, it will be run as race 3 on the program.

Lukas, a six-time winner of the Schuylerville, sends out Take Charge Brandi, an eye-catching debut winner at Churchill Downs on June 22. Pletcher, who has won the Schuylerville four times, sends out Fashion Alert, who as a first-time starter won the Astoria Stakes at Belmont on June 14 by 4 3/4 lengths.

Take Charge Brandi is the granddaughter of Take Charge Lady, who produced last year’s 3-year-old champion male, Will Take Charge, as well as the Grade 1 winner Take Charge Indy. Take Charge Brandi, under Corey Lanerie, was basically in hand the whole way in her debut, running 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.26 seconds.

“He never even moved his little finger,” Lukas said. “It was as pretty a maiden winner as I’ve had in years.”

Take Charge Brandi will break from post 5 under Lanerie, who is riding his first meet at Saratoga after winning the Churchill Downs riding title.

Fashion Alert, a daughter of Old Fashioned, ran in the Astoria as a first-time starter because Pletcher couldn’t find a maiden race to fill. She broke alertly from the outside post and cruised to a front-running score, running 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.01.
Fashion Alert breaks from post 4 under John Velazquez.

Completing the field are Tulira’s Star, purchased privately by Team Valor International following a debut win at Arlington Park; Evrybdymstgetstonz, a winner against New York-breds on July 2; and Mast Cover, a winner of a maiden $30,000 claimer at Delaware Park.