Maracuja will try to beat Malathaat a second time in Alabama

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Rob Atras isn’t necessarily looking for validation when he runs Coaching Club Oaks upset winner Maracuja in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.

“You always want to win, but you never expect to win,” Atras said Wednesday. “If she can duplicate the effort and produce the same result great, if she runs a really great race and runs second, I’m still going to be happy and proud of her.”

Maracuja ran a really great race four weeks ago in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks when, after pressing the pace, she dropped a couple of lengths back under Ricardo Santana Jr. and then re-rallied to outfinish 1-5 favorite Malathaat to win by a head. Maracuja was 14-1 in a four-horse field.

Malathaat, who beat Maracuja by 7 1/2 lengths in the Kentucky Oaks, figures to once again be favored in the Alabama, which drew a field of seven when entries were taken Wednesday. The remainder of the field includes Army Wife, Crazy Beautiful, Clairiere, Played Hard, and Will’s Secret.

Maracuja, a daughter of Honor Code, had a modest résumé entering the CCA Oaks. She had one win from three starts sprinting during the Aqueduct 2020-21 winter meet. She then finished a solid second behind heavily favored Search Results in the Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct. That was her first race around two turns and at 1 1/8 miles.

The decision was made by Beach Haven Thoroughbreds and Atras to run Maracuja in the Kentucky Oaks, where she broke slow and was 11th of 13 early. She ultimately finished seventh.

“I was on the fence if it was the right move or not,” Atras said about running in the Kentucky Oaks. “I’m not regretting the decision at all. She kind of broke flat-footed, got shuffled back. At the end of the day, she ran a decent race and came running at the end. It wasn’t like it was anything bad. She came out of the race fine.”

Maracuja was targeting the Mother Goose on June 26, but missed the race due to illness. She fired that big performance in the CCA Oaks with 12 weeks between races. She is capable of taking a step forward off that effort.

“She came out of the race good, it made it easier for us to train her up to this race,” Atras said.

At 1 1/4 miles, the Alabama is a bit unique in this division. It is a distance that Atras feels won’t hamper his filly.

“Even before the Oaks we thought she was going to appreciate more distance, more ground,” Atras said. “These two races in Saratoga were our goals for the summer.”