With Miss Alacrity out, Seeking the Ante more competitive
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In one sense, the five 2-year-old fillies that were set to face Miss Alacrity in the $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes have already won. Miss Alacrity is staying in Kentucky and won’t run.
Originally one of the six entrants in the 6 1/2-furlong Seeking the Ante, trainer Wesley Ward said earlier this week that Miss Alacrity will stay in training at Keeneland rather than ship to Saratoga. Miss Alacrity is 2 for 2 in her career, and she’s already won an open stakes, the $102,000 Colleen on the grass Aug. 1 at Monmouth. She would have been favored.
That leaves three logical candidates for favoritism in the five-horse field.
Velvet Sister is the only filly in the race to have won in open company, winning a maiden on June 10 at Belmont by 9 3/4 lengths. She wheeled back in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on July 15 at Saratoga and was overwhelmed. Joel Rosario retains the mount for Steve Asmussen.
Laoban’s Legacy won her first start on a sloppy track July 30 at Saratoga by 7 3/4 lengths under Jose Ortiz as the favortie. She earned a 60 Beyer Speed Figure in that first start and has every reason to improve.
Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said that he hopes two four-furlong works since the maiden win have put a little more bottom on the Uncle Mo filly.
“I wasn’t sure I had her 100 percent ready in that first start, and it looked like she got just a little tired in the end,” Englehart said. “But we’ve got two good works in her since then, and she’s looking good.”
It should be noted that Jose Ortiz took off Laoban’s Legacy to ride November Rein, and his highly capable brother Irad will get the ride.
November Rein fills out the top trio. She won her maiden in her second start, on July 16 over a fast track at Saratoga, earning a 76 Beyer, up 10 points from her first start.