Miss Behaviour set for Prioress

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Miss Behaviour, runner-up to Sweet Reason in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on Aug. 2, will return for Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Prioress Stakes, trainer Phil Schoenthal confirmed on Monday.

Miss Behaviour came out of the Test with superficial cuts on her hind leg, but they did not interrupt her training, Schoenthal said. Last Thursday, Miss Behaviour worked four furlongs in 48.60 seconds at Laurel Park.

“The Prioress was a race we had circled since the beginning of the year, the one we thought we had a chance to be the most competitive in,” Schoenthal said. “Running second in the Test was gravy. We were over the moon about it.”

The Test was run at seven furlongs. The Prioress is run at six furlongs, a distance at which Miss Behaviour is 3 for 3, including victories in the Sorority at Monmouth and Grade 2 Matron at Belmont at age 2, and the Miss Preakness at Pimlico earlier this year.

“The Test nobody had too high expectations, and it felt like there was no pressure,” Schoenthal said. “The Prioress we certainly we feel like we have a huge chance.”

Javier Castellano, aboard for the Test, will be back aboard for the Prioress.

Others pointing to the Prioress include Milam, Princess Violet, Red Velvet, Southern Honey, Stonetastic, Sweet Whiskey, Tea Time, Thirteen Arrows, and Who’s In Town. Taris is possible.