The Queens M G scores 44-1 upset in chaotic Schuylerville Stakes
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There was commotion before, during, and after Thursday’s $175,000 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga, but when the smoke cleared it was The Queens M G who pulled a 44-1 upset in the stakes for juvenile fillies on opening day of the 40-day meet.
The Queens M G, who finished last as the 2-1 favorite in the Astoria Stakes here June 6, returned $91 as the longest shot in an 11-horse field. Her victory played a large part in creating a $116,881 pick six carryover into Friday’s card.
Being drawn on the outside was a huge advantage for The Queens M G. Prior to the start, several horses acted up – the two top choices Viggiedal and Complexion as well as Whatintheliteral. Complexion acted up twice in the gate and was finally unloaded after jockey John Velazquez had to dismount.
When Velazquez remounted and the assistant starters put Complexion back into the starting gate – none of the horses were backed out – it was only a matter of seconds before the doors officially opened. When they did, Whatintheliteral, the upset winner of the Astoria Stakes, stumbled badly and sent Javier Castellano over her head and to the ground. Castellano quickly got up, and Whatintheliteral ran in the back of the pack riderless. She was caught past the wire by an outrider and was okay, trainer Jena Antonucci reported. Castellano also was deemed to be okay after being examined at First Aid.
Meanwhile, Slang was pulled up about a furlong into the race by jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. The horse later got loose after being handed off to an ontrack official. Slang was ultimately caught and vanned off. Trainer Norm Casse said Santana told him Slang lost her action behind, so he pulled her up. Casse said Slang was “no worse for the wear.”
While all that was going on, jockey Dylan Davis had The Queens M G stalking three wide outside of Aoraki and Viggiedal through a half-mile run in 45.19 seconds.
Turning for home, Davis got The Queens M G moving and she opened up a 2 1/2-length advantage by midstretch and won by 2 3/4 lengths over Sherbini, who rallied from last under Florent Geroux. It was 3 3/4 lengths back to Long Neck Paula in third.
“There was a lot of commotion inside [of me] out of the gate, she was able to get a nice comfortable trip, stalking three wide,” Davis said. “She was feeling nice into the turn, I was just trying to manage her, to not use herself too early for a late closer and waiting for her to switch over to her right lead. Once she switched over, I asked her and she picked up nicely and she was game today.”
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The Queens M G, a daughter of Thousand Words, covered the six furlongs in 1:11.31. The Queens M G won her first start at Keeneland at odds of 45-1 for owner/trainer Israel Acevedo. She was purchased after that race by the partnership of C 2 Racing and Mathis Stable and turned over to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The Queens M G had to scratch out of a race at Churchill, and her effort in the Astoria was too bad to be true, according to Joseph, so he gave her another try.
“I figured we’d carry forward like that race didn’t exist and train her to the Schuylerville,” Joseph told the New York Racing Association publicity department. “We had nothing to lose today by running, and she showed today that she’s a good horse.”
Following Long Neck Paula in the order of finish was Carmen’s Candy Jar, Aoraki, Viggiedal, Complexion, Dreamgirl, and West Memorial.
Danny Gargan, the trainer of Complexion, was furious that the race was started so quickly after Complexion was loaded following her mishap at the gate.
“They broke when no one’s ready,” Gargan yelled. “Johnny said they sprung it as soon as he walked in.”
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