SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It doesn’t take a very long look at the past performances for Thursday’s $100,000 Union Avenue Handicap at Saratoga to figure out who the horse to beat is in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for New York bred fillies and mares. On paper, Sadie Lady appears to be a standout in the Union Avenue, exiting a 1 1/2-length victory over similar statebred opposition on June 12 that came on the heels of a second-place finish against open company in the Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap five weeks earlier. Sadie Lady has registered Beyer Speed Figures of either 84 or 85 in each of her last three starts, nearly 20 points higher than any of her five rivals have mustered in their most recent outings. Sadie Lady is also also the speed of the field and likely to clear off to an easy lead, as usual, from her inside post under jockey Jose Ortiz. But as everyone knows, they don’t run the races on paper. Just asked anybody who backed and then watched in a measure of disbelief as Water’s Edge finished second as the 1-5 favorite here in Sunday’s fourth race. And there are still facts to consider, including that Sadie’s Lady must tote high weight of 124 pounds and will be competing over Saratoga’s main track for the first time in Saturday’s main event – issues trainer Rob Atras addressed while discussing Sadie’s Lady and her prospects for the Union Avenue. “I had her entered in the [Grade 2 Honorable Miss] 19 days earlier but it came up really tough with speed inside of us and I didn’t feel like we could make both [races], so I opted to scratch and get her ready for this race, which appeared to be the better opportunity,” said Atras, who won the Grade 1 Coaching Club Oaks with Maricuja earlier in the meet. “Hopefully with her speed out of the gate she can get out there and kind of rate a little bit where she can have some kick turning for home.” Atras said he’s not really concerned that Sadie’s Lady, who has made 20 previous starts with eight victories on her résumé, has yet to run over the local strip or must concede weight to the rest of the field. “We had her up here last summer but she wasn’t quite right and we never got to run her,” said Atras. “You never know sometimes until they try it, but she’s worked over this track five times this summer, and she’s seemed to handle it well. And she’s carried weight before.” Finding a suitable alternative in the compact lineup for those inclined to side against the short-priced favorite is no easy task. :: Visit DRF's Saratoga shop for all your handicapping needs: Past performances, picks, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more Hannah Dances has been unbeatable thus far this season, winning all four of her starts, but will get a class check stepping out of her comfort zone at Finger Lakes for the first time in a dozen lifetime starts. Awesome Debate returns on short rest after a frustrating experience at Finger Lakes just 10 days earlier when finishing fifth and last as a 3-5 favorite after a very eventful start. Awesome Debate was claimed out of a winning effort for $45,000 over a sloppy track while making her Saratoga debut earlier in the meet. Diva Banker, a former $4,000 claimer at Mountaineer Park, found renewed life earlier this season after being claimed by trainer Ray Handal, defeating open $8,000 claiming rivals at Churchill Downs on May 16 before upsetting first level New York-bred allowance opposition at Belmont Park later in the spring. Irish Constitution, the second member of the field trained by Handal, and Lot of Honey, are the only 3-year-olds in the lineup. Irish Constituton broke her maiden locally before finishing far back in the Grade 1 Spinaway at 2, but has been idle since finishing third against statebred allowance company at Belmont on May 14.