Three years after winning the Schuylerville Stakes with Pretty Birdie, trainer Norm Casse will try to duplicate that achievement Thursday when he sends out Slang in the $175,000 Schuylerville, the opening-day feature as Saratoga begins its 40-day meet. Slang was one of 11 2-year-old fillies entered in the Schuylerville, a six-furlong race downgraded from a Grade 3 to a listed race for this year’s running. There are 11 races on Thursday’s opening-day card, each field having drawn 10 or more horses. Slang, a daughter of Omaha Beach, finished fourth in her May 17 debut, eight lengths behind Vodka With a Twist, who came back to win last weekend’s Debutante at Churchill Downs. Slang came back three weeks after her debut to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race at Churchill by 1 1/4 lengths, fighting back after being headed by Murphy Girl in midstretch. “Slang’s biggest attribute, or the thing I most admire about her so far, is she is a racehorse,” Casse said. “In her debut, when she lost contact with the eventual winner, as the other horses engaged her, she picked up the bridle again and ran on. So, she has that grit that you like to see in a horse, especially in a filly like her.” Mrs. Worldwide, who finished third to Slang in that June 7 race, came back to win a maiden race Thursday at Ellis Park. :: Gain a competitive edge at Saratoga with DRF's premier handicapping data — purchase our meet packages today and bet with confidence. Slang drew post 4 in the Schuylerville and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. There are two stakes winners in the field, including Whatintheliteral, who upset the Astoria Stakes on June 6 at Saratoga, and West Memorial, who defeated boys in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs before finishing fifth in the Astoria. Aoraki, beaten a head in the Astoria, and Viggiedal, a debut winner June 14 at Churchill Downs, drew posts 1 and 10, respectively, for trainer Steve Asmussen. Complexion, a 6 1/2-length debut winner at Aqueduct for trainer Danny Gargan, drew post 5. The field, in post order is: Aoraki, West Memorial, Sherbini, Slang, Complexion, Carmen’s Candy Jar, Dreamgirl, Whatintheliteral, Long Neck Paula, Viggiedal, and The Queens M G. Rhyme Schemes on comeback trail Last summer, Norm Casse won the Grade 2 Saratoga Special with Rhyme Schemes, who galloped by 9 1/2 lengths in the 6 1/2-furlong race. But Casse didn’t get to enjoy the victory very long. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Rhyme Schemes came out of the race with an injury that has kept him away from the races for nearly a year. Rhyme Schemes has recently returned to the work tab and on Friday had his third breeze back, going a half-mile in 48.20 seconds at the Thoroughbred Training Center. “He’s been doing really well since we brought him back,” Casse said. “He’ll ship over to our barn at Churchill this weekend in hopes of getting an allowance race at Ellis in August. Hopefully, he comes back just as good and we can map out something really fun late summer or early fall.” Casse said the injury to Rhyme Schemes required surgery. “We gave him more than ample time to come back, did everything right with him, hopefully he rewards us for all this patience we’ve given,” Casse said. Prior to his victory in the Saratoga Special, Rhyme Schemes had won a maiden race at Ellis Park, also by 9 1/2 lengths. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.