Stopchargingmaria, Lady Eli among workers Saturday

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Not every horse on the grounds put in a timed workout Friday. It just seemed that way.

Still, one day after there were 451 recorded works, 90 horses put in workouts Saturday morning, though some were in the fog, which was prevalent during early training hours.

Stopchargingmaria, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner, was the only horse trainer Todd Pletcher breezed on Saturday, after breezing dozens of horses Friday. Stopchargingmaria, working in the fog, went five furlongs in 1:02.30 over the Oklahoma training track. It was her second work since resuming training following a cough that forced her to miss the Shuvee Handicap.

“I thought at the eighth pole when I told Hector [Ramos] to let her go ahead and finish up, I thought I saw her accelerate, and I thought her gallop-out looked good, ” Pletcher said. “So, we’re still in position to consider races on the 27th if she comes back with a good work next week.”

Pletcher’s options are the Grade 1 Ballerina at seven furlongs or the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at 1 1/8 miles.

“From the standpoint that she lost some training, I think that keeps the Ballerina in play,” Pletcher said.

If Stopchargingmaria runs in the Ballerina, she likely will face Carina Mia, the Grade 1 Acorn winner and runner-up in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks. After the fog lifted, Carina Mia worked a half-mile 48.25 seconds, with a final quarter of 23.26, over the training track.

“How could she be any better?” trainer Bill Mott said when asked about the work.

Meanwhile, when forecasted rains failed to materialize Saturday morning, trainer Chad Brown took advantage, breezing Lady Eli over the Oklahoma turf course. Lady Eli went five furlongs in 1:01.36, getting her final quarter in 24.08 seconds under exercise rider Walter Melasquez. She breezed in company with Mrs McDougal, who had jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.

Lady Eli galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.14 and seven-eighths in 1:27.18.

“A-plus work, she worked terrific,” Brown said. “I’m very pleased. She’s always going to look sharper on firmer ground, but that was a really good work.”

Lady Eli remains on target for the Grade 2 Ballston Spa here on Aug. 27.