Stopchargingmaria to miss Shuvee Handicap

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Stopchargingmaria, the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner, will miss next Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Handicap due to a cough, trainer Pletcher said Saturday.

Pletcher still will be well represented in the race by Curalina, the Grade 1 La Troienne winner, who worked a solid half-mile in 47.86 seconds Saturday morning over the Saratoga main track.

Pletcher said if he didn’t have his radio to communicate with the exercise rider, Curalina “might have went a little quicker.”

Curalina won the Coaching Club American Oaks via disqualification here last summer. This year, she won the La Troienne at Churchill Downs before finishing fourth to Cavorting in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps.

Others pointing to the Shuvee include Carrumba and Sweetgrass, with Innovative Idea among the possibilities.

Since Stopchargingmaria has performed so well at Saratoga, Pletcher said he would like to run her in one race up here. Among his options are the Grade 1 Ballerina at seven furlongs or the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at 1 1/8 miles. Both races are on Aug. 27.