Trio of Saratoga stars clash in Frizette

The juvenile filly division was loaded this summer at Saratoga. Just who is the best of that group should be determined Saturday at Belmont Park when Vequist, Dayoutoftheoffice, and Cantata top a talented field of seven 2-year-old fillies going one mile in the Grade 1 Frizette.

Vequist won the last and most important of the three graded stakes for juvenile fillies this summer at Saratoga, drawing off to a 9 1/2-length victory while winning her maiden in the Grade 1 Spinaway. Dayoutoftheoffice kicked off the meet by turning in a similarly impressive six-length victory on opening day in the Grade 3 Schuylerville, while Cantata ran to her 6-5 backing winning her career debut by 10 1/4 lengths midway through the session.

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It did not shock trainer Robert Reid Jr. that Vequist won the seven-furlong Spinaway, but the way she did it surprised him.

“We knew she had talent and was expecting a good performance, but not a great one like that,” he said. “You never expect to win a Grade 1 by almost 10 lengths. With a maiden! But the one thing we were confident in was the distance would be no problem. The further the better for her. And she’s come out of the race training very well.”

Reid said he isn’t at all concerned that Vequist and jockey Luis Saez drew the rail for the Frizette, which is a Win and You’re In for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Nov. 6.

“Naturally we’d rather have something more to the outside, but being a one-turn mile, the jock should have plenty of time to work out a trip down there,” said Reid. “She didn’t get off sharply in her last race, but ran up in between horses nicely. Nothing seems to bother her.”

Dayoutoftheoffice stalked the pace before pulling away to a six-length triumph in the six-furlong Schuylerville, her second win in as many starts. After the race, trainer Tim Hamm decided to give the daughter of Into Mischief the rest of the summer off.

“We felt she was a growthy filly and just wanted to space her races,” said Hamm. “She won the Schuylerville about as handily as we could have imagined and she trains like a horse who is going to run longer, so I think she will love a mile. And I think this being a one-turn mile with time between races is a good progression for her.”

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Cantata is one of two fillies trainer Steve Asmussen entered in the Frizette along with Joy’s Rocket, who was second last out in the Bolton Landing on the turf at Saratoga. Cantata sat a perfect stalking trip en route to her one-sided debut win going 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 16.

“I think this is the right next race for her,” said Asmussen. “I think going further is going to come naturally to her and we had success last year in the Frizette with a filly who had run once in the same time frame.”

Asmussen was referring to Wicked Whisper, who won the Frizette off a 6 1/4-length maiden win at Saratoga.

Fifth Risk, another first-out maiden breaker this summer at Saratoga, will make her stakes debut in the Frizette. Completing the lineup are Cilla, who won a maiden race at Delaware, and Get On the Bus, runner-up in the Grade 2 Sorrento to launch her career and then fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante.

– additional reporting by David Grening