Ward has two contenders in Schuylerville
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Moment Is Right likely will be favored as the only stakes winner among the eight 2-year-old fillies in the $150,000 Schuylerville on Friday’s opening-day card at Saratoga. But trainer Wesley Ward cautions not to discount the other filly he has in the Grade 3 dash, Banree, despite her disappointing performance last out while making her stakes debut seven weeks ago in the Tremont.
Moment Is Right is perfect in two starts, having beaten males when winning her debut at Gulfstream Park on May 15 before wheeling back less than three weeks later to win the Astoria by 1 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park.
Banree has faced males in both of her starts, cruising to a four-length victory at first asking April 16 at Keeneland before failing to factor following an eventful trip in the Tremont.
“They’re both doing great,” said Ward. “Every time you watch them breeze together, you couldn’t separate which one is better.”
Moment Is Right and Banree, who have been training at Keeneland since their last starts in New York, earned bullet works when going a half-mile in company in 47.20 seconds June 27. Three weeks later, they completed five furlongs as a team in 59.60 seconds.
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Decked Out and One Minute, second and third in the Astoria, will take another run at Moment Is Right in the Schuylerville. The field also includes the stakes-placed Areolite, along with runaway debut winners Positively Royal, Off the Tracks, and Little Miss Miss.
KEY CONTENDERS
Moment Is Right (Last 2 Beyers: 70-NA)
Speedster has quickly opened up long leads in both previous starts and is likely the one to catch again Friday. “Even though she’s quick, I think of these two fillies, she’s the one who wants to go further,” said Ward.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Moment Is Right and No. 8 Banree. Trainer Wesley Ward is 85-7-16-11 with a $0.52 ROI over the past five years with juveniles at Saratoga; 15-0-4-1 with those outside of the maiden ranks. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Banree (Last 2 Beyers: 58-NA)
Broke five or six lengths behind the winner of the Tremont, Cocked and Loaded, and was beaten only 7 1/4 lengths despite also getting hung out very wide on the turn. The second- and third-place finishers in the Tremont, Paynes Prairie and Swipe, flattered the race with easy wins in their next starts, earning Beyer Speed Figures of 75 and 80.
Decked Out (Last 2 Beyers: 66-68)
She got within a head of Moment Is Right near midstretch of the Astoria but couldn’t match strides with that rival to the wire.
Positively Royal (Last Beyer: 65)
Ran to her backing when bet to 1-2 in her debut.
She outfinished highly regarded mate Tonasah in a sharp five-furlong drill July 17.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Schuylerville five times.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Positively Royal. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 28-7-3-6 with a $1.25 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprint graded stakes at Saratoga with juveniles in their second career start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Off the Tracks (Last Beyer: 58)
Like Moment Is Right, she won her maiden impressively at Gulfstream Park.
Well-bred filly by Curlin is kin to Grade 2 winner Concord Point.