Willet's win opens door to Ballerina

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After galloping to a four-length victory in a New York-bred allowance race at Saratoga on Wednesday, Willet could be headed to the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes, trainer and part-owner Jimmy Iselin said Thursday.

Willet, a 6-year-old daughter of Jump Start, earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97 for running six furlongs in 1:09.49. It was her eighth victory in 17 career starts. She is a four-time New York-bred stakes winner whom Iselin is hoping to make into a graded stakes winner.

“We ran in here because we wanted to see where she fit in,” Iselin said. “Everybody was impressed. We’ll consider the Ballerina. We’ll see how she does. She deserves an opportunity in either [the Ballerina] or the Gallant Bloom.”

The Gallant Bloom is a Grade 2 sprint for fillies and mares run in September at Belmont Park. This year’s Belmont Park stakes schedule has yet to be released.

Iselin said Willet will return to Belmont Park to train while he decides where next to run.