$150,000 Schuylerville Stakes Kicks Off Saratoga

Category :: News

The highly anticipated 2014 Saratoga racing season begins on Friday and is highlighted by the Schuylerville Stakes, a Grade 3 event for juvenile fillies with a purse of $150,000. The six-furlong contest has drawn a field of five, all of whom arrive at The Spa after notching a win in their previous start, with one of those a first-out score in stakes company at Belmont Park.

Fashion Alert goes for back to back stakes wins

Headlining the field is the rising star, Fashion Alert, 3-5 on the morning line for the powerhouse Todd Pletcher barn. Ridden by John Velazquez, the two-year-old daughter of Old Fashioned broke her maiden against stakes company in the Astoria Stakes in her career debut, drawing off impressively to win by 4 ¾ lengths. A $125,000 purchase as a yearling, she will break from post position four.

Tulira's Star makes East Coast debut

Second choice at 5-2 is Tulira’s Star, a bay daughter of Congrats trained by Richard Metee. She is owned by Barry Irwin’s syndicate, Team Valor International, and will be making her first start on conventional dirt after breaking her maiden over synthetics at Arlington Park in June by 3 ½ lengths and was flattered when the runner-up came back to win. Joe Bravo will be in the irons for the first time.

Take Charge Brandi will break from the outside in the field of five and has been tabbed at 6-1 on the morning line. Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner D. Wayne Lukas, the $435,000 yearling is by Giant’s Causeway and out of a half sister to champion three-year-old Will Take Charge. She won her debut race at Churchill Downs in June by 2 ½ lengths and will again have Corey Lanerie aboard as she goes for her first stakes win.