Saratoga Report #1

Three Stars of the Week

– 1st Star: Curalina (KY) – She’s now a dual Grade 1 winner, and even though it took a DQ for her to get the win in the Coaching Club American Oaks (REPLAY) you still can’t discount the fact she ran a solid race.  It looks as though her and I’m a Chatterbox are evenly matched so it could set up to be an interesting rematch if both horses target the Alabama Stakes later on in the meet.  For now we can only debate as to which one is better with no current clear answer.  One thing we do know: Curalina is a very nice filly.

– 2nd Star: I’m a Chatterbox (KY) – She was first to cross the wire in the Coaching Club American Oaks, and several felt she should have been left up but it didn’t work out for her this time.  She still ran a winning type of race, and her body of work is probably the strongest of anyone in the 3 year old filly dirt division.  I’m still a bit skeptical she can go a mile and a quarter, but you would have to think a race like the Alabama Stakes will now be the goal.  Larry Jones has two very nice fillies in her and Lovely Maria.

– 3rd Star: Hard Not to Like (ON) – When you saw the opening fractions you had to think someone would be making a move late, and Hard Not to Like was able to do it just in time in the Diana Stakes (REPLAY) to become a three time Grade 1 winner.  Christophe Clement has her as good as ever this year with two straight years in a row, as well as a second and third place effort.  Saratoga offers some nice stakes races later, or Clement could also toy with the idea of going to Arlington as well.  Several options for a very nice mare!

Flop of the Week

– Stephanie’s Kitten (KY) – It wasn’t a bad effort when she finished fifth beaten by 2 lengths in the Diana, but it also wasn’t her normal performance.  The classy mare may have lost a step as she gets older because the pace in this one should have been strong enough for her to close nicely.  We’ll wait to see what happens next with her.

Trainer Standings

Rank	Trainer Name	Sts	1st	2nd	3rd	Total $	Per Start $	Win%	Top3	Top3%
1	William I. Mott	13	6	3	1	$338,440	$NaN	46%	10	77%
2	Todd A. Pletcher	16	4	2	1	$454,710	$NaN	25%	7	44%
3	Chad C. Brown	16	3	4	3	$373,627	$NaN	19%	10	63%
4	Christophe Clement	8	2	1	1	$381,124	$NaN	25%	4	50%
4	Jeremiah C. Englehart	5	2	1	0	$105,922	$NaN	40%	3	60%
4	Barclay Tagg	2	2	0	0	$99,600	$NaN	100%	2	100%

Jockey Standings

Rank	Jockey Name	Sts	1st	2nd	3rd	Total $	Per Start $	Win%	Top3	Top3%
1	John R. Velazquez	27	9	2	0	$893,953	$NaN	33%	11	41%
2	Jose Lezcano	17	5	2	3	$309,843	$NaN	29%	10	59%
2	Junior Alvarado	21	5	1	2	$261,752	$NaN	24%	8	38%
4	Jose L. Ortiz	26	4	5	2	$339,322	$NaN	15%	11	42%
5	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	31	3	7	6	$385,367	$NaN	10%	16	52%
5	Luis Saez	23	3	5	0	$312,988	$NaN	13%	8	35%
5	Javier Castellano	34	3	4	4	$277,880	$NaN	9%	11	32%
8	Manuel Franco	18	2	1	1	$99,802	$NaN	11%	4	22

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