Last seen finishing seventh as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), Koala Princess will open her three-year-old season in Friday’s $175,000 Lake George (G3) at Saratoga. She will face eight challengers in the one-mile test on the inner turf.
Koala Princess opened her racing career with a runaway maiden triumph on Monmouth Park’s turf last August. The More Than Ready filly followed with a convincing tally in the $500,000 Ainsworth S. at Kentucky Downs, but the dark bay failed to make a significant impact from off the pace at Del Mar in her juvenile finale. Trevor McCarthy will pick up the mount for Arnaud Delacour.
Chad Brown has won the last three runnings of the Lake George, and a record five editions overall, and the distinguished turf conditioner will be well-represented by stakes winners Dolce Zel and Eminent Victor.
Florida Oaks (G3) winner Dolce Zel has placed in her last two outings, finishing third in the Appalachian (G2) at Keeneland and second in the Edgewood (G2) at Churchill Downs, and the French-bred miss will keep Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle. Third when making her stakes debut in the Natalma (G1) last September, Eminent Victor returned from a nine-month layoff with a half-length tally in the June 25 Wild Applause S. at Belmont, and Flavien Prat retains the assignment.
Sister Lou Ann will try graded rivals following a convincing wire-to-wire score in the June 11 Martha Washington S. at Gulfstream, and Javier Castellano pilots the expected pacesetter for Saffie Joseph. Skims, third in the Wonder Again (G3) and Appalachian in her last two, is also part of the mix for Shug McGaughey.
