Todd Pletcher will send out a pair of top contenders, Candied and Miss Justify, in Saturday’s $600,000 Alabama (G1) at Saratoga. The 1 1/4-mile test drew eight three-year-old fillies, and Candied looms as a likely favorite following a runner-up finish to Travers (G1)-bound Thorpedo Anna in the July 20 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.
Winner of the Alcibiades (G1) and a close third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Candied recorded a 4 1/4-length victory over elder rivals in the Lady’s Secret S. at Monmouth Park two starts in mid-June. The Candy Ride filly retains the services of Manny Franco.
Miss Justify will bring a two-race win streak, earning her first stakes win in the July 12 Wilton S. at Saratoga after taking a conditioned allowance at Churchill Downs. Flavien Prat guides the early/presser.
Power Squeeze merits serious respect following a nose score in the July 8 Delaware Oaks (G3) and has Javier Castellano as her jockey. By Union Rags, the Jorge Delgado-trained stalker opened the year with three consecutive stakes wins, including the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), before recording a sixth over a sloppy track in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Grade 2 juvenile winner Chatalas opened her sophomore season with a frontrunning win in the July 6 Indiana Oaks (G2) at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and the Mark Glatt-trained daughter of Gun Runner promises to show speed with Frankie Dettori.
Iowa Oaks (G3) romper Just Basking, a gray daughter of Arrogate, invades for Ian Wilkes, and regular rider Chris Landeros has the call. Intricate, who defeated Thorpedo Anna in the Golden Rod (G2) last fall but is winless from four starts this season, will look to improve upon a third in the Coaching Club American Oaks. Neon Icon, fifth when making her stakes debut in the Indiana Oaks, and last-out optional claimer winner America’s Vow complete the field.
One race earlier in the program, three-year-old fillies will square off in the Lake Placid (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf.
Eleven are entered for turf, including Grade 1 juvenile winner She Feels Pretty. A close third as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), the Cherie DeVaux-trained daughter of Karakontie opened 2024 with a convincing win in the Hilltop S. at Pimlico, but She Feels Pretty will look to make amends after missing by less than a length in third as the favorite in July 6 Belmont Oaks (G1). John Velazquez has the reins.
DeVaux also has last-out maiden scorer Deep Satin part of the mix.
Chad Brown is often a major factor in New York turf stakes, and Saratoga’s leading trainer has three in the main body of the field. Spaliday exits a rallying win in her stakes debut, the July 13 Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park, with Dettori taking over the assignment. Edgewood (G2) winner Dynamic Pricing will try to rebound from a seventh in the Belmont Oaks. Grayosh will make her second stakes attempt after a nose second in an optional claiming event at Saratoga.
Les Reys, a handicap winner at Longchamp in June, will make her first U.S. start for new trainer Christophe Clement. Proctor Street will try stakes competition after opening her career with two consecutive wins for Brendan Walsh.
