Stopchargingmaria feeling good after Alabama score

Stopchargingmaria could face older runners for the first time in her next start (NYRA/Adam Mooshian/Adam Coglianese Photography) Stopchargingmaria came back in good shape following her definitive three-quarter-length score in Saturday’s 134th running of the Alabama at Saratoga, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning. The Mike Repole-owned daughter of Tale of the Cat won her second straight Grade 1 following a victory last month in the Coaching Club American Oaks. In her race prior to that, she took down the May 16 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico. Stopchargingmaria, ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, attacked three wide on the far turn, inched away from 30-1 longshot Miss Besilu and held off the late run of fellow 24-1 longshot Joint Return to score in a time of 2:05 for the 1 1/4-mile race. “She came back very well; she deserves a rest,” Pletcher said while Stopchargingmaria napped in her stall. “She kind of had a wide trip around there and was able to overcome that. It was a good effort.” Pletcher said he and Repole will “have many lengthy conversations” about Stopchargingmaria’s next start as they map a path to a possible divisional championship. The options, Pletcher said, are the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame against older runners on September 27 at Belmont Park; the Grade 1, $300,000 Zenyatta against older runners September 27 at Santa Anita; or the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion on September 20 at Parx Racing against straight three-year-old fillies.

Stopchargingmaria stamped her quality when she won the Tempted by 10 3/4 lengths last November at Aqueduct, but taking the two Grade 1s
for sophomore fillies at Saratoga was a pleasant surprise, according to
Pletcher.

“When you look at a race like that as a two-year-old, it gives you hope she might
be able to accomplish the big things as a three-year-old,” he explained. “Once she won
the Black-Eyed Susan (after off-the-board finishes in stakes at Gulfstream Park
and Oaklawn to open her 2014 campaign), we felt like we were back on track. We
didn’t necessarily project we could win both of these Grade 1ss at Saratoga, but
it’s pretty cool we could do that.

“She’s always been a filly that has a great disposition, a great mind. I think
to go along with the talent she has, to have the right mindset to go along with
it, has allowed her to stretch her abilities all the way out to a mile and a
quarter. That’s one of her greatest assets.”

In other news from the
Pletcher shedrow, the conditioner said Palace Malice will not work in blinkers
next weekend when he has his final tune-up for the Grade 1, $600,000 Woodward on
August 30 at the Spa.

Palace Malice, sixth as the favorite last out in the August 2 Whitney, worked four furlongs in
:48 4/5 Saturday morning on Saratoga’s fast main
track sporting blinkers. It was the first time he had worn them since the Kentucky Derby.

“I’m not committed to running him in blinkers,” Pletcher said. “He’ll work
without blinkers on Saturday or Sunday. He worked the same as he did without
them. I didn’t see a big change in his personality.”

Princess of Sylmar, who is being pointed toward the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal
Ensign Invitational on Friday, will run in blinkers for the first time.

“She’s doing really well,” Pletcher said.

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