On Saturday at Saratoga, sophomore fillies will compete over the inner turf course in the 31st running of the Lake Placid Stakes. With a purse of $300,000 and Grade 2 status, the mile and an eighth contest has drawn a field of six with My Miss Sophia entered for the main track only.
Minorette has been tabbed as the favorite at 7-5 on the morning line for Chad Brown. The three-year-old daughter of Smart Strike is fresh off of a victory in the Belmont Oaks (G1) and will have Jose Lezcano aboard for the first time. Since that winning effort, she has had four consecutive bullet workouts at Saratoga on the turf. Minorette will break from the outside post.
Chad Brown will also saddle Xcellence (FR), tabbed at 9-5 on the morning line. After a fourth-place finish in her United States debut, the French-bred daughter of Champs Elysees (GB) will compete with Lasix for the first time. The bay filly will break from post position four under jockey Joe Bravo who will be aboard for the first time. She has won two of her eight starts including a Group 3 victory in France.
Also in the field is Crown Queen, 5-2 on the morning line for trainer Bill Mott. The three-year-old filly is by Smart Strike and a half sister to multiple champion Royal Delta. A $1.6 million purchase as a yearling for Besilu Stables, she will be making her stakes debut with John Velazquez in the irons. She is undefeated from two starts this year and defeated allowance company at Saratoga in her last start.
The Grade 2 $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby features the two biggest names from the Triple Crown trail September 24 at Parx as a field of 12 gathers in one of the most intriguing betting races of the year.
The $1 million Cotillion Stakes September 24 at Parx features a true clash of the titans as the six-horse field is headlined by the undefeated, five-time grade 1 winner Songbird who figures to face the most stern challenge of her career.
In a completely wide open renewal of the Presque Isle Mile September 18 at Presque Isle Downs, 13 runners including the also-eligible will contest the eight furlong trip over synthetic footing.
Champion Songbird is set to make her much-anticipated return to the races in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Grade 2 event will be run at a mile and a sixteenth and has attracted a field of seven.
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