A stellar field of turf fillies and mares is set to clash in Friday’s Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes at Saratoga, with the top two finishers from the recent Grade 1 Jenny Wiley, Choisya and Excellent Truth, renewing their rivalry.
They headline a deep and competitive field of 11 accomplished runners vying for the lion’s share of the $500,000 purse.
The one-mile test on the inner turf course promises to be a thriller, with European shippers, established American stars, and rapidly improving runners all converging.
While Choisya got the better of Excellent Truth in their last encounter, the latter endured a troubled trip and seeks redemption.
They won’t have it easy, however, as contenders like the Grade 1 winner Sacred Wish and the consistent front-runner Kehoe Beach (third in the Jenny Wiley) are poised to make their presence felt in a race that could have championship implications.
The Field
1. Dynamic Pricing (IRE) (12-1) – A model of consistency for the powerful combination of owner Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown, this filly enters off a determined victory in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes. That form has since been validated, with two horses from that race returning to win their next starts.
As a closer, she will rely on a contested pace up front to set up her late kick.
2. Special Wan (IRE) (10-1) – This Irish-bred has made a perfect transition to North American racing, winning her US debut, and the Grade 3 Honey Fox at Gulfstream Park last out. Both of those victories came at this one-mile distance.
She won the Honey Fox after a five-month layoff, so the three-month break heading into this event should be no obstacle for her.
3. Segesta (15-1) – The third of trainer Chad Brown’s entrants, this Grade 2 winner looks to rebound after fading in the Grade 3 Modesty. She contested a strong pace in that race while traveling a mile and an eighth.
She now shortens back to the mile distance of her impressive maiden victory and may employ different, off-the-pace tactics this time.
4. Simply in Front (15-1) – This filly stepped up to face older rivals for the first time in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile and passed the test with flying colors, securing a victory on good ground. That win was flattered when the runner-up returned to capture the Grade 3 Mint Julep.
Now making her second start of the year, she is eligible to take another step forward and attracts world-class jockey Frankie Dettori.
5. Kehoe Beach (9-2) – A Grade 2-winning speedster, she has won three of her last four races. Her only recent defeat came when finishing a game third in the prestigious Grade 1 Jenny Wiley, a race won by Choisya. As a confirmed front-runner, she is a serious threat to lead this field from start to finish, particularly if she encounters the firm turf she prefers.
6. Do Gooder (30-1) – This filly ships in from Florida in peak form, having won back-to-back mile races at Gulfstream Park. She led her rivals wire-to-wire in both of those victories and will likely be prominent from the start here. While this is a significant step up in class, her early speed could make her a factor in the race’s overall pace scenario.
7. A Lilac Rolla (IRE) (6-1) – Making her highly anticipated North American debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, this filly brings a top-class European resume. She is a Group 3 winner and was runner-up in the Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) last year.
Though she has not raced since last July, her record suggests she has the quality to compete at this level, and she shows a series of solid workouts in preparation.
8. Excellent Truth (IRE) (5-2) – This Group 3 winner nearly captured the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley in her U.S. debut, finishing a hard-luck second after being shut off in the stretch. Despite the trouble, she earned a stellar 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Trained by Chad Brown, she has every right to improve in her second stateside start and looms as a major win candidate.
9. Choisya (GB) (4-1) – She arrives as the horse to beat following her game victory in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley, where she posted a 101 Beyer Speed Figure, the best last-race number in this field. A multiple winner at this mile distance, including a Group 2 victory at Meydan, she figures to get a perfect stalking trip just behind the leaders and will be tough to deny.
10. Heredia (GB) (15-1) – A Group 3 winner overseas, she made a solid North American debut when finishing third behind Dynamic Pricing in the Beaugay Stakes. With multiple runners from that event returning to win, it is proving to be a key race. She is a multiple winner at the distance and should be putting in her best run in the closing stages.
11. Sacred Wish (12-1) – Scratched.
Win, Place, Show, Wildcard, and Longshot
Win: (8) Excellent Truth (IRE) (5-2) – Her U.S. debut in the Jenny Wiley was exceptional, considering she was blocked at a critical point and still only lost by a half-length. With a clean trip under jockey Flavien Prat, she can turn the tables on her rival.
Place: (9) Choisya (GB) (4-1) – The proven commodity who bravely won the Jenny Wiley. She earned the top Beyer figure and will get another favorable trip. She is the biggest threat and will not go down without a fight.
Show: (1) Dynamic Pricing (IRE) (12-1) – She enters off a stakes win in a race that has produced two next-out winners, indicating its quality. The Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown combination is elite, and as a closer, she will benefit from the pace battle up front.
Wildcard: (5) Kehoe Beach (9-2) – She is the speed of the speed. If jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. can get her to the front and dictate a moderate pace, she could prove very difficult to reel in, much like she did when winning the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes.
Longshot: (2) Special Wan (IRE) (10-1) – She is undefeated in two starts in the U.S., both at this distance. She is a Grade 3 winner who has already proven she can fire fresh and is being overlooked in a field full of talent.
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