NEWS
Schuylerville highlights Saratoga opener
Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008 1:30 PM
SARATOGA'S SUMMER MEET BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY
Mark Wyville photo
Two invigorating elements of summer racing will mix on Wednesday when two-year-olds play a prominent part of the opening card at Saratoga Race Course.
The $100,000 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) for two-year-old fillies is the feature event of the ten-race card that kicks off Saratoga’s 140th live meet, which will run for 36 dates through September 1.
None of the 11 fillies entered in the six-furlong Schuylerville has a previous stakes win. Ocean Colors may have the most significant opportunity in carrying on the legacy of her dam, the 1988 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Winning Colors.
Winning Colors has produced six winners, but no stakes winners, from eight starters. The champion Caro (Ire) mare was euthanized at age 23 on February 17 because of complications from colic surgery.
Ocean Colors, an Orientate filly, emulated her mother’s speedy style in a flashy win by 5 1/4 lengths on June 13 at Churchill Downs in her only previous start for trainer Steve Asmussen and owner-breeder Gainesway Stable. Antony Beck’s Gainesway owned Winning Colors at the time of her death and stands champion Orientate.
Collegiate will head into the Schuylerville off a front-running score in her debut on June 19 at Belmont Park. Trained by Mark Hennig for Team Valor International, the Saarland filly set the pace and drew off to win by 2 1/4 lengths under jockey Edgar Prado.
Mani Bhavan has an ambitious assignment just 11 days after she led throughout her first start on July 12 at Delaware Park for trainer Steve Klesaris.
Wednesday’s opener will also include two-year-old maidens going 5 1/2 furlongs in the second race.
Asmussen will send out Cognito, a half brother to Grade 2 winner Cool Coal Man who brought $700,000 in the Keeneland April two-year-olds in training sale after equaling a public auction record by covering one furlong in :9.60 in the under-tack show.
Owner Ahmed Zayat and trainer Bill Mott, the individual leaders at Saratoga last year, will combine forces with either Pious David or Zensational. Jockey Kent Desormeaux is named to ride both colts, so one of them will likely scratch.
