Pletcher aims for Schuylerville record

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher will aim for a record seventh victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes when he sends out the debut-winning Stainless in the 99th running of the race for juvenile fillies, the co-feature on the opening-day program at Saratoga.

Pletcher has already won 18 races with his 2-year-olds in 2017, his success owed in part to him keeping a large string of horses in south Florida to run at Gulfstream Park this summer. Stainless, a daughter of Flatter, won her debut by 3 1/2 lengths going five furlongs May 29 at Gulfstream.

“I think she’s a filly that ultimately wants to run a little farther,” said Pletcher, whose filly drew the outside post in the ninehorse field. “I think she’ll benefit from the outside draw. Hopefully, there’s a hot pace up front.”

Pletcher’s six Schuylerville victories tie him with his former boss D. Wayne Lukas.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has won three runnings of the Schuylerville. This year, Asmussen sends out the pair of Buy Sell Hold, coming off a win against males in the Kentucky Juvenile, and Laudation, a second-out maiden winner at Churchill Downs.

Snowfire was a visually impressive debut winner at Churchill Downs for trainer Mark Casse and is the only member of this field to have run – and won – at the Schuylerville distance of six furlongs.

Best Performance, Dream It Is, Limited View, and Pacific Gale complete the field.

KEY CONTENDERS

Stainless, by Flatter Last Beyer: 60

◗ Chased a loose-on-the-lead Go Astray before catching and passing her and drawing clear. Go Astray came back to win a maiden race in her next start.

◗ Pletcher prepared many of his 2-year-olds in Florida and ran them at Gulfstream when ready.

“We’ll sometimes sacrifice a [lesser] maiden purse to get to a more important race,” he said. “It’s really more about trying to get her started and move forward.”

Buy Sell Hold, by Violence Last 2 Beyers: 66-NA

◗ Showed good speed in both of her wins and displayed grit beating males in a three-way photo in the Kentucky Juvenile on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

“She ran tough,” Asmussen said. “She stayed on nicely. Obviously, she had a little more trouble with them early than I thought she would from a quickness standpoint, and it was a tough race.”

Laudation, by Congrats Last 2 Beyers: 65-52

◗ Compromised by slow start when breaking from the rail when third in her debut. Came back 15 days later to win a maiden race by three lengths.

“She’s just a very quiet, a very class filly,” Asmussen said. “She came back and rebounded nicely in a short amount of time because I don’t think she showed her best in that first race.”

Snowfire, by Tapit Last Beyer: 66

◗ Raced three wide down the backside and around the turn and drew off convincingly to take her debut by four lengths.

“She has the perfect running style for this being three-quarters,” said Norm Casse, assistant trainer to his father, Mark. “We feel like she’s a really talented horse.”