Big spotlight for Little Lila
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » “Sassy” has certainly jazzed up the Fourstardave Handicap on Saturday at Saratoga.
She is the only filly in a quality field of older males for the Grade 1 race, worth $500,000 at one mile on turf.
Sassy Little Lila is owned by Sheep Pond Partners and Mike Ryan and will be ridden by Luis Saez in the Fourstardave.
While not a stakes winner, she has done very well in Grade 1 competition among females, and her speed is undeniable.
In her last start, she led until the final strides of the Grade 1 Just A Game on Belmont Stakes Day two months ago.
“Well, the Fourstardave was on our radar after the Just A Game, and we were looking at three or four others as well,” said trainer Brad Cox. “It was the last one on our calendar, and we figured we’d see if it came up the way we would like it. And it did.”
In her two previous starts, Sassy Little Lila won an upper level optional claimer on the Churchill Downs turf, and lost the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita by a nose.
In both she rocketed to the lead at the start; the American Oaks was at 1 ¼ miles.
“She’s a filly with good natural speed,” said Cox. ”Of course, we can’t control what others might do in the race, but what we will not do is take away what comes naturally to her. So I would imagine that will be the approach.”
American Patriot and World Approval are the Grade 1 winners in the Fourstardave.
American Patriot captured the Maker’s Mark at Keeneland on Apr. 14 with a late surge.
After that he was a distant 11th in the Group 1 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in Great Britain on June 20, which was his last start.
World Approval is an interesting entrant, as his resume is full of turf races at 1 ¼ miles or longer.
He is cutting way back in distance in the Fourstardave, but he has also spent much of his career in Grade 1 races around the nation.
World Approval won the prestigious United Nations last year and this year was much the best in the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico on Preakness Day.
Most recently he was a close fifth, beaten less than two lengths, in the Manhattan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day.
Second in the Manhattan was Time Test, who raced in Great Britain before coming to the United States.
His two races this year in his American campaign have produced a pair of seconds, in the Fort Marcy at Aqueduct and the Manhattan.
He was favored in each and might be again in the Fourstardave.
Disco Partner is looking for his fourth straight stakes win.
He is in superb form and exits an impressive victory in the Forbidden Apple at this distance on July 15 at Belmont Park.
Ballagh Rocks, fourth in the aforementioned Makers Mark, won the Grade 3 Poker at one mile in his last start, on June 18 at Belmont
Park.
Weekend Hideaway, slated to run Friday in the Tale of the Cat Stakes, is entered for main track only.
Adirondack Stakes
Eight juvenile fillies are entered in the 101st edition of the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes, worth $200,000 at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track.
The lone stakes winner in the field is Pure Silver, who breaks from the rail and will take some catching.
Unbeaten in two starts, she won the Lynbrook Stakes for New York-breds on July 16.
Two fillies with winning races at this meet, Sly Roxy and Southampton Way, are in the Adirondack.
Sly Roxy scored on July 27 in a race originally scheduled for turf, while Southampton Way broke her maiden at second asking on July 21.
Limited View posted an eye-catching debut win at Laurel Park on June 17, leading all the way to win by nearly four lengths at 5 furlongs.
She was timed in 57 4/5, just four-fifths slower than the long standing track record of 57 seconds set by the top sprinter Dave’s Friend in 1980.
Completing the Adirondack field are Stainless, a well-beaten third in the Schuylerville on opening day, plus Di Maria, Proportionality, and Wall of Compassion.