Santa Monica still the focus of Waya

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The eight-day postponement of last Saturday’s $200,000 Waya to Sunday afternoon at Saratoga hasn’t changed the size of the starting lineup, but it has changed the field’s makeup.

As was the case last week, there will still be eight longwinded fillies and mares in the starting gate to go 1 1/2 miles on the turf. But the redrawn Waya will be without Violet Blue, who deferred to a softer allowance spot on Friday. Her place will be taken Sunday by the improving Savannah Belle.

Santa Monica remains the one to beat. Santa Monica has won two of her three starts since coming to the U.S. and joining trainer Chad Brown’s barn this season. Her most recent effort was a half-length triumph in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly going 1 1/4 miles at Woodbine on June 30.

Santa Monica, who will carry co-high weight of 124 pounds under the Waya’s allowance conditions, suffered her lone setback in this country when she fell a half-length short with her closing bid to finish third after encountering traffic issues in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont Park on May 5.

Brown also will send out Homeland Security, who ran down Savannah Belle to win the 12-furlong River Memories at Belmont Park on July 9.

As always, Santa Monica will be at the mercy of the pace, and that’s where Savannah Belle’s presence in the lineup could prove significant. Savannah Belle comes off arguably the best performance of her career, finishing second behind Homeland Security after turning for home with the lead in the River Memories. And in a field almost void of speed, she could find herself with a pace advantage in the Waya.

“Having the extra week after they postponed this race last Saturday is why we’re in there with her,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “And from the looks of the field, there’s no speed at all, and I think if we can get to the front easily enough she’d have a big shot. Her last race seemed to me like her best yet and solidified, in my mind, it was worth taking a shot here. She also wouldn’t mind a little cut in the ground should the turf remain on the soft side as it’s been here lately.”

Savannah Belle will also get a significant break in weight – eight pounds – not only from Santa Monica but from key contenders Mom’s On Strike and Tricky Escape, both of whom also must pack 124 pounds in the Waya.

Lottie also was entered in Saturday’s Flaming Page Stakes at Woodbine, but is expected to return to Saratoga where she finished second, beaten a half-length, in the 2017 Waya. She, too, is coming off perhaps her best race yet, finishing a nose in front of Santa Monica while beaten just a half-length by Holy Helena in the Sheepshead Bay.

Mom’s On Strike rallied from another zip code to finish fourth to the Brown-trained Fourstar Crook in the Grade 2 New York on June 9. That effort came just six weeks after Mom’s On Strike became a Grade 3 winner with her easy 3 1/4-length triumph in the Bewitch at Keeneland.

Completing the field are Summersault, third in this race a year ago; three-time graded stakes winner Tricky Escapade; and Queen of Connaught, who makes her U.S. debut.