Pierette looks for second stakes win in G3 Adirondack
Tracy Farmer’s Pierette seeks her second career stakes win when making her Spa debut in Sunday’s Grade 3, $225,000 Adirondack, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the Girvin bay is 2-for-2, winning her five-furlong debut in May at Churchill Downs ahead of a 1 1/2-length score in the six-furlong Listed Debutante last out on June 28 there.
In the Debutante, Pierette stalked the pace from an inside third position under returning rider Jose Ortiz through the half-mile in 45.57 seconds. Once straightened for home, Pierette was still in behind a pair of rivals, Ortiz looked for room along the rail then tipped out in the final furlong to collar Epic Reign in a final time of 1:10.71.
“She was down inside and had to settle, which was nice that she was able to do that,” said Casse. “When she got outside, she came running. She looks like she wants more ground.”
Pierette’s stakes victory earned a career-best 77 Beyer Speed Figure, a nine-point improvement from her 1 3/4-length debut victory over returning rival Luminous Beauty, who was off-the-board as the favorite in the six-furlong Listed Schuylerville on July 3 here.
“I think she’s doing super. She’s come up here and loves Saratoga,” Casse said. “She is a big, tall filly, probably about 16.2 [hands]. She still has a lot of growing to do, but she seems to have a bright future.”
Pierette [post 3, Jose Ortiz], a $475,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is a half-sister to stakes-placed Camp Hope out of the Pulpit mare Praising. Her second dam is dual stakes-placed Class Above, who produced multiple graded stakes-placed Sueno.
Leland Ackerley Racing’s Washton [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] won her lone start sprinting five furlongs in an off-the-turf maiden on May 22 at Churchill Downs. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Mitole chestnut stalked and pounced up the fence, but there wasn’t enough room to the inside of Storm Diva, the pair exchanging bumps and Washton knocking into the rail. Impressively, Washton recovered and won by a nose, also surviving a stewards’ inquiry and a jockey’s objection.
“That was very hardy. There was quite a bit of interference in the stretch with her, but she continued on and proved narrowly best that day,” Asmussen said. “I think there will be a good step forward with her.”
WSS Racing’s Caroline’s Girl [post 2, Flavien Prat] is a newcomer to the barn of trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The Maximus Mischief bay crushed fellow Texas-breds by 8 1/4 lengths going five furlongs on June 14 at Lone Star Park for trainer George Bryant. There, she traveled in 8th-of-11 early, loomed five-wide and cruised to a much-the-best victory.
“She was very impressive visually winning that race,” Joseph, Jr. said. “The reality is, this is going to be a class check, but she seems decent. She’s going from Texas-breds to open company, but if she can duplicate that kind of performance, she’ll be competitive.”
Hat Creek Racing, Ashview Farm and Upland Flats Racing’s Scarlett Begonia [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] won her 5 1/2-furlong debut by 3 3/4 lengths on July 6 at Ellis Park. Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the Life Is Good dark bay traveled four lengths back in 5th-of-11 early and closed to victory under Luan Machado, earning a 67 Beyer.
“I thought that was a really big effort and she showed she would definitely like more ground,” Cox said. “She got herself ready. We thought we were going to give her a run and just see how she stacked up and it was probably a little more than we expected. She really finished up well down the lane and got a good education from that race and galloped out well. It gave us the confidence to try her at a little more ground and in graded stakes company.”
Scarlett Begonia is a half-sister to dual graded-winner Zaajel and dual graded winner Ajaweed out of the dual stakes-placed Daheer mare Asiya. Her second dam is Grade 3-placed Khalila.
Joel Politi’s Kentucky homebred Stress Relief [post 8, Junior Alvarado] has a chance to become the first graded stakes winner for trainer Kinnon LaRose. The former assistant to conditioner Tom Amoss sends out Stress Relief off a one-sided five-furlong debut victory by five lengths on June 20 at Churchill Downs. The Not This Time dark bay is out of the dual stakes-winning Ghostzapper mare Littlestitious, who was trained by Amoss.
Rounding out the field are Luminous Beauty [post 5, Jose Morelos], off-the-board as the Schuylerville favorite last out for trainer Jena Antonucci; Bandmaster [post 1, Jose Lezcano], a 34-1 longshot maiden winner in June at Belmont at the Big A for trainer Oscar Barrera, III; Schuylerville third-place finisher Prime Aurora [post 7, John Velazquez] for conditioner Abraham Gardea; and Almighty One [post 9, Manny Franco, 2 Front Shoes], who arrives from a rallying fourth in the Listed My Dear over the Woodbine Tapeta for trainer Kevin Rice.
The Adirondack is slated as Race 10 on Sunday’s 11-race card, which features the rescheduled Grade 2 Glens Falls in Race 8 and the rescheduled restricted Listed Curlin presented by Casamigos in Race 9. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
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Chief Wallabee headlines rescheduled Listed Curlin pres. by Casamigos
The restricted Listed $150,000 Curlin presented by Casamigos, a nine-furlong test for sophomores who have not won a graded stakes, was originally scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, but was rescheduled for Sunday, August 2 as that card was canceled due to torrential rain.
The Curlin, originally carded with six horses, was brought back as an extra with entries taken Wednesday and attracted five of the same horses, the lone defector being Zihnal, plus three newcomers: Fulmine for trainer Norm Casse, Mount Vernon for conditioner Cherie DeVaux, and New York-bred Minorinconvenience for trainer Amelia Green.
Topping the field is Michael and Katherine Ball’s Kentucky homebred Chief Wallabee [post 6, Junior Alvarado] for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The Constitution bay gets class relief off an 8 1/2-length fourth to Golden Tempo last out in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 6 here. Chief Wallabee, when adding blinkers, was previously fourth beaten three lengths by that same rival in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Top opposition includes BR Thoroughbreds, Lance Gasaway and Magdalena Racing’s Grade 1-placed Blackout Time [post 7, Jose Ortiz], who drew off by six lengths last out in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer over sloppy and sealed footing on June 27 at Churchill Downs. Trained by Ken McPeek, the Not This Time dark bay was previously fifth to Renegade in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in March at Oaklawn Park, where Blackout Time was fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel earlier that month.
The rest of the rescheduled Curlin field in post-position order is: Gulfy [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche], Mount Vernon [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Fulmine [post 3, John Velazquez], Tiernanogue [post 4, Luis Saez], Sea Strike [post 5, Flavien Prat] and Minorinconvenience [post 8, Ricardo Santana, Jr.].
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Gezora leads rescheduled Grade 2 Glens Falls
The Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls, which was redrawn after being moved from Thursday to Sunday due to torrential rain, saw no new entrants from its original field, with one defection, Lady Firefoot did not re-enter.
The 1 1/2-mile inner turf marathon for older fillies and mares is headlined by Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf-winner Gezora [post 9, Junior Alvarado], who stretches out in distance as she looks to return to her best form for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Last out, Gezora raced forwardly under Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the local 1 3/16-mile Grade 1 New York on June 5. She emerged from the outermost post 8 and was keen through the first turn before settling in fourth and fading in the latter stages to be last-of-8, 12 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Portfolio Duration. She looks to build upon a stellar campaign last year in her native France that included wins in the 10-furlong Group 2 Prix Saint Alary in May at Longchamp and the 1 5/16-mile Group 1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly to go with her Breeders’ Cup triumph for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.
Mott also sends out Larry Goichman’s Grade 3-winner Alluring Angel [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche], who enters from a stalk-and-pounce neck second in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial on June 13 at Delaware Park.
European invader Survie [post 6, Flavien Prat] brings strong form to her American debut for trainer George Boughey, and has kept top company throughout this year, including a deep-closing third facing males in the 1 5/16-mile Group 1 Neom Turf Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia.
Campaigned by Michael B. Tabor, the 5-year-old daughter of Churchill was purchased for $2,636,068 at last year’s Tattersalls December Mare Sale following a strong 2025 season that included a trio of group placings in the Group 2 Prix Corrida [second], Group 1 Pretty Polly [third] and Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet [second].
Boughey will look to add to an already memorable week after winning the Group 1 Sussex with the undefeated Bow Echo over multiple Group 1-winner Gstaad on Wednesday at Goodwood.
Completing the field, in post position order, are Venencia [post 2, Micah Husbands], Bellezza [post 3, Jaime Rodriguez], Favorite Memory [post 4, Jose Ortiz], Storm Miami [post 5, John Velazquez], Massarat [post 7, Manny Franco], Speed Shopper [post 8, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Dona Clota [post 10, Javier Castellano].
Bernietakescharge was again entered for the main track only.
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