Pros and Cons looks to make her mark in Listed P.G. Johnson

D.J. Stable’s Pros and Cons returns to stakes company off an impressive second-out local graduation for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in Friday’s Listed $200,000 P.G. Johnson, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juvenile fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Florida-bred daughter of Justify was a rallying winner last out on July 10 here in a one-mile inner turf maiden, pouncing from last-of-6 under Jose Ortiz to range up late in the turn and draw off to the three-length victory over stablemate Golden Siren in a final time of 1:36.90. The effort was awarded a field-best 65 Beyer Speed Figure. Golden Siren exited that effort to graduate by four lengths on August 21 here.

“She was impressive, and I think what made it even more impressive was Golden Siren coming back and winning impressively, so that’s always good to see,” Casse said.

Pros and Cons debuted in May at Gulfstream Park with 1 1/4-length second to Liberty Rings in the five-furlong Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, where she also rallied from last-of-6 and made a willing run under Edwin Gonzalez.

“We had her down in Florida because she’s a Florida-bred and the stake came up,” Casse said. “She ran well in there and I said, ‘she’s going to Saratoga.’ She’s worked really well, she’s been doing very good and she’s professional.”

Pros and Cons has worked back three times over Saratoga’s Oklahoma turf training track, including a half-mile in 48.25 seconds on August 28.

A $375,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Pros and Cons is out of the Quality Road mare Celestial, a full-sister to 2017 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Caledonia Road and a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Officiating. Her half-sister Lady Esme produced 2023 Grade 2 Wood Memorial-winner Lord Miles.

Ortiz returns to the irons from post 1.

Peter Brant’s cleverly-named Irish homebred Baliage [post 5, Manny Franco] wheels back off an impressive graduation where she won by a hair over course and distance on August 14 for five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

The Kingman bay tracked in sixth-of-9 through the early stages under returning rider Manny Franco, and moved five-wide to make her bid, ranging up alongside the reopposing Mel Went Home to commence a stretch-long duel with that rival and getting her nose down despite shying from the crop near the wire. She completed the course in 1:46.25.

The regally-bred Baliage is out of the Dansili mare Blowout, a dual graded stakes-winner for these connections that won the 2021 Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland. Her second dam is French Group 1-winner Beauty Parlour.

Robert Klimasewski and Tammy Kilmasewski’s New York homebred Boomesherang [post 4, Edgard Zayas] also steps up off a debut graduation after taking a five-furlong maiden on July 21 over the Presque Isle Downs synthetic for trainer Ron Potts. The daughter of Vekoma makes her barn debut here for trainer George Weaver, and has posted four works at Saratoga, including a pair of efforts over the Oklahoma turf training track that were topped by a half-mile in 47.66 seconds on August 21.

The chestnut filly was bumped at the start of her debut and trailed 7 1/2 lengths off the pace, but was game when asked for her best straightening for home, kicking on strongly to drive home a much-the-best winner by 2 3/4 lengths. She earned a 50 Beyer in victory.

Boomesherang is out of the Tapit mare Tapitbythesea and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Behind the Couch. Her third dam is Reine-de-Course broodmare Oatsee, who most notably produced multiple Grade 1-winner and 2011 Preakness hero Shackleford and Grade 1-winner Lady Joanne.

NBS Stable’s Kentucky homebred Up Before the Dawn [post 3, Flavien Prat] overcame a troubled trip to post an impressive debut graduation going one mile on July 18 over the lawn at Ellis Park for trainer Kelsey Danner.

The chestnut Karakontie filly was steadied between foes early and was in ninth-of-10 through the first half-mile while saving ground along the inside before angling out four and then five-wide into the far turn to commence her rally. She meandered through the lane while driving home strongly to post the 1 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:37.35 and earn a 60 Beyer.

Up Before the Dawn has worked steadily over the Turfway Park synthetic since, including a half-mile effort in 48.60 on August 25 for the seventh-fastest of 32 works at that distance on the day. She is out of the stakes-placed More Than Ready mare Agog, who is a half-sister to dual graded stakes-placed Impressive Edge and dual stakes-winner Coarsegold.

Main Line Racing Stable and Avalon Racing Stables’ Glycogen [post 2, John Velazquez] graduated over this distance at second asking on July 31 at Ellis Park for trainer John Servis, earning a 51 Beyer for the off-the-pace effort.

The Jack Christopher chestnut debuted with a two-length fourth sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs there on July 10, and relished the added ground last out to close from mid-pack and drive clear to the 1 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:43.18, earning a 51 Beyer.

Glycogen is out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare My Sugar Bear, who also produced graded stakes-winner Friar’s Road and stakes-placed Vevina. She was a $180,000 purchase at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale.

Completing the field is DeSales Eighty-Five’s maiden-winner Urgent Claire [post 6, Junior Alvarado] for trainer Flint Stites and the August Dawn Farm’s aforementioned maiden Mel Went Home [post 7, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Robert Medina.

The P.G. Johnson is slated as Race 4 on Friday’s 11-race card, which also features the $200,000 Seeking the Ante in Race 7. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

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