Miss Ella / Chelsea Durand Photo

Sunday's Caress draws 11 tested  turf sprinters

by Jill O'Brien

A sizeable field of 11 comprises Sunday's $100,000 Caress for fillies and mares 4-years-old-and-up over 5 ½-furlongs on the Saratoga Race Course's Mellon turf.

Multiple-stakes winners Miss Ella, second in last year's 5 ½-furlong Coronation Cup at the Spa, and Richies Sweetheart, the front-running winner of a Saratoga allowance at the Caress distance in 2014, will highlight the field. 

Trained by Graham Motion for owner/breeder Jack Swain, Miss Ella was an impressive debut winner in March 2015 at Gulfstream Park as a 3-year-old, coming back a month later to win in the Grade 2 Beaumont at Keeneland. Following the Coronation Cup, she took the Christiecat at Belmont Park and closed out her sophomore season finishing eighth in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland.

Miss Ella will be looking for her first stakes win of 2016 and will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 2.

Richies Sweetheart, a 5-year-old daughter of Unusual Heat and Make an Offer, has one victory in four 2016 starts, taking the Honor the Hero on May 30 at Canterbury Park. Trained by Larry Rivelli, the Illinois-bred enters off an eighth-place finish in the Brandywine at Indiana Grand Race Course. 

With an overall record of 14-4-1 from 30 starts, she will leave from post 6 under regular rider E. T. Baird.

Expected to attract support as well is Disco Barbie, a 6-year-old daughter of Pure Prize, who won her last two starts at Presque Isle Downs for trainer Dale Capuano including the Satin and Lace. She will get the services of Hall of Famer John Velazquez and the pair will leave from post 8.

Capuano also entered Rocky Policy, who drew post 7 under Manny Franco. The 4-year-old filly has one win in seven starts this year, taking an allowance in February at Charles Town.

Harp N Halo enters off a second-place showing in the Jill Jellison Memorial Dash in July at Suffolk Downs. The John Terranova-trained mare has one win in three starts this year, winning her 5-year-old debut in a handicap at Tampa Bay Downs. 

The Curragh Stable color-bearer drew post 3 and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Rounding out the field, from the rail out are: Fusaichi Red, Old Harbor, Rumble Doll, Miss Matzohball, Unbridled Courage and Joya Real.