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Vahva has the credentials for G1 Ballerina H.

by Christian Abdo

Grade 1-winner Vahva has solidified herself as one of the top dirt sprinting females in the nation and looks to bolster that stance in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap, a seven-furlong main track sprint for fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the 4-year-old Gun Runner bay has won four of her last five starts, all made at seven furlongs, including the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff in May and the Grade 3 Chicago last-out on June 22 at Churchill Downs. Her sophomore campaign ended with wins in August’s Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks at its namesake track and October’s Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland.

A win in the Ballerina punches a “Win and You’re In” ticket to this year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, contested in November at Del Mar.

“We will use this and the Breeders’ Cup, and hopefully she has a good experience in both,” said DeVaux. “I’m very confident that she is one of the top sprinters in the division.”

Vahva has prepared for the Ballerina extensively at Keeneland, including a half-mile breeze in 49.20 seconds on August 17.

“She’s doing really well. This is a race that we targeted early in the year,” DeVaux said. “She shows up every time and runs her race. That is all we can ask of her.”

Vahva, a $280,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Grade 1-placed Harlan’s Holiday mare Holiday Soiree. She is campaigned by Belladonna Racing, Lynne Hudson, Edward Hudson, Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, Nice Guys Stables, Twin Brook Stables, Steve Hornstock, LBD Stable, Manganaro Bloodstock and Runnels Racing.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard from post 3 assigned a field-high 124 pounds.

Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds’ Grade 1-winner Society [post 4, Tyler Gaffalione, 119 pounds] brings a 7-for-13 record to the starting gate for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The 5-year-old Gun Runner chestnut finished a 1 1/2-length third behind the victorious Vahva and reopossing Positano Sunset in the Chicago last-out after setting the pace and exchanging bumps with the winner in the stretch.

Society’s other losses have come to top racehorses, including 2022-2023 Champion Female Sprinter Goodnight Olive, 2022 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest, and 2021-2022 dual Champion female Malathaat.

In addition to class, Society brings a co-field-best 106 Beyer earned in a 5 1/2-length romp of the seven-furlong Pink Ribbon last August at Charles Town.

Asmussen captured this event last year with 2021 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Echo Zulu.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown will have two chances to secure victory with Grade 2-winner Accede [post 7, Flavien Prat, 121 pounds] and Grade 3-winner Shidabhuti [post 6, Dylan Davis, 119 pounds].

Accede, a Kentucky homebred for Juddmonte, broke through at the graded level in her fourth attempt, capturing June’s seven-furlong Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses at Belmont at the Big A.

The 4-year-old Into Mischief bay next closed for a three-quarter-length second to Spirit Wind in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap when cutting back to six furlongs on July 24 here, the distance of a Keeneland optional-claimer she won in April.

“Accede is in good form right now and I love the way she's training. It's going to be a tough race,” said the meet-leading trainer Brown, who won this event in 2022 with Goodnight Olive.

Peter Brant’s Shidabhuti has made her last three efforts in graded company, including a closing win in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Distaff on April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. She was subsequently a well-beaten third in the Grade 2 Ruffian there going a one-turn mile before a fourth in the Bed o’ Roses won by Accede.

Brown said Shidabhuti’s late foot is enough for an ambitious Grade 1 attempt.

“Shidabhuti - putting her in there with that running style - she could pick up the minor awards. Maybe it sets up for her to grab third late,” said Brown. “It seems like a bit of a reach for her, she hasn't run for a while. I've been struggling to find the right race.

“If she could grab a piece of a prestigious race like this, it would help her value,” Brown added.

Lawana and Robert E. Low’s Grade 1-placed Munnys Gold [post 8, John Velazquez, 117 pounds] looks to rebound from a fourth in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Munnings ties Society for a field-best 106 Beyer from a 17 1/4-length romp of the Sophomore Fillies versus fellow Florida-breds last March at Tampa Bay Downs.

Munnys Gold is cross-entered in Friday’s Listed $150,000 Smart N Fancy, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint here for older fillies and mares.

Rounding out the field are Grade 1-winner Chi Town Lady [post 2, Jose Ortiz, 119 pounds] for trainer Wesley Ward; Grade 1-placed Scylla [post 5, Javier Castellano, 122 pounds], who was supplemented to this event for Hall of Famer Bill Mott; and Grade 3-placed Positano Sunset [post 1, Julien Leparoux, 118 pounds] for conditioner Ian Wilkes.

The Ballerina is slated as Race 10, on Saturday’s 14-race card that features the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers [Race 13]; the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer [Race 9]; the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego [Race 11]; and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial [Race 12]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern. Gates open at 9 a.m.

An expanded edition of Saratoga Live will begin at 11:30 a.m. Eastern on FS2 with continuing coverage on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. FOX Saratoga Saturday will present live coverage of the DraftKings Travers Day stakes action plus analysis in a special broadcast on FOX beginning at 3 p.m.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.