SARATOGA 2023: Schuylerville (G3) continues tradition of Opening Day Stakes Race

As the traditional opening-day feature at Saratoga Race Course, the Schuylerville Stakes (G3) occupies an important position on the national racing schedule. It kicks off the first of eight weeks of competition at a meet which, despite grumbling in some quarters, remains one of the most significant events of the racing year.

The Schuylerville has been won by plenty of top two-year-old fillies, even as the number of winners who went on to excel beyond their juvenile season has declined in recent decades. Standout winners of the Schuylerville over the past 40 years have included eventual three-year-old champions Sacahuista (1986) and Ashado (2003), as well as Meadow Star (1990) and Turnback the Alarm (1991), both of whom were multiple G1 winners at three. Turnback the Alarm won five G1s at ages three and four.

Because it is the earliest graded stakes for two-year-olds on the calendar, the Schuylerville naturally draws horses without much experience. This year’s 11-horse field consists of ten fillies with racing experience, eight of whom have not raced beyond their winning career debuts. The two more experienced fillies are Closing Act and Union Suit, the one-two finishers in the ungraded Astoria Stakes on June 11. The eleventh entrant, Becky’s Joker, will be making her first start on Thursday.

An interesting aspect of this year’s Schuylerville is that the trainers tied with the most wins (six) in the history of the 105-year-old race – Todd Pletcher and D. Wayne Lukas – will be saddling the two morning-line favorites. Pletcher, whose last victory in the race came with Sweet Loretta in 2016, conditions favored Wine On Tap (5-2), a three-length winner of her debut at Belmont on June 18. Lukas, still in the game at 87, last won the Schuylerville with Classic Elegance in 2004. On Saturday, he’ll send out Saratoga Secret (4-1), a three-length winner of her debut at Ellis Park on June 23.

Oddsmakers don’t give Closing Act and Union Suit any extra credit for being the only entrants with stakes experience. Closing Act is pegged at 10-1 and Union Suit is dismissed at 20-1.

Other fillies given a shot in the six-furlong test include Carmelina (5-1), Dancing Diana (6-1) and Sugar Treat (6-1). Dancing Diana posted the largest margin of victory in her maiden win: 7½ lengths at Delaware Park on June 17. Status Seeker (12-1), Becky’s Joker (15-1) and Mila Junes (30-1) complete the field.

Charge It rolls in Suburban

When Charge It posted a 23-length victory in the Dwyer Stakes (G3) last July – two months after finishing 17th in the Kentucky Derby – people weren’t sure what to make of the Tapit colt. Was he on the brink of stardom or was the Dwyer result a fluke accomplished against a modest field?

The results since have been mixed. After being away from the races for the rest of 2022, Charge It began his 2023 campaign with an allowance win at Gulfstream. He then failed to win in his next three starts: he was out-finished by Endorsed in the Gulfstream Park Mile and finished off the board versus strong fields in the Oaklawn Handicap and Met Mile.

In last weekend’s Suburban Stakes, facing a lesser field, Charge It showed he may yet be a factor in this year’s older-male division. Taking control of the 10-furlong race early, the Todd Pletcher trainee basically galloped around the Belmont Park oval, drawing off late to win by 4 ¾ lengths.

“He’s always impressed us as a top-class horse,” said Pletcher, mentioning the Whitney  (Aug. 5) as a possible next start. “Maybe he’s starting to put it all together now.”