Stonetastic has done all this before

I think she is one of the fastest fillies in the country, so it should come as no surprise that Stonetastic is my pick to win the feature at Saratoga today with a bullet. A quick look at the past performances of this afternoon’s $100,000 Shine Again Stakes might be cause for pause for many, though.

First, there is the small matter of the daughter of Mizzen Mast making her first start since a disappointing 7th place finish in the Grade 1 La Brea more than seven months ago. Second, her trainer, Kelly Breen did not pick the easiest spot for her return, as this eleven horse field is littered with stakes winners and solid female sprinters. Let me address those potential red flags, one item at a time …

Stonetastic fires fresh, of that, I have no doubt. As a juvenile filly, the fleet gray filly thrilled the Monmouth Park crowd when she won her career debut by more than a dozen lengths in fast time. She was thrown into stakes racing, and at a distance, immediately after that, and while competitive, she has since found her niche as a one-turn specialist.

The next time Stonetastic got the chance to run fresh was also at Monmouth Park last summer. Once again, she dominated her competition with a powerful display of sprinting prowess. The near seven-length score on Haskell day was fast and impressive. While it is true that both of these fresh runs in the past were at Monmouth and against non-stakes performers, they clearly demonstrated that the Stoneway Farm runner is the type to let her speed loose the very first time off the layoff.

As far as her ability to handle stakes horses and the Saratoga main track, both can be easily answered by her second race off the layoff as a three-year-old. Last August at Saratoga, Stonetastic absolutely blitzed a very good field in the Grade 2 Prioress. Under regular rider Paco Lopez, she went to the early lead that day, and her competition never had a chance after that. The 8 ½-length romp in 1:08 and change was good enough to earn a 108 Beyer. It also proved that she is right at home at Saratoga.

Further demonstrating her class, two races later, Stonetastic set the pace in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint before tiring to a solid fourth. I am expecting her to take another good shot at the big race later this year.

Bottom line, I will be all in on Stonetastic today at the Spa, even if she is the lukewarm favorite, as suggested by the morning line. She runs great fresh, is working great, likes Saratoga, and definitely has the class. I think she is one of the fastest fillies in the country, and I fully expect that to be on full display in the Shine Again.