Sweet Reason to Ace the Test

Less than two months ago, I wrote a column titled, Sweet Reason to Upset the Acorn. On race day, she went off at a juicy 9-1. In the Grade 1 Test, Sweet Reason will not go off near that high. Nonetheless, I still love her chances of sending her backers home very happy, late Saturday afternoon.

Now a two-time Grade 1 winner, Sweet Reason makes her first start since the Acorn when she headlines a deep field of 12 set to do battle in the  89th running of the $500,000 Longines Test for sophomore fillies going seven panels. The Test is just one event on an exceptional card of racing at Saratoga which includes the $1.5 million Whitney, featuring Palace Malice. The Test will join the Whitney on the live telecast on NBC from 4:30 to 6 p.m. local time.

Sweet Reason already boasts a strong resume at the Spa. The daughter of the Kentucky Derby winning Street Sense began her career at Saratoga last August with a dynamic victory in the slop. Despite being nearly 20 lengths behind early in the race, the first-timer kicked it into high gear, zoomed right by the entire field, and won going away by more than six lengths. Her second career start, also at Saratoga, was equally memorable.  Moving right up to Grade 1 company, the Treadway Racing owned bay filly sat much closer to the pace in the Spinaway, than her debut, but still uncorked a powerful turn of foot, that saw her cruise to an easy 5 ¾-length score. Like Saturday’s Test, the Spinaway was contested at seven furlongs.

After the Spinaway, she never raced poorly, but Sweet Reason could only manage a 2nd in the Frizette, a 4th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and a 3rd in the Gazelle, with only an allowance win at Aqueduct on the winning side of the ledger before the Acorn. Returning to one-turn for the traditional affair at Belmont, Sweet Reason once again showed off her strong closing kick to power to victory over 12 other fillies on Belmont Stakes Day.

Another big factor that raises my confidence in Sweet Reason’s ability to see her potent rally raise her career record at Saratoga to a perfect 3-for-3 is the amount of speed lining up to contest the seven furlong Test. 

Among the fleet fillies ready to contest the early pace include a streaking filly from the Rusty Arnold barn. Following impressive wins in a maiden race and an optional claimer in Kentucky, Southern Honey dominated older females in the Grade 3 Winning Colors, going six furlongs at Churchill Downs. Fiftyshadesofgold is a three-time stakes winner who set the pace into the stretch of the Acorn. Red Velvet romped in the Jersey Girl at Belmont gate to wire, before fading to fourth after setting blistering early splits in the Victory Ride. Miss Behaviour and Tea Time, two other three-time stakes winners in sprints, should also be involved in the early pace.

Chief among the other contenders are: Sweet Whiskey, who ran a bang-up second to Sweet Reason in the Acorn; Street Story, rallying winner of the Victory Ride, Grade 1 Mother Goose runner-up Princess Violet; and Bird Maker, coming off an 11 ¼-length winner of an optional claimer at Churchill Downs last time. As solid as the rest of the field is, though, if I’m right, they will all be up against it when Sweet Reason and Irad Ortiz, Jr. start rolling on the far turn.

If her excellent victory in the Grade 1 Acorn wasn’t enough of a confirmation of her thriving form, Sweet Reason has been been working sharply in preparation for her attempt at back-to-back grade 1 wins, according to her trainer, Leah Gyarmati.

"She's really turned a corner this year with her breezes," said Gyarmati. "She's never been this kind of work horse and now every time she works she's been right there. She's just growing up."

Combine that important bit of information, with a return to a track that she clearly appreciates, and it all adds up to a top notch filly sitting on another big one. Saratoga is a place that some horses just love, and Sweet Reason seems to be one of those.

"She's just doing better and she's happier," Gyarmati said. "She loves it here, so that should be a good sign for August 2, we hope."

A very good sign, in my opinion. This time she is no longer a gift at 10-1 on the morning line, but I love Sweet Reason just the same, even as the 3-1 morning line favorite. Sometimes it’s okay to be on the favorite.