First Look: Diana leads stakes-packed Saratoga weekend

Saratoga’s summer meet begins Thursday, and the Spa will host this week’s only graded stakes.

The action kicks off Thursday with 2-year-old fillies in the Schuylerville, and then the Coronation Cup is on Friday. Graded stakes begin Saturday, including the Diana (G1), and the Quick Call (G3) wraps up the weekend on Sunday.

Here is an early look at the likely fields.

Thursday

Schuylerville (listed), 6 furlongs, 2-year-old fillies

After finishing fifth and third in maiden special weights at Keeneland in April, Whatintheliteral moved into stakes company last out in the black-type Astoria at Saratoga and led gate to wire to win by a head over Aoraki, also entered here. West Memorial, fifth in the Astoria, was coming off a win in the black-type Kentucky Juvenile.

Friday

Wilton (listed), 1 mile, 3-year-old fillies

Miss Justify, one of two entries for Todd Pletcher, is 2-for-4 after an optional-claiming allowance win in her only start at one mile. His other entry, Courbe, was 2-for-3 last year and will make her 2024 here. Bells Beach broke her maiden on second try going a mile at Churchill Downs on June 1.

Coronation Cup (listed), 5 1/2 furlongs (turf), 3-year-old fillies

Toupi has a record of 7: 3-2-1 and won the black-type Stormy Blues by 2 1/4 lengths as the favorite last out. Star Mystery had a record of 10: 4-4-0 before making her first U.S. start in the Jaipur (G1) last month, finishing a close third. Pipsy had two wins and a second in Ireland last year and scored in the Soaring Softly (G3) in her U.S. debut before finishing eighth last out in the Tepin Stakes.

Saturday

Diana (G1), 1 1/8 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

The top six finishers from the Just a Game (G1) at Saratoga return here, and five of them are trained by Chad Brown, who has won this race a record eight times. Chili Flag picked up her third graded-stakes victory in a row in the Just a Game. Another Brown entry, Whitebeam, won this race last year. Didia has been on a win-lose-win-lose-win trend, scoring last out in the New York (G1), with Neecie Marie, also entered here, finishing second. Moira will make her first start since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Kelso (G3), 1 mile (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Three of the seven runners from the Poker (G3) return here, including runner up Mysterious Night, who made his first start since finishing 13th in the 1351 Turf Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia. Talk of the Nation, who was third, has a 10: 4-4-1 record. Luis Saez has ridden two of the last three winners, including Casa Creed last year. This year, he’s on Call Me Harry, an 8-year-old gelding making his first graded-stakes start.

Sanford (G3), 6 furlongs, 2-year-olds

Mentee debuted June 15 at Saratoga and set a track record, going five furlongs in 56.97 seconds. Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Sanford a record eight times, gives the mount again to John Velazquez, who has a record seven Sanford scores. Studlydoright is 2-for-2 after winning the listed Tremont Stakes at Saratoga on June 6. Three Echoes won his debut at Churchill Downs before finishing third in the Tremont.

Sunday

Quick Call (G3), 5 1/2 furlongs (turf), 3-year-olds

Unraced as a 2-year-old, Set won his first two starts this year, both at 7 1/2 furlongs, including the black-type Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park. Then he was 12th in the American Turf (G2) after getting bumped at the start and fifth last out in the Penn Mile (G3). Fandom raced twice last year, winning his Keeneland debut then finishing 11th in a Group 2 stakes at Ascot in June. He returned in April to win the listed Palisades at Keeneland by a neck over Mansa Musa, also expected here.