Wow Cat's back on the prowl in Saratoga's Shuvee Stakes
Peter Brant and Stud Vendaval's Grade 1-winning Wow Cat headlines a talented eight-horse field for Sunday's Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee at Saratoga Race Course.
In addition to the Shuvee, Sunday's 13-race Saratoga offering will include the entirety of Saturday's card, which was canceled in anticipation of excessive heat, along with a steeplechase allowance race that was postponed due to rain on Wednesday.
Wow Cat is one of two entrants trained by Chad Brown along with Electric Forest, who is cross-entered in Saturday's Molly Pitcher (G3) at Monmouth Park. The Chilean-bred Wow Cat has made her last three starts in Grade 1 company, including a win in the 2018 Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park in October.
The 5-year-old Lookin At Lucky mare will make her seasonal debut in the nine-furlong trip over the Saratoga main track from a rallying effort to be second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 3 at Churchill Downs, when last of 11 in the early running.
"That day she ran really, really well," said jockey Jose Ortiz. "I wish I could have been a little closer. She was also a little wide going into the first turn, so I decided to take her back. I go out on the same set as her in the morning and she looks very good."
Ortiz retains the mount from post 5.
Stonestreet Stables' homebred Electric Forest, a dark bay daughter of Curlin, has won 3-of-5 starts, including a last-out score in the Doubledogdare (G3) in April at Keeneland.
Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call from post 8.
Bradley Thoroughbreds, Whispering Oaks Farm, Team Hanley, Madaket Stables, Tim Cambron and Anna Cambron's Grade 1 winner She's a Julie, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, won the first two starts of her 4-year-old campaign, including victories in the Bayakoa (G3) at Oaklawn Park and the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs.
The Elusive Quality bay, bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, arrives at the Shuvee from a grueling third-place finish in the Fleur de Lis (G2), won by Elate.
She's a Julie will depart from the inside post under Ricardo Santana, Jr.
Summer Wind Equine's Golden Award, a 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, boasts a record of three wins and three seconds from eight starts. Last out, in the Allaire DuPont Distaff (G3) at Pimlico, Golden Award missed by a nose to Mylady Curlin.
Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount from post 3.
Completing the field are Pink Sands (Joel Rosario, post 2), Skeptic (Julien Leparoux, post 4), Forever Liesl (John Velazquez, post 6), and Coach Rocks (Luis Saez, post 7).
The Shuvee is carded as the finale on Sunday's 13-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m.