Princess of Sylmar and Fiftyshadesofhay, arguably the two leading three-year-old fillies in the country, are set to square off for division leadership in Saturday's $600,000 Alabama Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.
Princess of Sylmar is the current leader of the sophomore fillies, having won the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I), Busher Stakes, and Busanda Stakes this season. Trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by King of Prussia Stable, a victory in the prestigious Alabama would virtually assure Princess of Sylmar the Eclipse award as champion of her division, regardless of what happens during the remainder of the year.
But standing in Princess of Sylmar's way will be Fiftyshadesofhay, a well-traveled filly from the barn of Bob Baffert. After winning the Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) in January, Fiftyshadesofhay placed in both the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) and Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) at Santa Anita, then powered to impressive victories in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) and Iowa Oaks (gr. III). True, she has not yet won a grade I race, but victory in the Alabama would remedy that, and set her up for a late-season run at the division title.
The other four Alabama entrants would need to step up in a major way to contend against the top two contenders. Tell a Great Story has won three of six starts, including the Go For Wand Stakes at Delaware Park, but could only manage a third-place finish in the Delaware Oaks (gr. II) last time out. Montana Native was impressive in winning the Broom Dance Stakes at Saratoga last month, but is taking a large step up in class. Galloping Giraffe has only one victory to her credit, in a maiden claiming race, but finished a strong second in a nine-furlong allowance race here at Saratoga last month and could be coming on strongly at the finish. Lastly, there is Carnival Court, who has won two of her three starts, including a one-mile allowance race at Belmont last time out.
PP/Horse/Jockey
1 Tell a Great Story/Junior Alvarado
2 Montana Native/Junior Alvarado
3 Galloping Giraffe/Rajiv Maragh
4 Princess of Sylmar/Javier Castellano
5 Carnival Court/Irad Ortiz, Jr.
6 Fiftyshadesofhay/John Velazquez
-Keelerman
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