SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A trio of Grade 1 winners already quite familiar with one another will square off once again with an even bigger prize on the line the second time around – an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint – when going seven furlongs Saturday at Saratoga in the $500,000 Ballerina Handicap.
Vahva, Society, and Chi Town Lady finished first, third, and fourth, respectively, in the Grade 3 Chicago Stakes, also at seven furlongs, on June 22 at Churchill Downs. Positano Sunset, who finished second in that event, also will return in the Grade 1 Ballerina.
Vahva is considered by many the leader of the filly and mare sprint division after adding the Chicago to her previous victory seven weeks earlier in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill. A daughter of Gun Runner, Vahva has now captured four of her last five starts, with her only setback a second-place finish to Alva Starr in the Grade 1 Madison to launch her 2024 campaign this spring at Keeneland. She avenged that defeat in the Derby City.
“We gave her a little freshening after her last win, turned her out for two weeks to let her retool her brain, and she’s doing great,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said. “It’s something we did a lot last year, but this is the only real opportunity we’ve had to do it this season.”
Vahva sat a perfect, pace-stalking trip behind Society in the Chicago, wrested control in early stretch while coming in some to bump with that rival near midstretch, and then edged clear to a popular 1 1/4-length victory for which she received a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. She had earned a career-best 103 Beyer by beating Alva Starr by two lengths in the Derby City Distaff.
Vahva will carry high weight of 124 pounds in the Ballerina and concede from two to six pounds to her seven rivals.
As for her rematch with Society, DeVaux is hopeful she’ll get a little more help up front with that rival than in the pair’s previous encounter.
“Last time, Society was the lone speed on paper, but this race looks to have more early speed, so hopefully she’ll have some company up there and we can sit a nice stalking trip once again,” DeVaux said.
Society, whose Grade 1 win came at 1 1/16 miles the 2022 Cotillion at Parx Racing, was making her first start in the Chicago since finishing fourth after setting a contested pace in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Earlier last season, Society won the Chicago by nearly 11 lengths and the Pink Ribbon at Charles Town by 5 1/2 lengths while posting Beyers of 105 and 106 for the two one-sided victories. She is trained by Steve Asmussen, who sent out Echo Zulu to win the Ballerina a year ago.
“I thought her race was a nice comeback race for her against a Grade 1 winner,” Asmussen said. “I absolutely feel she should move forward off the race. She hadn’t run since the Breeders’ Cup. I think she ran well and is capable of running better. Obviously, we’re taking a different approach to her campaign this year, trying to be best at the Breeders’ Cup instead of before it.
“She is capable of running seven-eighths in under 1:21, which puts her in pretty select company. The idea is to have that race for the Breeders’ Cup, which has been the target and the reason she’s been in training all year.”
Chi Town Lady broke poorly and raced far back in the Chicago, turning in an even effort when finishing 6 1/2 lengths behind Vahva. She has started once since, finishing third when stretching to a mile for the first time in a high-priced optional-claiming/allowance race here July 26.
Scylla and Accede also figure to attract plenty of support. Scylla is coming off a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch going 1 1/16 miles earlier this month at Del Mar. Accede was a sharp second in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap here July 24. Both fillies had three-race winning streaks snapped with those runner-up finishes, both having won Grade 2 races in their previous starts.
“She’s got some very strong one-turn races,” trainer Bill Mott said of Scylla. “She shipped back here. She’s doing well. She’s breezed well.”
Accede will give trainer Chad Brown, who captured the 2022 Ballerina with Goodnight Olive, a potent one-two punch in the race along with the late-running Grade 3 winner Shidabhuti who rounds out the lineup along with the speedy Munnys Gold.
– additional reporting by David Grening
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