What a way to start the Saratoga summer season!
The $175,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies, the traditional opening day stakes race at the Spa, had a little bit of everything on Thursday — with the result a huge win for longshot bettors.
The Queen’s M G. NYRA Photo
The Queen’s M G impressed at long odds on opening day at The Spa
The Queen’s MG, under Dylan Davis, took charge in the stretch and won the Schuylerville by 2 ¾ lengths at odds of 44-1 – the longest shot in the field of 11. The bay filly purchased for a mere $3,500, returned $91 on a $2 win bet.
Even before the race started, highly-touted Complexion became fractious in the gate four times, was backed out twice, and jockey John Velazquez bravely hopped back aboard although he may have banged up his elbow in the gate.
When the gate finally opened, Whatintheliteral (25-1) stumbled, jockey Javier Castellano went to the ground, but jumped back up as the horse was quickly gathered by outriders.
Midway through the turn, Slang (15-1) was being pulled up by jockey Jose Lezcano, she ran loose after the rider was unseated, and was eventually taken by ambulance off the track.
The Queen’s MG Overcomes Challenges to Claim Victory
Complexion, meanwhile, never got into any rhythm and finished seventh, while The Queen’s MG to charge at the three-sixteenths pole after passing Aoraki as Sherbini closed for second. Long Neck Paula was third.
Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., The Queen’s MG won in her career debut, but finished a bumpy seventh (and last) in the Astoria Stakes at Saratoga on June 6 (Whatintheliteral and Aoraki ran 1-2).
“We had nothing to lose by running and she showed today that she’s a good horse,’’ Joseph said. “Off of that last race it’s hard to have confidence going into the race, especially a race that was loaded like this one – there were some really good fillies in it that are very well thought of and respected. She ran them off their feet.”
Sherbini made a strong run in the stretch to gain second.
“She made a nice big move at the end, it was just too bad the winner got away from us because I think she was on her way to catching her,’’ Sherbini jockey Florent Geroux said.