Society, an honorable fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, earned a shot at redemption at that race with an authoritarian 3 ¼-length triumph in Saturday’s $500,000 Ballerina Handicap (G1) at Saratoga.
The victory, her first in two starts this year, earned the 5-year-old daughter of Gun Runner an all-fees paid, automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup on November 2 at Del Mar.
Tracking Munnys Gold through swift early fractions of 22.65 and 44.82, Society ranged up into contention on the far turn and took command straightening for home, outkicking Scylla and even-money favorite Vahva to the wire and completing the 7 furlongs in 1:22.
She returned $9.40 for a $2 win bet as she extended her record to 6-0-2 from 14 career starts and her earnings to $1,839,535 for Peter Blum Thoroughbreds.
“The filly, I think that we’ve relaxed with who she is,” said winning trainer Steve Asmussen. “We’ve been very direct with what races we are going to run her in, and I think that gives her just a little bit more confidence. I think age and patience and stuff [has improved her], she’s just a beautiful filly that we are very fortunate to have to race.
“It’s obvious she is very fast, very generous. Just a little more spacing in her works [has been beneficial]. She came back in training to get to the Breeders’ Cup. Ran honorably last year, but we can run better, and that is the plan.”
Scylla (2.85-1) has been no worse than third in nine lifetime starts this year and entered off a solid second in the Clement Hirsch (G1) on Aug. 3.
“She fought hard,” said Scylla’s jockey, Javier Castellano. “I’m very proud, very satisfied with her. You can see the fractions. I thought the race set up for her but, unfortunately, she was second-best today.”
Completing the order of finish behind the runner-up were Vahva, Positano Sunset, Shidabhuti, Chi Town and Munnys Gold.
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