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Test Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Test Stakes comes our way from Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York on Saturday, August 2. A group of three year old fillies will chase the winner's portion of the $500,000 purse when they go seven furlongs on Saratoga's main track.

The Test has attracted a large field of 12 three year old fillies to go in race 9 on Saratoga's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:14 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all 12 entries for this intriguing Grade 1 stakes

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2014 Test Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Sweet Reason - dual Grade 1 winner has seven career starts with four wins, a second and a third place finish - the only off-the-board finish coming four back - a fourth beaten by only two lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She started her career with two wins - the best of which came in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths at Saratoga in September and followed that with a second behind the terrific Untapable in the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont Park in October before her BC attempt. Last time out was another good win in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park June 7 after a third in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct April 5 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score March 7. Sweet Reason has won twice in two starts at the Spa, will have Irad Ortiz in the saddle from post 7 and off a graded stakes win is listed as the 3-1 morning line favorite.

Southern Honey - George Arnold trained filly has just five career starts with three wins and a second place finish. She enters on a nice three race win streak including her stakes debut - the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs May 26. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score in May and a maiden victory in April. Despite the lack of experience against top competition Southern Honey is the 4-1 morning line second choice. Julien Leparoux gets the mount from post 5.

Test Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Sweet Whiskey - Todd Pletcher trained filly has placed in six of seven career starts - two wins, three seconds and a third place finish. She is coming off consecutive seconds - in the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland April 13 and behind Sweet Reason in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes June 7. She had an OK third in the listed Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream March 9 and a career defining win - by 2 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Old Hat Stakes on that same track January 4. She also had a good second to Miss Behavior in the Grade 2 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park September 29 and a win in her debut at Saratoga in August. Sweet Whiskey has looked good in her career and has been at or near the top in all seven career starts. She goes off at 6-1 odds from post 3 with John Velazquez in the saddle.

Miss Behaviour - has been very competitive in her eight race career - four wins, two seconds and a third place finish. She is coming off a good second in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes June 29 after a win in the listed Miss Preakness Stakes in May, a third in the minor Stormy Blues Stakes in April and a her only off-the-board finish - a fifth in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Princess in November. She won three straight to start her career - the best being the Grade 2 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park in September and has continued to look solid since. Javier Castellano gets the call from the outside post at an intriguing 10-1 odds.

Red Velvet - Todd Pletcher trainee has just five career starts - three wins and a second place finish. She enters off a career worst performance - a fourth after setting the pace and fading in her graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 Victory Ride which followed two straight wins - the last being the minor Jersey Girl Stakes by a solid 5 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park in May in her stakes debut. The Speedy Red Velvet leaves from gate 10 with Paco Lopez in the irons at 12-1 odds.

Fiftyshadesofgold - three time stakes winner began her career at Lone Star and posted a MSW victory by an impressive 10 lengths in that race. The Bret Calhoun trained filly next stepped up into stakes company and won the minor Debutante Stakes by an equally impressive eight lengths at Churchill Downs June 22. She is coming off a fourth in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes which followed her first graded stakes score - the Grade 3 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs May 2, a second in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks March 29 and a win in the minor Two Altazano Stakes at Sam Houston in February. She has four wins, a second and a third place finish in seven career starts and is expected to be competitive again Saturday. Robby Albarado gets the mount from post 2.

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Street Story - Steve Asmussen trained filly has won three of five starts this year - two straight ahead of this weekend including the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes over Miss Behaviour at Belmont Park June 29 and the minor Instant Racing Stakes at Oaklawn Park in April. She also won the minor Dixie Belle Stakes in January. Street Story is a three-time stakes winner and has looked very good recently. Joel Rosario gets the call from post 6 Saturday.

Princess Violet - Michael Hushion trained filly has just four career starts with two wins and two second place finishes. She stepped into stakes company last time out and finished a very good second in the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park June 28 after an Allowance score May 16 and after breaking maiden at Aqueduct April 6. She is an interesting entry for the Test and leaves from the rail with Jose Ortiz guiding her.

Thank You Marylou - was good in her first four races for trainer Michael Maker - two wins, a second and a third place finish. She debuted in July with a nice win in the minor Tippett Stakes at Colonial Downs and followed that with a very respectable second in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga in August. After seven months away she returned to action with a win in the minor Ant Limit Stakes at Gulfstream March 9 and followed that with a third in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland April 5. Her last two starts haven't been great however - a seventh last time out in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks followed a fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. Rajiv Maragh gets the call from post 4.

Tea Time - Michael Matz trainee has eight career starts with four wins and a third place finish and enters on a two race win streak - both minor stakes action the last couple of months. Last time out was in the Beautiful Day Stakes at Delaware Park July 3 after the Jostle Stakes at Parx in June - that makes her a three-time stakes winner. Tea Time does have two graded stakes starts under her belt - a fifth in the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes in April and a sixth in the Grade 1 Frizette in October. She hopes to finally break through in graded stakes company with Luis Saez in the irons from post 9.

Little Alexis - has just two career starts for trainer Donna Green - two wins. last time out was in the minor Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park July 5 after a maiden win at first asking. She steps up in company Saturday but looks ready. Jose Lezcano rides from post 8 as Little Alexis attempts to make it a graded stakes debut to remember.

Bird Maker - has seven career starts for trainer Ian Wilkes with two wins and two second place finishes. She is coming off an Allowance score in May by 11 1/4 lengths after a fifth in the Grade 2 Gazelle. She did have a good second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes in November - her best career result and off her romp last time out cold be a factor this week. Shaun Bridgmohan has the mount from post 11.


2014 Test Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Saratoga Race Course's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:14 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Princess Violet J. Ortiz M. Hushion
20-1
2 Fiftyshadesofgold R. Albarado W. Calhoun
8-1
3 Sweet Whiskey J. Velazquez T. Pletcher
6-1
4 Thank You Marylou R. Maragh M. Maker
15-1
5 Southern Honey J. Leparoux G. Arnold, II
4-1
6 Street Story J. Rosario S. Asmussen
8-1
7 Sweet Reason I. Ortiz, Jr. L. Gyarmati
3-1
8 Little Alexis J. Lezcano D. Green
30-1
9 Tea Time L. Saez M. Matz
8-1
10 Red Velvet P. Lopez T. Pletcher
12-1
11 Bird Maker S. Bridgmohan I. Wilkes
20-1
12 Miss Behaviour J. Castellano P. Schoenthal
10-1

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