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Georgie's Angel tops Spinaway Unbeaten in two career starts, GEORGIE'S ANGEL (Bellamy Road) exits a comfortable 1 1/2-length victory in the Schuylerville S. (G2) on Saratoga's opening day program, scoring as the 4-5 choice among six rivals, and the Todd Pletcher-trained juvenile filly should be an overwhelming favorite against her eight rivals in Sunday's $250,000 Spinaway S. (G1). Georgie's Angel dominated her career bow, a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, in wire-to-wire fashion, but showed her versatility in the six-furlong Schuyerville, rating off the pace before rolling past her opposition at the head of the stretch. The extremely promising youngster has the pedigree to easily handle the stretch out to seven furlongs in the Spinaway and shows four workouts in the 44-day interim since her last start. Top rider John Velazquez will retain the mount. Georgie's Angel was purchased by Red Sox fan Ronnie Sheffer in partnership with several others, including Pletcher's publicist, Kelly Summers Wietsma, who loves the Yanks. The story Wietsma tells about the filly makes success sound almost preordained. "Ronnie Sheffer, the majority partner, is my attorney," Wietsma said. "Last July, he said he was looking at a few fillies and asked Todd if he would look at their papers and see what he thought of them. The day (Ronnie) faxed me the papers is the day (Yankees owner) George Steinbrenner died. I noticed one of them was by Bellamy Road, who was George's favorite colt, so we sent the papers (on the filly) to Todd. "Todd said it was difficult without having seen her but she looked OK on paper. I wanted to name her in honor of George. The names I wanted were taken, so Ronnie submitted Georgie's Angel because his wife is an ordained minister. Her first race, a maiden special at Churchill on the fourth of July, I didn't even realize when she crossed the finish line that it was George Steinbrenner's birthday." JUDY THE BEAUTY (Ghostzapper) is the only other stakes winner in the Spinaway field, capturing the July 17 Shady Well S. at Woodbine in her last outing, and the Wesley Ward pupil will be making her dirt debut at Saratoga. The well-traveled lass is three-for-three overall, breaking her maiden on Keeneland's Polytrack before traveling to France for an allowance victory at Chantilly in early May, and she's bred to relish a conventional track. Jeffrey Sanchez, who has been up for all three wins, will guide the chestnut. Schuylerville runner-up TRUE FEELINGS (Latent Heat) is one of two runners for trainer Anthony Dutrow, who will also saddle Delaware Park debut winner GRACE HALL (Empire Maker), and the late runner will be looking for fast fractions to close behind. After breaking her maiden by a 3 3/4-length margin at Delaware Park, True Feelings left herself too much to do in the Schuylerville stretch, but she rallied well to be a clear second, 5 3/4 lengths clear of third, and is eligible to keep improving with regular rider Jeremy Rose. Grace Hall shows a bullet work at Saratoga in advance of her first stakes appearance, drilling five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 on Tuesday, and the well-bred bay will pick up the services of Ramon Dominguez. AND WHY NOT (Street Cry [Ire]), who posted an eye-catching 5 1/2-length score when making her first start on August 7 at the Spa, is a good-looking filly from the Michael Matz shedrow who will break from the rail with a returning Julien Leparoux. LADY PECAN (Concerto) was purchased privately following an 8 1/4-length maiden claiming score in her last outing at Woodbine, and the Florida-bred chestnut will make her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert on Sunday. BAFFLE ME (First Samurai) and BORN BULLISH (Flashy Bull), the respective third- and fourth-place finishers in the August 7 Colleen S. at Monmouth Park, are also entered, and Schuylerville trailer VUKOVAR (Forest Wildcat) rounds out the Spinaway field. The $100,000 Saranac S. (G3) will be offered one race prior to the Spinaway and a solid field of 12 three-year-olds will contest the 1 1/8-mile affair on inner turf. BRILLIANT SPEED (Dynaformer), who placed in the Hallandale Beach S. and Dania Beach S. on the turf at Gulfstream Park before his upset victory in the Blue Grass S. (G1) in mid-April, is will return to turf for trainer Tom Albertrani following three straight attempts on dirt, including a third in the Belmont S. (G1) two starts back. Brilliant Speed finished fifth behind subsequent Travers (G1) winner Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) in the July 30 Jim Dandy S. (G2) most recently. Stakes winners KING CONGIE (Badge of Silver), SEAL COVE (Strong Hope), CLEMENT ROCK (Strong Hope) and QUEEN'SPLATEKITTEN (Kitten's Joy), as well as recent Hall of Fame S. (G2) runner-up PERREGAUX (Distorted Humor), add further depth to the Saranac. The $75,000 Sightseek S. will kick off the stakes action at Saratoga on Sunday with a field of five fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. ARENA ELVIRA (Ghostzapper), a smart 1 1/4-length scorer in her stakes bow, the August 5 Madame Jemel S., is the top draw, but the Bill Mott-trained filly is cross-entered to Saturday's Molly Pitcher S. (G2) at Monmouth Park. Grade 2 winner SATANS QUICK CHICK (Sky Mesa) and CONNIE AND MICHAEL (Roman Ruler) are also part of the short field.
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