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.