It's Our Time, a potential standout in Champagne

It's Our Time dazzled in his Aug. 16 debut at Saratoga, winning by 17 3/4 lengths as a 5-1 chance. What he can do for an encore will be found out Saturday in the $500,000 Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct over one mile.

The historic one-mile Champagne offers a free berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on Oct. 31, as well as 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the respective top five finishers.

It's Our Time looms as a potential standout in the Champagne if he can come close to replicating his Saratoga performance. That effort over 6 1/2 furlongs earned him a 100 Brisnet Speed rating.

"He ran an exceptionally quick time, and although he finished up with a lot of energy and galloped out very well, as a trainer, I'm training to transition him to go more distance gradually, and we have this option of going a one-turn mile," trainer Tom Amoss said. "That is a luxury, versus a two-turn race, which is why we are doing it."

It's not uncommon for inexperienced runners to take notable steps forward second out. Others in the Champagne eligible to do the same include Napoleon Solo and Talkin, both of whom graduated at Saratoga.

Of those with stakes experience, Curtain Call might be the one to fear. Although not in the same zip code as Ted Noffey in the Hopeful (G1), Curtain Call was only a head away from finishing second to that dominant winner.

The companion race for fillies, the $400,000 Frizette (G1) over one mile, will distribute 2026 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the respective top five finishers.

Like It's Our Time, Carmel Coast enters off a dominating debut win upstate. Although her winning margin was a mere 5 1/2 lengths by comparison, her Speed rating was a solid 89 while beating next-out winner and returning rival Lovely Christina.

Chopsticks and Iron Orchard both enter off stakes wins, Chopsticks' in the Ellis Park Debutante and Iron Orchard's in the Seeking the Ante S. for New York-breds. Secane coasted in her debut at Gulfstream, while Five Bars made a remarkable recovery to win first out at Saratoga for Shug McGaughey.

The other stakes for two-year-old fillies on Saturday, the $200,000 Miss Grillo (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, offers a berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). The main contenders all drew farthest outside, including the Godolphin-owned Quiet Street, recent winner of the Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs.

Fille d'Oro and Miss Picky, from the respective barns of Brad Cox and Todd Pletcher, both exit maiden victories at Saratoga. Deep Learning, trained by Chad Brown, also graduated at the Spa, but made an interim start in the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine, where she finished a closing fifth.

Brown has the headliner in two other stakes on Saturday. Grade 3 winner Hill Road tops the $500,000 Jockey Club Derby (G2) at 1 3/8 miles on the turf, while a new addition to the barn, the unbeaten Rated by Merit, makes his first start in more than 10 months in the $125,000 Discovery, now a restricted stakes for three-year-olds over one mile.