SARATOGA SPRINGS – In last summer’s Adirondack Stakes, the 2-year-old fillies You and Cashier’s Dream staged one of the most memorable duels ever seen at the Old Spa. Hooking up around the far turn, they battled as a team down the stretch, opened a dozen lengths on the rest of the field and hit the wire together, with You winning by a neck to give Hall-of-Fame trainer Bobby Frankel one of his six graded stakes wins at the meet.
Many horses would have been cooked by such an epic struggle, but both fillies bounced out of it in fine form. Cashier’s Dream won the Spinaway by six lengths in her next start, came back to win the La Troienne last spring, but then tragically died of a stomach ailment earlier this month.
You, however, is still going strong. She followed her Adirondack victory with a 61/4-length romp in the Frizette last fall and is currently the leading 3-year-old filly in the nation, winning three of four starts, all Grade 1’s: the Las Virgenes, Santa Anita Oaks and, last out, the Acorn at Belmont Park by 71/4 lengths.
Today, back on the stomping grounds that propelled her to stardom, You will go for her fourth Grade 1 of the year as the favorite in a field of seven for the $250,000 Test Stakes at seven furlongs.
“I know she likes this track,” said Frankel, who also runs Tates Creek and Beefeater Baby in this afternoon’s co-feature, the Grade 2, $500,000 Diana Handicap on turf for fillies and mares. “She ran huge last year, and most of the others have never run on it.
“But there are a lot of fast horses in the race. She likes to be up there close to the lead and fight all the time. Hopefully, she’ll be in a good spot where she can get them.”
On paper, You’s most dangerous opponent is the unbeaten and as-yet-unchallenged New York-bred filly Carson Hollow. Trained by Rick Dutrow Jr., the daughter of Carson City broke her maiden by 183/4 lengths at Aqueduct in March, won an open allowance dash by 13/4 in April, took the Bouwerie by five in May and waltzed home by two in the Grade 1 Prioress at Belmont in her last start July 6. All four wins came gate-to-wire.
“I know seven furlongs is not going to be a problem because she’s already won three times at the distance,” Dutrow said. “When they came to her in the (six-furlong) Prioress, she drew off.
“She does what she has to do. I’m more concerned about the competition.”
Carson Hollow, who’ll come away running from post 1 under regular rider John Velazquez, picks up six pounds from the Prioress (114 to 120). Frankel thinks that could be her undoing.
“My filly (You packs 123) is used to carrying weight,” he said. “I think where picking up weight matters most with sprinters, because you’re going from standing still to running at full speed.”
