Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The 29th running of the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes is on tap for this Sunday, August 19 and it comes our way from Saratoga Race Track in upstate New York. Three year old fillies will be on display as they go one and one eighth miles on Saratoga's turf track for their share of the $200,000 purse.

The Lake Placid Stakes has attracted a small but quality group of six to go in race 8 on Saratoga's Sunday schedule - five of which participated in the Lake George Stakes July 25. Post time is 4:55 PM. Here is a brief glimpse into the past performances of the six combatants and what brought them to this Grade 2 race.

Horse Racing Rebates

2012 Lake Placid Stakes Race Favorites

Stephanie's Kitten - had a very productive Juvenile campaign in which she won or placed in all five starts (three wins and two third place finishes). Among Stephanie's Kitten's impressive wins is the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 4 and before that the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes in October. Stephanie's Kitten was a leading Juvenile filly on dirt and turf last year and has looked OK so far in three starts this year. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes here on July 25 to follow a win in the minor Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs in May. She has finished no worse than third in seven starts on turf and is the favorite this Sunday.

Centre Court - comes into the Lake Placid absolutely on fire - three straight wins including the Grade 2 Lake George here last time out, the Grade 3 Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs before that and a Maiden Special Weight before that. In six career starts Centre Court has three wins and two second place finishes. She is arguably the top three year old turf filly in the country and should be a factor in the Lake Placid.

Lake Placid Stakes 2012 | Remaining Field Entries

Better Lucky - finished second most recently to Centre Court in the Grade 2 Lake George to follow a win in the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park in May - those two starts represented her only races on turf. Three weeks earlier to the Sands Point Better Lucky posted a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming. In six career starts, Better Lucky has three wins a second and a third place finish.

Medolina - will be making only her fifth career start for trainer Todd Pletcher after three straight wins to start her career were followed by a disappointing fifth last time out in the Grade 2 Lake George.

Lake Placid Stakes betting at Saratoga with OffTrackBetting.com

Disposablepleasure - Todd Pletcher pupil Disposablepleasure had looked very good in winning at the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct in November but has not tasted victory since. She recorded a fourth in the Grade 2 Davona Dale, a third in the Grade 2 Fair Ground Oaks, a respectable second in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes behind In Lingerie, she finished second behind Zo Impressive in the Grade 1 Mother Goose on June 23 and most recently was fourth in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here on July 21. She has two wins, three seconds and a third in nine career starts.

Somali Lemonade - finished rather disappointing sixth in the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 4 at Churchill Downs to end her 2011 campaign and has looked just OK in her four starts of 2012 - a disappointing sixth last time out in the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes here on July 25 followed a decent third in the Grade 3 Boiling Springs Stakes at Monmouth on June 23. Before that was a fourth as favorite in the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont and a decent second in the Grade 3 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland on April 19. Somali Lemonade does have two wins in her seven race career - the Grade 3 JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes in October and a Maiden Special Weight score at Belmont Park on September 11.