Lake Placid Stakes 2014 at Saratoga

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will play host to the Grade 2 Knob Creek Lake Placid Stakes on Saturday, August 16. Three year old fillies will take to Saratoga's turf track and race 1 1/8 miles searching for the winner's share of the $300,000 purse.

A field of just five plus one Main Track Only entry will line up in the Lake Placid Stakes - race 3 on Saratoga's Saturday schedule. Post time is 2:04 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all six entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

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2014 Lake Placid Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Minorette - will make just her fourth North American start for trainer Chad Brown after four starts in Britain yielded a win and a third place finish. Last time out was a terrific break through win in the $1 million Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational with a 112 BRIS Speed Rating (best of any entry in the Lake Placid field) July 5 after a respectable second behind Sea Queen in the minor Wonder Again Stakes May 25 and a third in her North American debut - an Allowance April 6. She has now hit the board in all three starts in North American and will be looking to build on a terrific win last time out. Jose Lezcano gets the call for the first time from the outside post aboard the 7-5 morning line favorite.

Xcellence - French bred filly has seven career starts at home with two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes. She is coming off a fourth in her North American debut - the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational July 5 after consecutive third place finishes in Group 1 races in France, a win in the Group 3 Prix Imprudence in April and a second in the Grade 3 Prix Miesque in November. Xcellence has been competitive nearly every time out and hopes to break through on North American soil Saturday. Joe Bravo gets the call aboard the 9-5 morning line second choice from post 4.

Lake Placid Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Crown Queen - Legendary trainer Bill Mott sends out Crown Queen for just her fifth career start. She enters on a two race win streak - an Allowance score on this track July 20 followed a maiden score at Belmont Park in June. Her other two career results were third place finishes in MSW races in 2013. John Velazquez has been tabbed to ride the up-and-coming filly from gate 5 Saturday at 5-2 odds.

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Duff One - Gary Contessa trained filly is coming off a sixth in the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes here July 23 after an ugly tenth in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks March 8 and a sixth in them minor Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream January 26. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream December 19. Her best stakes result came last August - a second in the minor P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga on this track. Duff One has two wins and a second place finish in nine career starts but hasn't looked great lately. Jose Ortiz has the mount from the rail at 15-1 on the morning line.

V V Goodnight - Tom Proctor trained filly has 10 career starts with just two wins and a third place finish - the wins coming earlier this year in a MSW at Tampa Bay in February and an Allowance optional Claiming in April. She has failed to place in her last three starts however - a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out July 12 followed a fifth in her stakes debut - the Grade 3 Regret Stakes and a fourth in the minor Edgewood Stakes in May. Shaun Bridgmohan will be in the saddle from post 3 Saturday looking to change the fortunes of the longest shot in the field - 20-1.

My Miss Sophia - Main Track Only entry and highly regarded Todd Pletcher trained filly may race for the sixth time Saturday. She broke maiden by an impressive 11 lengths March 9 after a second in a similar race on that track February 9 and had a true breakthrough performance three back - a win in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes by 7 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct April 5. She followed that with a second to Untapable in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks May 2 and a disappointing seventh last time out in the Grade 1 Acorn Stake at Belmont Park June 7. My Miss Sophia has two wins and two seconds in five career starts and will leave from gate 2 if the race is moved to the main track as the possible 2-5 morning line favorite.


2014 Lake Placid Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 3 on Saratoga Race Course's Saturday card with a Post Time of 2:10 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Duff One J. Ortiz G. Contessa
15-1
2 My Miss Sophia (MTO) . T. Pletcher
2-5
3 V V Goodnight S. Bridgmohan T. Proctor
20-1
4 Xcellence (FR) J. Bravo C. Brown
9-5
5 Crown Queen J. Velazquez W. Mott
5-2
6 Minorette J. Lezcano C. Brown
7-5