From the Spa: August 11 Midlantic-breds in Saratoga stakes

“From the Spa,” written by our on-site correspondent Joe Aiello, III, returns to keep you up-to-date on horses bred in the mid-Atlantic racing in Saratoga stakes.

August 11, Saratoga’s 1st race is the $75,000 two and one sixteenths miles Mrs. Ogden Phipps Handicap. A hurdle race on the turf, this stakes race is named after one of the matriarchs of American racing. While relatively new to the Saratoga stakes card at six years old, the Mrs. Ogden Phipps Handicap is exclusively for fillies and mares four years old and up. It begins the Thursday card as one of two stakes races.

The Mid-Atlantic entry is Ivy Mills, a six year old mare bred in Virginia by Lazy Lane Farms LLC. Purchased as a yearling by owner Michael J. Moran at over $100,000, this stakes winner by Broken Vow – Threadneedle, by Dynaformer trained by Jack O. Fisher will seek to her second non-maiden race and third over jumps. Guiding Ivy Mills at morning line odds of 10/1 will be jockey Connor Hankin, a young hurdle rider with over half a million in career earnings.