From the Spa: August 19 Midlantic-breds in Saratoga stakes

I Spent It wins the 2014 Saratoga Special. Photo by NYRA/Adam Coglianese.

by Joseph Aiello 

“From the Spa” returns to keep you up-to-date on horses bred in the mid-Atlantic racing in Saratoga stakes   

The nine furlong Summer Colony Stakes is run annually at Saratoga for fillies and mares four years old and up on the dirt. It has been run since 2014, with Breeder’s Cup Distaff winner Blue Prize taking the event in 2019. As a solid prep race for potentially bigger things in the fall, this year’s field of seven looks to get a leg up on their rivals and finish out the season strong. An evenly matched field with no entry of morning line odds over 10/1 makes this rendition of the Summer Colony a difficult one to predict, and gives our Midlantic bred, Leader of the Band, as good a chance as any to find her way into the winner’s circle.

At morning line odds of 4/1, this four year old filly by Bandbox – Catsuit, by Sir Cat is the fourth choice in this field and appropriately breaks from post four. Leader of the Band was bred in Pennsylvania by SMD Ltd. who is also the owner. After primarily being piloted by Frankie Pennington for trainer John Servis, this filly will get a jockey change to one of the nation’s top riders in Joel Rosario, who should be a good fit with her mid-pack running style. Rosario will be guiding Leader of the Band to her first nine furlong try, and should see a bump in her performance after a valiant second to Search Results last time in the Grade III Molly Pitcher Stakes. While she already has a graded win under her belt and has amassed almost half a million in career earnings, a win at Saratoga would certainly be a highlight of Leader of the Band’s racing career, especially if she is able to take down this tough group.