How to bet the 2022 Ballerina Stakes

Travel Column wins the 2020 Golden Rod Stakes (Coady Photography)

August 27th, 2022

A superb cast of seven fillies and mares will square off in Sunday’s $500,000 Ballerina S. (G1) at Saratoga. The seven-furlong feature, which is one of two stakes events on the card, attracted a top-notch field of one-turn dynamos in what is expected to be a fantastic race.

Conditioner Bill Mott has three in the field, and I really like two of his entrants. #6 Travel Column (12-1) came off the year-long layoff in her first outing since joining the Mott shedrow to dominate allowance foes at Churchill Downs on June 29. The dual Grade 2 heroine displayed a lot of ability at both two and three, and I expect her to have a big second half in 2022, as well.

Gray daughter of Frosted, who was an $850,000 yearling purchase, possesses the speed to keep in touch early on, as well as the turn of foot to wear down her foes late. Kentucky-bred four-year-old is 2-for-2 at sprint distances, and I believe that seven-eighths could ultimately be her best voyage overall. Tyler Gaffalione will be in the silks.

I have become a big fan of Mott’s #2 Obligatory (7-2) and will give the one-run closer a chance in this affair. Curlin filly has been first or second in her last four races dating back to November, which includes an impressive victory in the Derby City Distaff (G1) two prior. Kentucky-bred gray could receive an honest pace to rally into with jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons.

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) star #1 Ce Ce (2-1) was a commendable third in the race behind Gamine last season and surely has the credentials to be first across the wire with her best showing. Classy daughter of Elusive Quality is a four-time winner at seven furlongs, and she figures to sit a nice trip just off the early tempo to the top of the lane.

#5 Bella Sofia (7-2), the 2021 Test S. (G1) queen, can be fantastic on her best day and rates a big chance second off the short absence. Awesome Patriot four-year-old fired a bullet five-eighths on the course last weekend in advance of this assignment. Luis Saez stays in the stirrups atop the major contender.