Schuylerville Stakes: How to handicap Lasix-free racing

Saratoga’s popular juvenile racing program looks a little different this summer. Thanks to a cross-country push to eliminate the use of Lasix in races for 2-year-olds, the youngsters at Saratoga will be running without the common race-day medication.

Lasix has a long history in North America, as a tool to reduce or eliminate exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), which can occur in some Thoroughbreds when they race. Since instances of EPIH can degrade racing performance, Lasix is used as a preventative measure for the vast majority of North American racehorses.

So what does the elimination of Lasix mean for handicapping races like the Schuylerville (G3) on opening day, July 16, at Saratoga? Will the outcome of this 6-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies be difficult to predict without the stabilizing effect of race-day Lasix?

Probably not.

While it’s much too early to measure the long-term impact of the Lasix ban, it’s unlikely to play a large role in the outcome of the Schuylerville. While repeated instances of EIPH are understood to degrade performance over time, we’re unlikely to see this effect in 2-year-olds with barely any racing under their belts.

North American racehorses also travel abroad — to Europe, Dubai, and Japan, where the race-day use of Lasix is prohibited — and compete without any impact on their performance. Prime examples come from trainer Wesley Ward, who has won a bevy of stakes races at England’s coveted Royal Ascot meet with Lasix-free American 2-year-olds.

Anecdotally, one can argue horses in Europe are able to race consistently without Lasix because their races tend to unfold in a different manner than American contests. The quintessential European horse race is a slow-paced event conducted on grass, with a quick ending sprint to the finish line. This stands in stark contrast to the typical fast-paced American dirt race, in which horses gradually decelerate from start to finish, as they grow tired from their early exertions.

It stands to reason horses racing in the European style are less likely to suffer from EIPH than frontrunners racing practically all-out from start to finish. Horses competing in races a mile or longer similarly figure to receive a more relaxed journey than pure sprinters.

So where does this place us in handicapping the Schuylerville? My gut feeling is to handicap the race normally, with a few caveats. Since the push to eliminate Lasix is happening across the country, the eight fillies entered in the Schuylerville have all run (and won) without Lasix, which demonstrates the medication isn’t critical for them to compete.

But I might upgrade horses who have shown the ability to relax off the pace and favor fillies conditioned by trainers who have excelled in the Lasix-free landscape.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen (who has entered 2-1 shot #8 Hopeful Princess) has gone 8-for-21 (38%) with Lasix-free juveniles this season. Antonio Sano (trainer of 10-1 shot #2 Hara) has been nearly as strong, with an 8-for-25 (32%) record. Both Hopeful Princess and Hara look competitive, though both are speedy types in a race packed with pace players, including 6-5 morning-line favorite #3 Beautiful Memories.

So why not take a shot with #6 Queen Arella, a 6-1 shot hailing from the barn of Roderick Rodriguez?

Rodriguez might not be a household name, but the Florida-based trainer won the 2015 Schuylerville with Off the Tracks, and his 2-year-olds have been sharp this season. He has gone 2-for-4 (50%) with a pair of juveniles at Gulfstream Park, and both broke their maiden without Lasix.

Queen Arella was particularly impressive in a 5-furlong sprint May 29. While she didn’t run very fast from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective, Queen Arella made a great visual impression. She overcame a troubled start to rally and win by four lengths over Hara.

A daughter of promising young sire Speightster, Queen Arella has trained forwardly for her stakes debut and will be ridden by accomplished jockey Joel Rosario. With plenty of pace to set up her late rally, Queen Arella can spring a mild surprise in the Schuylerville.

Let’s bet Queen Arella to win, then key her in the exacta with Beautiful Memories, Hara, and Hopeful Princess.

$12 to win on #6 Queen Arella
$1 exacta: 6 with 2,3,8 ($3)
$5 exacta: 2,3,8 with 6 ($15)
Total: $30

Good luck!