The Schuylerville

Purse $200.00 – For Fillies Two Years Old

6 Furlongs – Dirt

Saratoga – July 3, 2026

The 22nd edition of The Schuylerville brings together twelve of the top two-year-old fillies in the game competing around six furlongs. This stakes has consistently marked the beginning of successful careers for many talented juveniles. Last year, The Schuylerville lost its grade three designation and now runs as an ungraded race. However, the purse has been increased this year to $200.00 from $175.00. No one has been more dominant in this stakes than Mb Stables, sitting atop the owner leaderboard with four victories. He holds another strong hand with Whispering Pines entered this year, who beat the boys in her last start in the KY Juvenile. The stakes record was set last year by Down On The Beat, stopping the clock for the six furlongs in 1:09.42. She actually just won the Grade Two Fleur De Lis at Churchill Downs last weekend. It’s going to be hard to separate these young fillies who will be jumping into stakes company off their maiden win, trying out new equipment, and stretching out in distance. Let’s get straight to business and take a deep dive into each contender!

1. It Dont Come Easy – (TwinTowersRacing, S X. Bridgmohan) Draws the rail in back-to-back starts after trying the turf in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies. It Dont Come Easy broke her maiden in style going 4½ furlongs at Parx. She broke dead last and came with a huge turn of foot down the stretch to win by a length. It was really an impressive effort, especially being at odds of 55-1. There wasn’t much to run in after that, so connections tried this filly on the grass. She once again displayed her closing kick, but came up short finishing seventh by a length in a big field. It’s worth noting that It Dont Come Easy will be adding blinkers for this start. My longshot pick.

2. Fashionably Late – (Nakamura Stables, J. Lezcano) One of many in here coming off their maiden victory. This daughter of Zomb Tomb was an early winner, graduating back in April. She won at Charles Town going 4½ furlongs in a field of nine. Fashionably Late didn’t have the best of starts and ended up being in last early on. Things started to pick up rounding the far turn as jockey Marshall Mendez started to ask this filly to go. She had a clear running lane on the outside and just ran past the field down the lane like they were standing still. The winning margin was a quarter of a length at odds of 5-1. With a steady work tab since her victory, she will definitely have a chance.

3. Out Love Victor – (Williams9, L. Saez) Kicked off her career as the favorite in a two-furlong maiden at Tampa Bay Downs. She broke a little slow and just wasn’t able to keep up with the rest of the field. That effort resulted in an eighth-place finish, so connections went to the drawing board. Out Love Victor made her next appearance at Lone Star Park with blinkers on. She broke quickly from the gate and put two lengths on her rivals in the blink of an eye. This New York-bred held a one-length advantage throughout the race and made every pole a winning one. Every filly entered will need to take another step forward, but I feel Out Love Victor hasn’t shown enough to beat this group.

4. Valedictorian – (Nakamura Stables, R. Santana Jr.) The second homebred entrant for Nakamura Stables. This filly has a little more experience compared to her stablemate. Valedictorian ran at Fairmount Park in her first start and didn’t have the best showing. She settled in seventh place early and finished in fourth by five lengths. This filly’s second start was much different, as she was very speedy from the gate. Valedictorian went off as the favorite and put away all challengers late to win gate-to-wire. You can tell connections made some adjustments because her last six-furlong drill was a second faster than her last workout heading into her debut. Will need to show more.

5. Phantom Protocol – (Aer Stables, A. Fresu) This New York-bred for Aer Stables was almost a perfect two-for-two after coming up short in her last start. She was first seen at Parx running in a five-furlong maiden. Phantom Protocol settled in midpack and ran down the field late to win by a nose. Connections entered this daughter of My Naples back rather quickly in an N1X about two and a half weeks later. She broke just ok and ran extremely wide around the far turn. Phantom Protocol made up some ground late, but fell just short by a neck. It’s no question she lost that race due to the lost ground early on. Two career starts gives this filly a big advantage. Bute will be removed for this race.

6. Whispering Pines – (Mb Stables, J R. Velazquez) A very impressive homebred filly out of Mb Stables’ Grade One winner Championship Rounds. She sparkled on debut at Keeneland overcoming an extremely wide trip going 4½ furlongs. Connections needed a spot to run, so Mb entered Whispering Pines against the boys in the KY Juvenile. She had a similar midpack trip compared to her first race, as well as being the post time favorite. The Ontario-bred bided her time behind a couple lengths off the pacestetters and just exploded inside the final furlong to score by a neck. It was definitely a statement performance to beat the boys. She will also be adding a shadow roll for this race, which is interesting. My top pick.

7. Zuzus Petals – (Big Jd Racing, J J. Hernandez) No question a hard filly to judge off paper because of her debut win in the mud. Zuzus Petals made her first start at Tampa Bay Downs in a four-horse field. There was rain in the forecast, which scared owners away from entering. Big Jd Racing decided to keep his New York-bred in the race and put her close to the lead. She stalked about a length off the pace, spurting clear late to win by three-quarters. Zuzus Petals’ last six-furlong work was in 1:11 flat, which gives me confidence that she will still be competitive on a fast track. This filly is  one to watch, especially with the added pedigree boost of being a half-sister to a graded stakes winner.

8. Its Yesterdays – (Blazin D, M. Franco) Another entrant who has two career starts after winning in early April. This daughter of Its Showtime was a winner on debut against state-bred company at Parx. She sat just behind the speed in second and grinded home little by little to win by a nose. Connections then decided to try Its Yesterdays on the turf in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park. She broke further back than her first race, which led to a troubled trip. Jockey JG Torrealba was looking at a wall of horses at the top of the stretch and wheeled out Its Yesterdays six-wide. She ended up getting fourth by a length. Shadow roll will be removed for this race. Will need to step up.

9. Uh Oh The Wife – (Jkk Racing Stables, I. Ortiz Jr.) Was an easy winner in an MSW at Lone Star on May 9th. Uh Oh The Wife broke fine and settled in the second flight of horses about two lengths off the speed. Jockey Deshawn Parker was committed to the rail and saved ground all the way to the wire. She showed a nice turn of foot down the stretch to score by a length. Since then, this filly has shown some promise in the morning, working sub-59 after winning her debut. It’s worth pointing out that connections have been experimenting and will be adding Lasix for this start. Although there’s room for improvement, her current form doesn’t inspire much confidence against this group.

10. Will Name You Later – (Serenity Stables, J L. Ortiz) Bought privately for $250.00 after winning on debut. This filly was bred by Blazin D in Pennsylvania and was victorious in a state-bred MSW very early on in April. Will Name You Later had a four-wide trip while sitting off the pace in fourth. Jockey Inoel Beato shifted to the outside at the quarter pole and motored home impressively. I’m sure the daughter of Its Showtime caught the eye of many owners, but Serenity Stables made a solid enough offer to purchase this filly privately. Will Name You Later’s mom is actually a Grade Two winner on the turf, which could allow for many different options down the line. One to watch.

11. Diamond In The Sky – (D J C Racing Stables, V. Espinoza) A well-bred filly by Chisel out of the stakes-winning mare Turquoise Tide. Connections debuted Diamond In The Sky in a MSW at Keeneland going 4½ furlongs. She settled on the rail in the back of the pack and eventually found her way into trouble at the top of the stretch. One of the pacesetters didn’t give up the one path and jockey Daniel Centeno had to wait to split horses with a furlong to go. Her second start was against New York-breds with the addition of Bute, Blinkers, and a Shadow Roll. Diamond In The Sky displayed a nice turn of foot and just strolled home late to win by an easy length. Definitely a contender.

12. Hand Carved – (Pan Farms, U. Rispoli) The unfortunate one drawing the outside post after winning first time out. Hand Carved debuted against state-bred company in late April. She broke fast from the gate and put a length on her rivals in the blink of an eye. The daughter of Chisel kept her distance the entire way around the racetrack to win by a length. Connections have done some testing at the farm since that victory as Hand Carved will be adding Bute and Blinkers for this start. Winning wire-to-wire should give Pan Farms lots of confidence, but she appears to have her toughest task ahead. She will need to break quickly and establish a ground-saving trip early.

– AJM

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded