Pros and Cons to Make Her Case in P. G. Johnson Stakes

D.J. Stable's Pros and Cons  returns to stakes company off an impressive second-out graduation for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in the Sept. 4 P. G. Johnson Stakes, a $200,000 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juvenile fillies at Saratoga Race Course.

The Florida-bred daughter of Justify   was a rallying last-out winner July 10 at Saratoga in a 1-mile inner turf maiden, pouncing from last of six under Jose Ortiz to range up late on the turn and draw off to the 3-length victory over stablemate and next-out winner Golden Siren  in a final time of 1:36.90. 

"She was impressive, and I think what made it even more impressive was Golden Siren coming back and winning impressively, so that's always good to see," Casse said.

Pros and Cons, a $375,000 yearling purchase, debuted in May at Gulfstream Park with a 1 1/4-length second to Liberty Rings  in the 5-furlong Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies Stakes, where she also rallied from last of six.

Peter Brant's cleverly named Irish homebred Baliage  wheels back off an impressive graduation where she won by a hair over the same course and distance Aug. 14 for five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown with Manny Franco in the saddle.

Boomesherang  is also leading contender in the P. G. Johnson, a race that often propels horses toward graded stakes in the fall, including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). Meanwhile, Up Before the Dawn  is cross-entered in the P. G. Johnson and the Sept. 7 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes at 1 mile on the turf.