Winter Sunset Seeks Third Generation Lake George Win

In a field that consists of three Chad Brown-trainees and two entered by Wesley Ward, Winter Sunset will have her work cut out for her in the $150,000 Lake George Stakes (G3T) July 19 at Saratoga Race Course.

The one-mile turf contest for 3-year-old fillies would be the first graded stakes victory for the Wayne Catalano trainee, should she win. And with her pedigree she is likely to make that breakthrough sooner than later.

The daughter of Tapit  has been close in her last three starts—finishing third in the Florida Oaks (G3T) and Edgewood Stakes presented by Forcht Bank (G3T) and runner up in the June 15 Regret Stakes (G3T) last time out.

Bred by Phillips Racing Partnership who owns the filly in partnership with Coffeepot Stables, Winter Sunset is the second foal out of dual grade 1 winner Winter Memories who is in turn out of grade 1 winner Memories of Silver. Both her dam and second dam won the Lake George.

Winter Sunset recorded her final work for the Lake George July 14, breezing a half-mile in :47 3/5 over the Churchill Downs main track.

"She's doing very well. She worked :47 and change this morning and it was very good," Catalano said Sunday. "She's moved forward with Beyer and sheet numbers. Channing Hill got off her after her last race and said that it was the best race she had run. She's matured and moved forward."

The starting gate is slated to hold a very competitive field with the likes of Ward's The Mackem Bullet, who took the Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Keeneland in her last start April 7, and Brown's trio.

The daughter of Society Rock has only raced in North America four times, but she has won twice. Her U.S. debut came in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) in which she placed sixth. She came off a runner-up finish to Fairyland in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket.

Ward also has Stillwater Cove, a Quality Road  filly that is looking for her first graded stakes win after finishing fifth in last year's Natalma Stakes (G1T) and fourth in her only start this year in the Soaring Softly Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park.

Brown's trio consists of Paul Pompa Jr.'s Regal Glory, who drew the rail, LNJ Foxwoods' Dogtag, and Peter Brant's Blowout, who will race from the outside post.

Regal Glory comes off a score in the June 1 Penn Oaks at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. Prior to that the daughter of Animal Kingdom  finished 1 1/4 lengths behind The Mackem Bullet in the Appalachian. After winning both her starts last year as a 2-year-old, she kicked off 2019 with a runner-up finish in the Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.

Dogtag has won two of her four starts, placing fourth in her only graded effort—the Sept. 30 Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) at Belmont won by Newspaperofrecord. The War Front  filly has only one start this year—a win in the May 17 Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Dogtag and Regal Glory breezed together on the Saratoga main track Saturday, each covering four furlongs in :48.02.

"They just had a maintenance piece of work and are ready to go," Brown said. "Dogtag's last race was very good off the layoff at Pimlico and she's trained well since. I expect her to move forward."

 A US$481,095 weanling purchase by Brant's Whitebirch from the Goffs November Sale, Blowout made all four of her starts this year.

After breaking her maiden on debut Jan. 23 at Tampa Bay Downs, the daughter of Dansili, out of French One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Beauty Parlour, finished second in both the Florida Oaks and the listed Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. She last raced June 22, taking the Wild Applause Stakes at Belmont by a half-length.

Rounding out the field of seven is stakes winner Espresso Shot, a main-track-only contestant for trainer Jorge Abreu.