Last year's Shuvee Stakes (G2) marked the beginning of an impressive three-race win streak for Alpha Delta Stables' Raging Sea. Following her Shuvee victory, the 5-year-old daughter of Curlin became a major player in the older female division, a position she retains into 2025 with a season-opening score over reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) on Kentucky Oaks (G1) day.
The second betting choice in the 2024 Shuvee, the Saratoga morning-line oddsmaker lists Raging Sea as the even-money favorite to defend her title in this year's race July 18.
While Raging Sea started her 5-year-old campaign on a winning note, the Chad Brown trainee had to settle for third in her most recent outing in the June 6 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Facing a speed-favoring, sloppy (sealed) surface on the Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard, the late-closing mare struggled to make up ground on the 1-2 finishers, Dorth Vader and Dazzling Move, who had traded those early positions throughout the Ogden Phipps.
"Last time, on that wet track, it was speed-favoring, and it didn't really set up for her," Brown said. "If there's some speed in the race and hopefully we catch a drier track, that would be great."
Regular rider Flavien Prat will pilot Raging Sea in the 1 1/8-mile Shuvee.
The Shuvee could prepare Raging Sea for another assault on the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) Aug. 23 at the Spa. In the 2024 Personal Ensign, Raging Sea ran down two-time champion mare Idiomatic for her first grade 1 win.
Brown will also saddle OXO Equine's Prides Crossing in the Shuvee, a lightly raced 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road . Prides Crossing exits a neck defeat in a May 15 first-level allowance optional claimer going 1 1/8 miles in the mud at Aqueduct Racetrack.
"We wanted to give it a shot. We've been waiting for a spot to run her, and she's been training really well. She's a well-bred horse. It's a big step for her," Brown said.
With Dorth Vader heading to the Jersey Shore for the Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3), Ogden Phipps runner-up Dazzling Move remains in town as Raging's Sea's biggest threat in the Shuvee. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained filly finished 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Raging Sea after leading much of the race. She has been winless in three starts since taking the Royal Delta Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park in February.
Jose Ortiz rides Dazzling Move from the 6 post, and they will have to contend for the early pace with last-out Obeah Stakes winner Malibu Beauty to their outside.
Seven-year-old Malibu Beauty, making her 45th lifetime start in the Shuvee, eyes her first graded stakes win for her Maryland connections. The hard-knocking Buffum mare posted a career-best 105 Equibase Speed Figure with her gate-to-wire Obeah score over Shuvee rivals Gun Song and Sidamara.
Saratoga Race Course, Friday, July 18, 2025, Race 8Entries: Shuvee S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Sidamara (KY) Junior Alvarado 120 William I. Mott 10/1 2 2Gun Song (KY) John R. Velazquez 124 Mark A. Hennig 10/1 3 3Leslie's Rose (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Todd A. Pletcher 5/1 4 4Prides Crossing (KY) Cristian A. Torres 120 Chad C. Brown 15/1 5 5Raging Sea (KY) Flavien Prat 124 Chad C. Brown 1/1 6 6Dazzling Move (ON) Jose L. Ortiz 122 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 5/2 7 7Malibu Beauty (MD) Kendrick Carmouche 122 Gary Capuano 12/1
