Harper's Corner Takes Schuylerville in Spa Opener

The longest-ever 163rd Saratoga Race Course meet began July 3 on its earliest date ever. It was also one of the hottest opening days at the beloved Spa. And it could have been one of the most tragic, but good fortune was in order on this tumultuous Friday. While temperatures were expected to peak in the upper 90s, the high was 94 with a heat index of 99, as a stiff breeze at times kept the humidity from becoming oppressive. Then, in the $150,000 Wild Applause Stakes, there was a scary four-horse spill at the top of the stretch in which none of the horses or riders suffered serious injury. And, as fate would have it, jockey Paco Lopez, whose mount, I Love Giraffes, went down in the Wild Applause to start a chain reaction behind her, came back in the next race, the $200,000 Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, and won aboard Harper's Corner. It was that kind of liftoff at the Spa. "I was very lucky," Lopez said. "God bless that everyone is OK." By winning the Schuylerville, Harper's Corner became the first stakes winner for her freshman sire, grade 1 winner Speaker's Corner, who is standing at Darley for a $10,000 fee. Bred by Bishop Racing out of the Speightstown mare Toscana and bought for $70,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring of 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Harper's Corner ($26) took full advantage of a surface that was kind to early speed throughout the day. She led at each call, reeling off a half-mile in :45.18, and pulled away from Voyager in the stretch to cover the 6 furlongs in 1:09.96 and prevail by 5 1/4 lengths for owner Charles Biggs. It was just one of four times the Schuylerville has been run faster than 1:10, when raced at 6 furlongs. "Delighted, not shocked," trainer Cathal Lynch said about a filly who was coming off a debut win at Laurel Park. "I think she is a real filly. We try not to get in her way." D. J. Stable's Voyager, a daughter of Justify trained by Mark Casse, was second, 6 1/4 lengths better than Majestic View Farms International's Prime Aurora, a Mind Control filly trained by Abraham Gardea. Luminous Beauty, the even-money favorite, was second early but faded to fifth in the field of six. To a Flame Takes the Wild Applause In the Wild Applause, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies who had yet to win a stakes, Bregman Family Racing's To a Flame (Justify) scored a 1 1/4-length victory over West Point Thoroughbreds and William Sandbrook's Pillar of Beauty (Caracaro). Trained by Rusty Arnold, ridden by Jose Ortiz, and bred by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, To a Flame ran the 1-mile event in 1:35.29 and paid ($7.50) as the 5-2 favorite. But the finish was overshadowed by the spill in which I Love Giraffes went down and Smexy (IRE), Lovely Grey, and Paris Carver also stumbled and fell in a chain reaction. All four fillies quickly got up and ran off. They were caught by outriders and returned safely to their barns. Jockeys Tyler Gaffalione (Smexy) and Lopez returned to ride the rest of the card, while Dylan Davis (Lovely Grey) was excused from his remaining mounts. Jockey Javier Castellano (Paris Carver) was taken to Saratoga Hospital for further evaluation and X-rays, and was released later in good order, according to NYRA publicity. He will take off the rest of his mounts this weekend and hopes to resume riding next week after a follow-up with a specialist July 6. Heeere's Johnny Closes to Win Saranac Stakes In the third and final stakes of the day, Heeere's Johnny rallied from last under Jaime Rodriguez in a field of 11 to notch a neck victory in the $150,000 Saranac Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old non-winners of a stakes. The victory was not just the first stakes win for Heeere's Johnny, it was also his first win in his eighth career start. Owned by Magic Carpet Racing, Blue Bison Stable, and Catherine Coyle, the son of Oscar Performance bred by Dr. John Chandler paid $32.20 for his maiden win, while covering the distance in 1:40.45 for trainer Ray Handal. Blinging It Back (Volatile) was second and Glavine (Not This Time) third.