Cy Fair the Headliner in Coronation Cup

After skipping an intended trip to Royal Ascot last month, last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Cy Fair is back in action July 18 in the $225,000 Coronation Cup Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course. Bouncing back from a season-starting third in the April 10 Limestone Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland, the Not This Time filly showed she was still at the top of her game with a 1-length score in the Mamzelle Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs April 30. The victory set up the turf sprinter to test international waters, but the plan was abandoned by owners Medallion Racing, Swinbank Stables, Joey Platts, and Mark Stanton after trainer George Weaver felt she wasn't acting herself in the days before the flight. After a May 30 breeze, Cy Fair was off the work tab until June 24. Since then, she has posted two subsequent half-mile moves. "She's been good, training well," Weaver told track publicity. "When we're happy with them, we run them. It can change in the blink of an eye, but she's been doing good." John Velazquez, who rode her in her first two career starts at Saratoga last summer, will be aboard as Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Saturday at Monmouth Park. Five other turf fillies will be hoping to take advantage if Cy Fair is off her game, including Three Diamonds Farm's Sapphire Beach (IRE), second in the Limestone and a follow-up Churchill Downs allowance winner May 31. The other four are all stakes winners. Two additional fillies are also entered as main-track-only entrants, with a 70% chance of rain Saturday, as of July 15.