2017 Ballerina Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Spring's New York will play host to the G2 Ballerina Stakes on Saturday, August 26. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be featured when they line up on Saratoga's dirt track and race seven furlongs for the winner's share of the $500,000 purse.

A field of seven have been confirmed for the Ballerina Stakes - race 7 on Saratoga's stacked Saturday card. Post time is 2:59 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all seven entries for this competitive G1 stakes.

2017 Ballerina Stakes Entries at Saratoga Race Course

Paulassilverlining 2-1

Defending fifth-place finisher in this race - Chad Brown trained mare has placed in 18 of 21 career starts - 11 wins, four seconds and three third place finishes. She raced in graded stakes company for the first time in 17 months last April 17 and posted a very nice 3 3/4 length win in the G3 Distaff Handicap and has been good since. She arrives on the heels of an impressive four-race win streak - the G2 Honorable Miss Handicap last time out on this track July 26, the G1 Humana Distaff May 6 at Churchill Downs, the G1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland April 8 and the minor Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct December 10. Before that was a decent third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and another win in the G2 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park October 1. Other wins include the G3 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park last May 21, the G2 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park in October, 2014 and in the minor Ruthless Stakes in January, 2015. Paulassilverlining has been a factor in every race so far in her career and hopes to build on a superb four-race stakes win streak Saturday. Jose Ortiz has the mount on the morning line favorite from post 3.

By the Moon 3-1

Defending runner-up in this race - Michelle Nevin trained mare has six wins, six seconds and two third-place finishes in 18 career starts. She enters this week in good form - a third last time out behind Paulassilverlining in the G3 Honorable Miss Handicap July 26 followed a win in the G3 Bed o' Roses Handicap June 9 and another win in the G3 Vagrancy Handicap May 5 - both at Belmont Park. Before that was a pair of runner-up finishes - the G2 Barbara Fritchie Stakes February 18 and in the minor Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes December 31 - both at Laurel Park. She also had an OK fifth in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, another quality runner-up finish in the 2016 G1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga and a win in last year's G3 Bed o' Roses Handicap at Belmont Park. Other results include a third in the 2015 G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga, consecutive runner-up finishes - the 2015 G1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park and the minor Parx Oaks and a win in the minor Caesar's Wish Stakes in March, 2015. By the Moon has placed in seven of her last eight starts overall and will be looking for her third graded stakes win in four starts from gate 4. Rajiv Maragh gets the call on the second betting choice.

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Carina Mia 7-2

Defending third-place finisher in this race - Bill Mott trained filly has five wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 13 career starts. She enters off a win in the restricted Shine Again Stakes on this track at this distance August 2, a fourth in the G1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park June 10, an OK third place finish in the G1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs May 6 and a disappointing ninth as second choice in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Before that was a decent second in the G1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx September 24, an OK third in the 2016 G1 Ballerina Stakes, a second behind Songbird in the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks July 24 and a two-race win streak - the G1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park June 11 and by six lengths in the G2 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs last May 6. She also had another impressive two race win streak in 2015 - by 4 1/2 lengths in the G2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs and a maiden score by 9 3/4 lengths in record time at Keeneland. Carina Mia has been decent so far in her career and will be after her first graded stakes win in 14 months with Javier Castellano aboard the third choice from post 5.

Curlin's Approval 4-1

Has six wins and a second-place finish in her 11 career starts for trainer Martin. She made her graded stakes debut seven starts back and finished an OK fourth in the G2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland October 22 and followed that with a respectable second in the G3 Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream December 17. She went on to two straight wins - by a dominant 2 1/2 length win in the G3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream January 28 and in the G2 Royal Delta Stakes by an incredible six lengths on that track February 18. She didn't look great in her next two starts however - a seventh as 4-5 favorite in the G3 Matron Stakes at Churchill Downs May 20 followed a fifth as favorite again in the G2 Inside Information Stakes in March. Last time out was a huge bounce-back win - by 4 1/2 lengths in the G2 Princess Rooney Stakes at this distance at Gulfstream July 1. Curlin's Approval has won three of her last five starts overall, has three wins at this distance and off one of those wins is expected to be competitive again. Luis Saez has been tabbed to ride from gate 2.

Distinta 8-1

Victor Barboza trained mare has 23 career starts with four wins, eight seconds and three third place finishes. She has placed in seven straight races ahead of this weekend (all at Gulfstream) - a second last time out behind Curlin's Approval in the G2 Princess Rooney Stakes July 1 followed a good win in the G2 Inside Information Stakes March 18, an OK second in the minor White Pearl Stakes February 18, a decent third in the G3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes January 28, an Allowance Optional Claiming score January 1 and a third and a second respectively in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races to end 2016. Distinta has placed in seven straight races ahead of this weekend and will chase a second graded stakes score in three starts from gate 6. John Velazquez will be in the reins.

Highway Star 10-1

Lightly raced Rodrigo Ubillo trained filly has seven wins and two third-place finishes in her 11 career starts. She enters off an OK third in the G1 Ogden Phipps Stake at Belmont Park June 10 which followed a nice two race win streak - the G2 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park May 13 and the G3 Distaff Stakes at Aqueduct April 9. Before that was a fourth in the minor Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct in January and another two-race win streak - the G3 Go for Wand Handicap at Aqueduct December 3 and in the minor New York Stallion Series Stakes on that track November 13. She posted an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park September 28 with an 83 Beyer Speed Figure as well. Highway Star has won four of her last six starts overall (all stakes), has won all three starts at this distance. She has been a factor every time out and hopes to be at the top again Saturday. Angel Arroyo gets the call from the outside post 7.

Birdatthewire 20-1

Three-time graded winner in 2015 and defending fourth place finisher in this race made her stakes debut January 24, 2014 one to remember - a win by 3 1/4 lengths in the G2 Forward Gal Stakes and followed that with a decent second in the G2 Davona Dale Stakes February 21 and a good win in the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks March 28, 2015. She has been just OK lately - a fifth last time out in the minor Shine Again Stakes here August 2 followed another fifth in the G2 Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park July 1, a second in an Allowance at Presque Isle Downs May 29 and a respectable second in the G2 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs in November. Before that was an eighth in the G2 Presque Isle Downs Masters last September, a close fourth in the G1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga August 27 and consecutive thirds - the G3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park July 31 and the 2016 G2 Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park July 2. She also won the 2015 G1 La Brea Stakes December 26. Birdatthewire now has four wins, five seconds and three third place finishes in 23 career starts and will be out to snap a 12-race losing streak Saturday. Manuel Franco will be in the saddle from the rail.

2017 Ballerina Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 7 on Saratoga's Saturday card with a Post Time of 2:59 PM.