The Grade III Caress Stakes returns to Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, July 19, 2025, as Race 9 on the card. This $175,000 turf sprint for fillies and mares aged 3 and up covers 5½ furlongs, attracting a deep field of international turf pedigrees, stakes winners, and elite East Coast connections.
Top Contenders & Pedigree Profiles
| Horse Name | Jockey | Trainer | Pedigree Highlights | Morning Line Odds |
| Pipsy (IRE) | Jose L. Ortiz | William Walden | Kodiac (GB) × Experte (FR) (High Chaparral) | 7-2 |
| Future Is Now | Paco Lopez | Michael J. Trombetta | Great Notion × Past as Prelude (Bernardini) | 5-2 Favorite |
| Pandora’s Gift (IRE) | Joel Rosario | Miguel Clement | Churchill (IRE) × Amthaal (GB) (Exceed and Excel) | 5-1 |
| Kairyu (IRE) | Kendrick Carmouche | Cherie DeVaux | Kuroshio (AUS) × Vegatina (GB) (Lope de Vega) | 6-1 |
| Toupie | Manuel Franco | H. Graham Motion | Uncle Mo × Amertume (Tapit) | 8-1 |
| Zeitlos | Junior Alvarado | Steven M. Asmussen | Curlin × Thyme For Roses (AUS) (Redoute’s Choice) | 8-1 |
| Twirling Queen | Emisael Jaramillo | Jose D’Angelo | Twirling Candy × Adventurous Lady (Kantharos) | 12-1 |
| Time to Dazzle | Dylan Davis | Mark E. Casse | Not This Time × Staria (Unbridled’s Song) | 8-1 |
| Obstreperous | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Jose D’Angelo | Sky Mesa × Introspective (Elusive Quality) | 20-1 |
| Little Prankster | Jose L. Ortiz | Philip A. Bauer | Practical Joke × Good Grammar (Exchange Rate) | 4-1 |
| Halina’s Forte | Rider TBA | Philip A. Bauer | Mitole × Lunarlady (Yes It’s True) | 2-1 |
| Caress | Rider TBA | George Weaver | Connect × Fun Affair (Distorted Humor) | 10-1 |
Pedigree Power Plays
Pipsy (IRE) enters off a win in the Intercontinental Stakes (G2T) and boasts a pedigree rich in European turf sprinting class via Kodiac and High Chaparral.
Future Is Now, a homebred by the late R. Larry Johnson, has placed in multiple graded turf sprints and is by regional turf sire Great Notion.
Pandora’s Gift (IRE), by Churchill, brings Irish turf class and has held her own in U.S. stakes company.
Halina’s Forte, by Mitole, adds dirt sprint speed to a turf test—her dam Lunarlady was a stakes winner herself.
Jockey & Trainer Dynamics
Jose Ortiz rides both Pipsy and Little Prankster, giving him a strong hand in this sprint showdown.
Joel Rosario, aboard Pandora’s Gift, is a master of turf timing and pairs well with Clement’s patient training style.
Paco Lopez, riding Future Is Now, has guided her to multiple stakes wins and knows how to time her late burst.
Philip Bauer sends out two contenders—Halina’s Forte and Little Prankster—both with sharp recent form and tactical speed.
Race Strategy
Pipsy and Future Is Now will likely stalk the pace and pounce late. Halina’s Forte and Twirling Queen may press the pace early, setting up a duel up front. Kairyu (IRE) and Zeitlos could be value plays if the leaders tire. Obstreperous and Caress are longshots with pedigree upside and could hit the board with a clean trip.
