Race Overview
Race: Wild Applause Stakes (Unlisted Stakes)
Track: Saratoga Race Course
Date: Wednesday, July 3, 2025
Race Number: 8
Post Time: 5:03 PM ET
Distance: 1 Mile (Inner Turf)
Surface: Turf
Purse: $150,000
Eligibility: 3-Year-Old Fillies
Full Field Analysis
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Pedigree | Career Record |
| 1 | Fixin to Bee | John Velazquez | George R. Arnold II | Mshawish × Susie Bee | 3YO Filly – 120 lbs |
| 2 | Love and Poetry | Joel Rosario | Cherie DeVaux | Hard Spun × Grace and Dignity | 3YO Filly – 118 lbs |
| 3 | Especially | Javier Castellano | Cherie DeVaux | Flatter × Amen Sista | 3YO Filly – 118 lbs |
| 4 | Midway Memories | Manuel Franco | Chad C. Brown | Cairo Prince × Memories Prevail | 3YO Filly – 118 lbs |
| 5 | Classic Q | Jose Ortiz | Mark E. Casse | Classic Empire × Lovely Em | 3YO Filly – 120 lbs |
| 6 | Play With Fire | Flavien Prat | Chad C. Brown | Oscar Performance × Streaming Fire | 3YO Filly – 120 lbs |
| 7 | Lavender Disaster | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | Into Mischief × Café Americano | 3YO Filly – 120 lbs |
| AE | Ruth (Main Track Only) | TBA | Todd A. Pletcher | Uncle Mo × Peppy Rafaela | 3YO Filly – 122 lbs |
Horse-by-Horse Breakdown
Lavender Disaster (Post 7)
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Pedigree: Into Mischief × Café Americano
Edge: Top turf pedigree and elite connections. Brown/Ortiz combo is lethal at Saratoga. Strong closer with upside.
Play With Fire (Post 6)
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Pedigree: Oscar Performance × Streaming Fire
Edge: Tactical speed and bred for turf. Prat fits well with Brown’s turf runners.
Midway Memories (Post 4)
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Manny Franco
Pedigree: Cairo Prince × Memories Prevail
Edge: Lightly raced with upside. Could be the value play among Brown’s trio.
Classic Q (Post 5)
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Pedigree: Classic Empire × Lovely Em
Edge: Versatile filly with stakes experience. Will need to step up on turf.
Especially (Post 3)
Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Pedigree: Flatter × Amen Sista
Edge: Consistent filly with a strong turn of foot. Castellano knows how to time her late run.
Love and Poetry (Post 2)
Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Pedigree: Hard Spun × Grace and Dignity
Edge: Well-bred for turf mile. Rosario excels with patient rides.
Fixin to Bee (Post 1)
Trainer: George R. Arnold II
Jockey: John Velazquez
Pedigree: Mshawish × Susie Bee
Edge: Inside draw and Hall of Fame rider. Could surprise with a ground-saving trip.
Betting Strategy & Predictions
Top Pick: Lavender Disaster – Strong pedigree, elite connections, and tactical versatility.
Value Play: Especially – Consistent closer with upside and a great post draw.
Exacta Box: 3-6-7 (Especially, Play With Fire, Lavender Disaster)
Live Longshot: Fixin to Bee – Could trip out from the rail under Velazquez.
