Donald Adam's Sweet Talker highlights a field of seven fillies and mares in Saturday's $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (gr. IIT) at 1 1/16 miles over the Mellon Turf Course at Saratoga Race Course.The Ballston Spa, one of three undercard stakes races on Travers Day 2006, is the first leg of the $1 million-guaranteed Pick Four pool. Sweet Talker missed winning her second grade I race in the Diana Handicap at nine furlongs July 29 at Saratoga. Angara rallied along the outside to beat her by a head."I thought she ran a huge race," said trainer H. Graham Motion. "It's tough to be disappointed when she ran so hard. That race might have been longer than what she wants to go."Motion wasn't originally considering the Ballston Spa because it came up a little sooner than Sweet Talker's customary five-week spread between races."I had not originally planned on this last race," Motion said. "But she came out of the Diana so well that we thought this would be a good spot for her. She's a very tough filly. I think the distance will help her." Sweet Talker, who will carry the highweight of 121 pounds with jockey Ramon Dominguez aboard, has maintained her consistency since being purchased for $1.15 million at the Keeneland dispersal sale last November. In four starts this year, the 4-year-old filly has won two races and placed twice for winnings of $406,000.In her first start this year, Sweet Talker set a record for a mile over Laurel Park's turf course by winning the Dahlia Stakes in 1:34. Five weeks later, she followed through with another win in the one-mile WinStar Distaff Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Lone Star Park.
Also coming out of the Diana Handicap is Live Oak Plantation's My Typhoon, who set the pace in that race and stubbornly held on for fourth. My Typhoon won her debut with a 5 ΒΌ-length score over the Mellon Turf Course as a 2-year-old. As a 3-year-old, she won the Revere Stakes (gr. IIT) and just missed winning the Lake Placid (gr. IIT). This year, My Typhoon was the winner of the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT) in May.Asi Siempre has won three races in North America, including her most recent in the De La Rose at Saratoga 17 days ago. The Ballston Spa has been on Asi Siempre's itinerary all season.$200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (gr. IIT, Race 8, 4:38 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (Inner Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Asi Siempre (KY), 117, Julien Leparoux
2. Sweet Talker (KY), 121, Ramon Dominguez
3. Karen's Caper (KY), 115, Edgar Prado
4. Ozone Bere (FR), 115, Javier Castellano
5. Stella Blue (FR), 113, John Velazquez
6. Sixty Rocketts (KY), 113, Rafael Bejarano
7. My Typhoon (IRE), 118, Garrett Gomez
8. Art Fan (KY), 114, Eibar Coa