Lukas Fillies Breeze for Saratoga's Alabama

(from Saratoga track notes)
Stellar Jayne and Susan's Angel, trainer D. Wayne Lukas' hopes in Saturday's $750,000 Alabama (gr. I) Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, breezed a half mile in company Monday morning.

Lukas is aiming at his third win in the Alabama, one of the most prestigious races for 3-year-old fillies in America. The 1 1/4-mile test is in its 124th running this year.

Stellar Jayne and Susan's Angel worked over the Oklahoma training track, both fillies credited with a time of :48 2/5 breezing.

"Both fillies are doing well. It was just a maintenance work," said Lukas, who won the Alabama in 1984 with Life's Magic and in 1989 with Open Mind. "We're getting them ready for Saturday."

Stellar Jayne is easily the more accomplished of Lukas' Alabama pair. A daughter of Wild Rush, she posted a 29-1 upset over division leader Ashado in Belmont's Mother Goose(gr. I) in June. She was second most recently in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I), won by Ashado, who will be a short-priced favorite in the Alabama.

"She's really come around," said Lukas of Stellar Jayne. "I've always had a lot of confidence in her. She was very good in the Coaching Club. She had every right to stop when Ashado passed her, but she didn't quit running."

Lukas said jockey Robby Albarado would keep the mount on Stellar Jayne.

Lukas admitted the placing of Susan's Angel, who has never run in a graded stakes race, is ambitious, but said he has liked her consistency of late. Susan's Angel has won two of her last three starts, the latest victory coming in Monmouth's Serena's Song.

"She's got to step up and bring her 'A' game, but I know she'll love the distance," Lukas said.

Jockey Pat Day, who won the 2002 Alabama with eventual 3-year-old filly champion Farda Amiga, will ride Susan's Angel.

Others pointing to the Alabama are A Lulu ofa Menifee, A Song In A Minor, Fleet Indian, Honor Point, Last Song, and Yearly Report. The Alabama is the third leg of New York's Triple Tiara series for 3-year-old fillies.