From the Spa: July 31 Midlantic-breds in Saratoga stakes

I Spent It wins the 2014 Saratoga Special. Photo by NYRA/Adam Coglianese.

by Joseph Aiello 

“From the Spa” returns to keep you up-to-date on horses bred in the mid-Atlantic racing in Saratoga stakes   

Friday, July 31st features the $100,000 Coronation Cup Stakes in the ninth race at the Spa. The Coronation Cup is a five and one half furlong sprint on the turf exclusively for three year old fillies, with this year’s version carrying an evenly-matched nine horse field. While the top-flight connections and leading trainers are likely to draw the most attention, our Midlantic bred, Miss J McKay, will keep leading jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons, which makes her impossible to ignore.

Miss J McKay is a bay filly bred in Maryland by Linda Oliff Rohleder and owned by Maxis Stables, Madaket Stables LLC and Wonder Stables. Trained by Cathal A. Lynch, this stakes winner is shipping up from Laurel Park where she recently turned out a four furlong work just five days ago. Much like others in this field, Miss J McKay has never run at Saratoga, but proved she belonged with this group after nearly winning the Lady Shipman Stakes at Belmont in June. Finishing third by three and a quarter lengths in that try, Miss J McKay showed a good closing effort behind two other entries in this Coronation Cup, and will likely have her eyes locked in on those fillies again in the stretch. Miss J McKay is by Hangover Kid – Ballykiss, by Street Boss and has morning line odds of 5/1.