By Alan Carasso
Saratoga Maidens, Presented by Keeneland
The punters went hook, line and sinker for Red Poppy (Omaha Beach), sending her off at debut odds of 3-5, but the somewhat friendless-on-the-board Summer Starlet (f, 2, City of Light–Act Now, by Street Sense) spoiled the party and did so in a big way, scampering clear to graduate by 6 1/2 powerful lengths. The effort was good for 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard honors.
A 6-1 chance on David Aragona's morning line, the $335,000 Keeneland September yearling was a few pennies short of 16-1 when she left gate nine and she was beaten for speed, settling more or less at the back of the pack as the once-raced Aerial Affair (Flightline) made the running from Godolphin's Joy of Life (Speaker's Corner) through an opening two furlongs that were timed in :21.86. Red Poppy sat a good inside trip for Irad Ortiz, Jr. from third, within easy striking distance.
Summer Starlet was traveling nicely out of harm's way wide on the course as the field raced into and around the turn, as Aerial Affair threatened to take them all the way. But the bay filly was given her cue some six wide passing the quarter pole, quickly descended on the leading group and powered clear, doing her best work through–and well beyond–the line. The final time was a very solid 1:16.62.
“I broke good, tried to get her to settle, let her find her feet and at the quarter pole, she really gave me a great turn of foot on the dirt,” winning jockey Jose Ortiz told Maggie Wolfendale on Saratoga Live. “She was amazing, it was a great debut for her today.”
BC Stables is the nom du course of John Bellinger and Brian Coelho and have campaigned the likes of Just Steel (Justify), a maiden winner at this meet in 2023 and later runner-up in the 2024 GI Arkansas Derby while under the care of the late D. Wayne Lukas.
Summer Starlet is the sixth 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard for her Lane's End-based sire and the second to earn the designation at Saratoga, just a couple of weeks shy of three years since future 2-year-old champion Fierceness opened his account at first asking by 11 1/4 lengths.
A winner at two, Act Now was purchased by Avenue Bloodstock for $610,000 carrying the filly that would become Summer Starlet at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale. The acquisition came in the aftermath of a pair of stakes placings from the mare's then 3-year-old son Dr Oseran (Kitten's Joy), while her foal of 2021, Coach Prime (Quality Road), did his part to advance the pedigree with a third in that year's GII Los Alamitos Futurity.
There is depth farther down the pace, as her stakes-winning third dam–a half-sister to champion G1SW Minardi and to the excellent Tale of the Cat–produced MGSW & MGISP Fed Biz (Giant's Causeway) and SW Spun Silk (A.P. Indy), the dam of GISW Joking (Distorted Humor).
Act Now produced a filly by Practical Joke this past Feb. 16 and was bred back to that same stallion for her 2027 foal.
6th-Saratoga, $115,000, Msw, 8-8, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:16.62, ft, 6 1/2 lengths.
SUMMER STARLET, f, 2, by City of Light
1st Dam: Act Now, by Street Sense
2nd Dam: Always Trouble, by Bernardini
3rd Dam: Spunoutacontrol, by Wild Again
Sales history: $335,000 Ylg '25 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $63,250. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-BC Stables LLC, Wattswood Stables, Bob Albritton, Jay Graham & David Baggett; B-Newstead Corp (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen.
What an impressive debut!
SUMMER STARLET dominates the sixth race to break her maiden at 15-1 under @jose93_ortiz for trainer Steve Asmussen. pic.twitter.com/VRYWrfBeFp
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 8, 2026
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