By Patrycja Szpyra
Saturday's second race at Saratoga promised to showcase a number of well-regarded maidens looking to get the job done, but landed on radars for a different reason–the series of unfortunate events before and during the race. Still, despite the drama in front of her, Pros and Cons (Justify) found her best stride in the lane to win confidently in her second career start.
The unfortunate luck kicked off during the loading process when Bittersweet Memory (The Factor) shied away from the gate, and fell to the course after flipping over. On recommendation from the vets, she was scratched. She went back to the barn under her own power.
The field reloaded and they seemingly broke well enough with Fire Angel (Fire At Will) eagerly heading to the front, but something was soon amiss with her as well. Blowing the first turn to push even-money favorite Mary's Gunna Run (Gun Runner) out with her, she was pulled up along the bend. Horse and rider were accompanied back to be unsaddled by an outrider. Jockey Manny Franco later reported that the bit had broken.
As for the field, the race continued on with Golden Siren (Bolt d'Oro) taking up the mantel as pacesetter with Mary's Gunna Run right behind her. Pros and Cons had avoided the trouble from her spot as the caboose, and was enjoying a ground saving trip along the fence before being called on for more heading for the far turn. Quickly making up ground as they swung into the lane, Pros and Cons overtook Golden Siren outside the sixteenth pole and cleared her under a mild hand-ride to win by three lengths. The betting choice valiantly held on for third after taking the brunt of the trouble.
This maiden-breaking score came on the back of a stakes placing at Gulfstream Park May 9 in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies Stakes. Pros and Cons similarly closed from the back, but could not close the gap on long-gone victress Liberty Rings (Awesome Slew). The race guaranteed an automatic berth into one of Royal Ascot's six juvenile stakes races to the winner.
Pros and Cons is the first to the races for Celestial, a full-sister to champion juvenile filly Caledonia Road and a half to MGSW Officiating (Blame). The mare's youngest offspring is a yearling colt by Arabian Lion. In addition to the aforementioned siblings, Celestial also claims the dam of GSW Lord Miles (Curlin) as a half-sister.
The third dam, Twilight Service (Horse Chestnut (SAf), enjoyed similar success in her broodmare career. Her daughter, MSW & GSP Citizen Advocate (Proud Citizen), went on to produce multiple English Group winner Crimson Advocate (Nyquist)–a winner of the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies herself. Both of her group wins in England came during Royal Ascot–the G2 Duke of Cambridge and G2 Queen Mary Stakes.
Twilight Service is also the granddam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf champion Cy Fair (Not This Time). This is the distant female family of Grade I winners Hymn Book and Data Link.
storms home late down the center of the turf course in R2 at Saratoga to break her maiden at 2nd asking for trainer Mark Casse.
Meet leading rider @jose93_ortiz was aboard the 2yo filly by @spendthriftfarm stallion Bolt d'Oro. pic.twitter.com/mBJJzj6LUn
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) July 10, 2026
2nd-Saratoga, $111,550, Msw, 7-10, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.90, fm, 3 lengths.
PROS AND CONS (f, 2, Justify–Celestial, by Quality Road)
Sales history: $375,000 Ylg '25 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: SP, 2-1-1-0, $92,750. O-D. J. Stable LLC; B-Vegso Racing Stables, Inc (FL); T-Mark E. Casse.
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