Music Note....now or later?

The showcase race each Saratoga season is the Travers Stakes for the three year old runners coming off the Triple Crown races. The mid-summer’s Derby is the midway point in the season for those horses and after the Travers, it’s time to face the older horses and point for the Breeder’s Cup Classic. This year; the Travers is without the winner of the first two legs of the Triple Crown; Big Brown. With him not in the picture, the Travers field is wide open and the marquee race for the three year olds at the Spa this year isn’t that race. The “marquee” race is being run today and yes it’s at the classic of a mile and a quarter. That race is the Alabama and the field this year is more intriguing than the Travers.
The 2008 edition of the Alabama has a field of six selections runners with only five betting interests. But; those six three year old fillies are of top quality and one that could be a force versus the boys in one week, if she chooses to go there. Music Note; winner of both the grade I – Mother Goose Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks is set to face her four rivals today along with stablemate entry; Little Belle. But, the big question going into today’s race is; will she opt to race in one week and face a rather suspect, but larger field in the Travers Stakes. This question has been bantered about for several weeks since the leader of the three year old colt division; Big Brown won’t be coming to the Spa.
Granted, Music Note has become one of the best horses in training on the NYRA circuit since she broke her maiden last Fall at Aqueduct going a flat mile. At Belmont Park, she won a non-winners of one allowance test going a mile by seven lengths the end of May. She followed that up with dominating victories in the Mother Goose Stakes (over Proud Spell) and the CCA Oaks over entrymate; Little Belle. The combine total of those two victories was fourteen and a half lengths over a total of nine rivals in both races. She has been dominating, but all those victories were at Belmont Park going one turn. The big question is; will Music Note be as dominate at Saratoga racing two turns as she was going one at Belmont?
As I write this column on Thursday evening, Music Note will most likely race in today’s Alabama Stakes. The field she will be facing is much more tougher than any of the three year old colts she could face in one week. Proud Spell was much the best in the Kentucky Oaks going the same distance and two turns at Churchill Downs. Little Belle her entrymate was runner-up to Proud Spell in the Kentucky Oaks and a distant 2nd behind her in the CCA Oaks last time out. Sweet Vendetta won the second leg of the three year old filly and mare graded I races at Pimlico in the Black Eye Susan’s on a muddy surface. Muska; one of my personal favorite as a two year old, won the “two-turn” Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct last Fall easily and had a prep race over the track. Those are the five rivals that Music Note will have to overcome today going the “classic” distance, but two turns. It is my opinion that she could gain much more if she would wait for the Travers, take her chances against the boys and sealed herself as the best three year old horse in training. The field for the Travers may be over ten runners, one concern of Music Note’s connections. But, without any standout going to post next week, Music Note could prove best in this year’s Mid-Summer Derby. It will be a “game time” decision for Godolphin Stable, but with her entrymate; Little Belle entered in the Alabama also, I say go for the gold. Scratch today and enter in next week’s race. She’s the top filly of this year's three year old group and can beat the boys, especially this group.