Choisya vs. Excellent Truth: Round 2 Set for Just a Game Showdown at Saratoga

After a bumping-filled finish in the Jenny Wiley, the two fillies meet again in a high-class renewal that also features Heredia, Segesta, Sacred Wish, and more

Choisya (left) enters off a victory over Excellent Truth in the Jenny Wiley / KEENELAND

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- Is Friday’s $500,000 GI Just a Game Stakes at Saratoga merely a rematch? Hardly. While the anticipated reunion between British-bred Choisya (Night of Thunder) and American-based Excellent Truth (Cotai Glory) takes center stage, a cast of 11 older fillies and mares brings depth and quality to the one-mile test over the inner turf.

The pair last met in April at Keeneland in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes, where Choisya prevailed by half a length in a run marred by late interference. Trained by Simon & Ed Crisford, the Rabbah Bloodstock homebred drifted out in upper stretch, impeding Excellent Truth’s rally at a critical point, but the result stood. Now, they’ll square off again with divisional supremacy—and a lucrative purse—on the line.

At age five, Choisya is in career-best form, having reeled off three straight graded wins, including the G2 Cape Verdi and G2 Balanchine at Meydan. In February, she toppled Cinderella’s Dream (Shamardal), who returned to romp in the G2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket. Choisya, who has hit the board in 13 of 20 starts, will break from post 9 under Luis Saez and carry a field-high 124 pounds.

“She traveled over well Thursday morning and came out of quarantine in good order,” said Ed Crisford. “She’ll just stretch her legs on Sunday. At this point, she’s a seasoned traveler and has already regained her weight.

“She’s had a terrific campaign, improving each time. She’s beaten some very smart fillies, which was proven by Cinderella’s Dream, and her Jenny Wiley win was full of merit. She’s tough, genuine, and has a great attitude,” he added. “We’ve always thought this race would suit her. The fillies that ran second and third to her get weight off, but Choisya keeps progressing. She loves flat American-style tracks and has a very strong turn of foot, which we’ve seen in Dubai and again at Keeneland. She handles any ground. If she runs well, the Diana (G1) and other summer targets are in play.”

No trainer has owned the Just a Game in recent years like Chad Brown, who has won seven of the last eight renewals, including last year’s edition with Chili Flag (Cityscape). This time, Brown sends out three runners, led by Excellent Truth (Flavien Prat, post 8, 118 pounds), who finished second to Choisya in the Jenny Wiley and carries the colors of race sponsor Just A Game Racing.

Formerly based in Europe with Mauricio Delcher Sánchez, Excellent Truth was runner-up in the G1 Prix Rothschild and captured the Listed Prix Goldikova at Deauville. The 5-year-old makes just her second start since joining Brown and will look to take a step forward.

Joining her are Segesta (Ghostzapper), fourth in the G3 Modesty at Churchill Downs off a 10-month layoff, and Dynamic Pricing (Night of Thunder), who enters off a dazzling 10-length score in the G3 Beaugay at Aqueduct. Segesta, out of Brown’s first Just a Game winner Antonoe, won last year’s G2 Wonder Again and was runner-up to Cinderella’s Dream in the GI Belmont Oaks.

Dynamic Pricing, bred in the purple from a strong Aga Khan female line, seems to have matured at four. She owns three wins from eight starts and offers tactical versatility and finishing punch.

Another from the Beaugay is Heredia (Dark Angel), who ran a solid third off a 19-month layoff in her U.S. debut for Graham Motion. A G3 winner in England, she had previously finished third behind Inspiral and Mqse de Sevigne(Siyouni) in the G1 Sun Chariot.

“She may have moved a bit early in the Beaugay, but Manny knew she’d need the run,” said Motion. “It was a good comeback after being away so long. We’re running here because we believe she’s a Grade I-caliber filly. She came to us nearly two years ago but had a soft-tissue injury that sidelined her. She’s training well and should be competitive.”

Also in the field with top-level credentials are A Lilac Rolla (Harry Angel), trained by Bill Mott for Resolute Racing; Kehoe Beach (Omaha Beach), a Wesley Ward trainee for Thomas Bachman; and Sacred Wish (Not This Time), trained by George Weaver for Black Type Thoroughbreds.

Friday’s Just a Game shapes up as one of the most compelling turf events of the season, with an international cast and a rematch carrying high stakes and high drama.