Ways and Means seeks to leverage her affinity for Saratoga in the Ballerina Stakes

The outstanding daughter of Practical Joke has won five of her 6 starts at the New York venue and will be one of the headline stars in this demanding G1, a Win and You're In qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint; R Disaster, Eclatant, and Maida are among the other top contenders

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).— If there is a place where Ways and Means feels truly at home, that place is Saratoga. Winner in 5 of her 6 starts at the historic New York venue, the outstanding daughter of Practical Joke will try this Saturday to add another major victory to her resume when she lines up as one of the main attractions in the Resorts World Casino Ballerina Stakes (G1-1,400 m, dirt, $500,000), one of the most compelling events on the extraordinary card headlined by the DraftKings Travers Stakes (G1).

Beyond the prestige and the prize money at stake, the Ballerina awards its winner an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), to be run next October 31 at Keeneland—a goal Chad Brown has targeted since the start of the season for the Klaravich Stables runner.

Ways and Means knows Saratoga virtually inside out. It was there where she broke her maiden as a 2-year-old before finishing second in the Spinaway Stakes (G1), her sole defeat on this track. After finishing fourth in the 2024 Kentucky Oaks (G1), she returned to the Spa to win an allowance over a mile and the Test Stakes (G1), before permanently pointing her campaign toward the sprint division.

Winner also of the Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2), she finished fifth in her first try at the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and overcame various physical and health setbacks to remain at the top level. As a 5-year-old, she opened 2026 as runner-up to R Disaster (Awesome Slew) in the Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) and later captured the Bed o’ Roses Stakes (G2) for the second consecutive year, this time prevailing by just a head over Grand Job (Justify).

“She’s one of the best mares in the division. She’s had physical issues and an illness along the way, but she’s still here at 5 and at the highest level,” said Brown, who knows her lineage as well as anyone, having trained both Practical Joke, her sire, and Strong Incentive, her dam. “She’s one of the best-looking horses that ever walked into this barn and one of the most talented dirt mares I’ve ever had,” the trainer added.

Flavien Prat, who has been aboard Ways and Means for each of her 5 Saratoga victories, will ride her again, breaking from post 7.

The opposition, however, is large and loaded with quality. Saffie Joseph Jr. will send out a three-pronged attack, led by R Disaster, who returns after a 17-week layoff. The daughter of Awesome Slew comes off a gate-to-wire victory over Ways and Means in the Derby City Distaff, though a minor setback kept her from contesting the Honorable Miss Stakes (G2) earlier in the meet.

The same trainer will also send out Grammy Girl (Mastery), winner this season of the Distaff Stakes (G3) and the Vagrancy Stakes (G3), as well as the rising Paradise City (McKinzie), unbeaten in her 2 starts over short distances on dirt in 2026.

Another major contender is Eclatant (Into Mischief), who is in career-best form for Brad Cox. The Stonestreet Stables homebred is unbeaten in 3 starts this year, including a narrow wet-track victory in the Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and a subsequent triumph in the Chicago Stakes (G2).

Maida (Improbable) also arrives undefeated on the season after dominating the Alma North Stakes (L) and the Honorable Miss while showing early speed. Kilwin (Twirling Candy), heroine of the 2025 Test Stakes (G1); Usha(Tiz the Law), winner of the La Brea Stakes (G1); Echo Sound (Echo Town), Kappa Kappa (Omaha Beach), Munnings Express (Munnings), and Beauty Reigns (Into Mischief) complete a deep and competitive field.

Ways and Means loves Saratoga and aims to translate that affinity into victory once again. However, in a Ballerina packed with quality, she will need to deliver her absolute best performance to dance her way back into the winner's circle.