US Friday Preview: Nicole to go well in the Ballerina

Natasha quite fancies Nicole in the Ballerina

Natasha Coates takes a look at Friday's big race from New York...

The $500,000 highlight of Saratoga's Friday card is the G1 Ballerina Stakes (off local time 18:30, 22:30 BST) for fillies and mares aged three and over. There's a further bonus given its status as a Breeders' Cup Challenge Race, which offers those that line up the chance of a spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Simply "Win and You're In".

Unfortunately, It's Tricky, the Godolphin filly who heads the market at 2.6, looks set to miss the Ballerina in favour of the Personal Ensign on Sunday, where a rematch with old rival Royal Delta looks likely. For the rest of the field, it's a stroke of luck. None more so than for Turbulent Descent, who has fallen into the ownership of Coolmore Stud recently and sent to Todd Pletcher's a month ago with this race in mind.

Coolmore's lightly-raced four-year-old would carry the high weight if It's Tricky is scratched, but would also then be top-rated, according to Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings. A course and distance winner, after success in the Test in August last year, Turbulent Descent has every right to head the market.

Nicole H should make the boldest bid, after the favourite, for the Ballerina title, according to both the Morning Line and Timeform's weight-adjusted figures. With just 1 lb to find against Turbulent Descent, and the benefit of Saratoga's leading rider back on board, she should do just that, stepping back up to seven furlongs for the first time since April. After a short spell in Florida in July, when a half-length runner up to Musical Romance in the G1 Princess Rooney, she returns to Michael Hushion with the stable bidding for their fifth winner from only 19 runners at this meeting.

Steve Klesaris will be hoping his mare, Derwin's Star, which he also part-owns, can bounce back after disappointing over a mile and a sixteenth last time. Both runs back at today's distance this year have resulted in success for Derwin's Star, including most recently, when the five-year-old beat home her rivals, including Island Bound, to the G3 Bed O' Roses Stakes, with some ease. Today's race should be a tougher test though, and she has a bit to find. On the Morning Line, Turbulent Descent is at 2.8 and Nicole H at 5.0. With a strong pace likely, with possible front-runners Belle of The Hall and Island Bound, Nicole H, sat in midfield, could offer the best value.