Voyager Bound for Natalma Stakes After Maiden Win

Anyone looking for a key 2-year-old maiden race to follow would be wise to tab the first race Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course. D. J. Stable's Voyager held off Klaravich Stables' Correlation Trade (GB) by a diminishing nose in the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight turf test for fillies that showcased two juveniles who could have a bright future on grass. For the Mark Casse-trained Voyager, a daughter of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, it was her first start on turf and at two turns after a pair of seconds in dirt sprints. One of those dirt races was the Schuylerville Stakes in which she finished second to the unbeaten Harper's Corner. The style of her victory and pedigree make her a BloodHorse Maiden Watch Hot Prospect. Voyager qualifies under Maiden Watch criteria because her dam Chart won the 2020 Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3T) at a mile on grass at Woodbine, also for these same connections. Voyager is her dam's second foal to race and her first winner. Her granddam Gauge is a half sister to Brilliant, who was a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, and her third dam Fairest is a half sister to Furiously, another two-time graded turf stakes winner. "I wanted to get two turns into her, so that's why we did this. We're hoping she's good enough to run in the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Fillies Turf)," Casse said after the front-running win. To that end, Casse said he's targeting the Sept. 12 Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine, which is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). "(Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.) said she's still learning. She was fortunate because of the slow pace, but she's better than this," Casse said. Casse also had praise for the Chad Brown-trained Correlation Trade, a New Bay (GB) filly who was steadied at the start and was 3 lengths behind at the eighth pole before rallying to fall short by inches. "I'm going to bet Chad's filly and Voyager are pretty good horses. They drew away from the rest of the fillies," Casse said. Voyager was bred by Stoneriggs Farm and was bought for $300,000 at the 2025 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. Maiden Watch highlights the performances of 2- and 3-year-old maidens (the latter category only through June) with the potential for graded stakes success based on criteria such as a horse that has made no more than five starts and either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, has siblings that are graded/group winners, or has dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.