West Point Thoroughbreds will have two exciting juvenile fillies in action this weekend, with She’s Country taking a big swing in New York on Saturday and Liberation stretching out around two turns in California on Sunday. Both races offer strong state-bred purses and an important chance for each filly to validate the next step in her development.
She’s Country — NYSSS Fifth Avenue Division (Saturday, Aqueduct)
We’ll start Saturday at Aqueduct, where She’s Country tackles the $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series. This is a seven-furlong dirt sprint for New York-sired 2-year-old fillies, one of the richest opportunities of the year for this program. NYRA preview
She’s Country has a résumé that already reads like a filly on the rise. Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, James Politano and LVD Racing, she’s won two of three starts, all on turf. She broke her maiden in August at Saratoga in style, drawing off by six lengths at 1 1/16 miles, and after a tricky trip in the Selima at Laurel, she rebounded sharply in the Key Cents here last out, stalking, splitting rivals late, and getting up by a head in a one-mile state-bred stakes.
Saturday asks a new set of questions — turf to dirt, route to sprint, winners to stakes depth — but the upside is obvious. She has already shown professionalism, tactical positioning, and tenacity. With Irad Ortiz Jr. taking the call from post 11 for trainer George Weaver, we’re hoping She’s Country can transfer that finishing punch to the Aqueduct main track and make her presence felt in one of New York’s marquee juvenile races.
Liberation — Soviet Problem Stakes (Sunday, Los Alamitos)
On Sunday at Los Alamitos, Liberation steps into a different kind of test in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes, a one-mile race restricted to California-bred or California-sired 2-year-old fillies. The Soviet Problem is part of the Golden State Series and is slated for Sunday, December 7 on opening weekend of the Los Al winter meet.
Liberation has been a filly we’ve liked from the jump, and she backed that up immediately on the racetrack. As the first starter from West Point’s 2-year-old class of 2025, she debuted at Santa Anita for trainer John Sadler and rallied to win going away by 1 ¾ lengths, earning a 74 Beyer Speed Figure and a strong early sheet number. She has been rock solid going forward with another win at Santa Anita, sandwiched in between stakes placings in the Generous Portion and Golden State Juvenile Fillies. Juan Hernandez retains the mount.
Two fillies, two coasts, two big opportunities. Here’s hoping She’s Country shows her versatility in New York and Liberation confirms her promise with a strong two-turn debut in California.
