Tom Pedulla presents five key takeaways from an opening weekend of the Saratoga Race Course meet that was highlighted by the $500,000 Diana Stakes on Saturday, the first Grade 1 of the 40-day Saratoga meet.

ON THE BEAM: Trainer Chad Brown thought Juddmonte homebred Whitebeam was of Grade 1 quality almost from the minute she entered his barn. Now, he is sure of it. In her third start since being transferred to him by Juddmonte General Manager Garrett O’Rourke, the 4-year-old daughter of Caravaggio secured her first Grade 1 triumph with a taut nose victory for jockey Flavien Prat against classy stablemate In Italian. “The first time I breezed her, I called Garrett O’Rourke in Kentucky and I just thanked him repeatedly for sending me the horse. The first work was Grade 1 potential,” Brown noted. The $750,000 First Lady Stakes on Oct. 7 at Keeneland may be next for both Whitebeam and In Italian.

DOMINATION: How skillful is Brown with older turf fillies and mares? Whitebeam allowed him to extend his record with his eighth Diana triumph. He has swept seven of the last eight editions of the 1 1/8-mile race, delivering with Dacita (2016), Lady Eli (2017), Sistercharlie (2018-’19), Rushing Fall (2020), and In Italian (2022) ahead of Whitebeam. Zagora started it all in 2011. “It’s a very big part of our annual schedule,” Brown said. “We circle this race early on and through the years I’ve had so many nice fillies sent to me and my team from all over. Really, my team deserves all of the credit for developing these horses.”

Fans watch the action opening weekend at Saratoga. (Eclipse Sportswire)

WHITNEY-BOUND: Cody’s Wish, ranked atop the weekly National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll, remained on course for the $1 million Whitney Stakes on Aug. 5 after working five furlongs in 1:00 flat on Saturday on Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track. Cody’s Wish owns 9 victories in 13 lifetime starts and is riding a six-race winning streak. The 1 1/8-mile Whitney would represent the first victory beyond a mile for the recent Met Mile victor. “We’re uncertain about the nine furlongs, but we’re going to remain optimistic,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “Until they do it, you never know. Maybe now that he’s more mature than he was early on, maybe he’ll do it. He’s more seasoned.”

AUSPICIOUS DEBUT: Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has been touting 2-year-old Pirate … with good reason. The Omaha Beach colt, a half-brother to 2023 Preakness winner National Treasure, rolled to a front-running three-length debut victory in Saratoga’s first race on Saturday for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. He completed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.89 after breaking from the rail. “He got away alertly, but they put a lot of pressure on him early,” Pletcher noted. “I thought it was a good performance and very professional, like he's been since we got him.” Pirate is under consideration for the $300,000 Hopeful Stakes on Sept. 4 at Saratoga for his next possible start.

SHOT AT REDEMPTION: Wet Paint looked as though she might be at the top of the class of 3-year-old fillies when she rattled off three consecutive stakes victories to open this season at Oaklawn Park. But then she could do no better than fourth in the Longines Kentucky Oaks and had to settle for second in the June 17 Monomoy Girl Stakes at Ellis Park. Trainer Brad Cox is optimistic she can rebound in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks next Saturday at Saratoga after she worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on the Oklahoma training track one week ahead of the race. “She was wanting to do it. I loved what I saw from her,” Cox said. “She’s set up for a big run next week.”