SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Thursday’s Grade 3, $175,000 With Anticipation Stakes was more than just a back-up plan for the 2-year-old filly Gala Brand. Showing a similar turn of foot to the one that carried her from last to first in her debut sprinting, Gala Brand rallied from last despite sitting behind a slow pace and having to go eight wide. She outfinished favorite Carson’s Run to win the With Anticipation by a half-length at Saratoga. Carson’s Run finished 1 1/4 lengths ahead of his Christophe Clement-trained stablemate Spirit Prince. Get Spooled and Nomos dead-heated for fourth. Wine Collector and Market Street completed the order of finish. British Sea was scratched. Gala Brand, trained by Bill Mott, was entered in both Wednesday’s $150,000 P.G. Johnson for 2-year-old fillies and Thursday’s With Anticipation. Both were scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf. After entries for both races came out, Megan Jones, the managing partner for Anmore Thoroughbreds, which co-owns Gala Brand with Even Keel Thoroughbreds, felt the With Anticipation “was a better spot,” Jones said. :: Visit the Saratoga Handicapping Store for Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, Betting Strategies, and more. The fact Wednesday’s P.G. Johnson came off the turf and was run at one-mile on the main track made scratching out of that race an even easier decision. An additional day of sunshine and wind helped the turf course be in better shape Thursday. “Less new variables to throw at her also,” Jones said. “She seems to be game to do anything you want her to.” In her debut, at 5 1/2 furlongs, Gala Brand rallied from nine lengths behind a rapid pace to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Thursday, stretching out to 1 1/16 miles, Gala Brand, was last, but only five lengths behind a half-mile run in 51.61 seconds. Mott’s other horse, Get Spooled, was pressing the pace at that point. Jose Ortiz, riding Gala Brand for the first time Thursday, pegged Carson’s Run as the horse to beat. So, he followed that filly, ridden by Dylan Davis, to the head of the lane. Ortiz swung Gala Brand out eight wide, but she came with her run, which was better than that of Carson’s Run, and she got to the wire first. “The main thing, first time going long, was to keep her in good rhythm and just let her be and that’s what I did,” Ortiz said. “Followed Dylan . . . every  step of the way until we hit the quarter pole. I went outside of him and was full of run. Nice filly. Very nice.” Gala Brand, a daughter of Violence, covered the 1 1/16 miles over turf labeled good in 1:45.93 and returned $7.80 as the second choice. Mott said he wondered if Gala Brand’s closing kick would be as effective going long behind a slow pace as it was going short behind a fast one. :: DRF's 2023 Saratoga headquarters: Previews, past performances, picks, recaps, news, and more. “For some reason, good turf horses can close off a slow pace,” Mott said. “Don’t ask me why.” The victory by Gala Brand came a day after the Mott-trained Magic Cross won the off-the-turf P.G. Johnson. Mott still has an interest in getting Magic Cross to the turf. Gala Brand likely earned her way to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita. Whether she runs between now and then will be decided later on. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.