The fields for the opening day card at Saratoga Race Course were drawn today - with encouraging signs.

A total of 103 horses were entered for the 10-race card, plus 11 also-eligibles and 13 designated main track only. That's up from 80 and 89 horses, respectively, from the cards on the final two days of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet. The average field size is 10.3, up from 8.4 on Belmont's closing weekend. It remains to be seen if the numbers can hold for 40 days, but it's an encouraging sign in a country currently plagued by horse shortages.

The opening day feature is the Grade III Schuylerville Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, but a stellar field also showed up for the ungraded James Marvin, a seven-furlong affair for older horses. The runners have combined for 10 graded stakes wins, including three Grade Is. The field drew familiar names such as Vineyard Haven, Friesan Fire, You and I Forever, Cool coal Man, Le Grand Cru, Atoned and Discreet Treasure.