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Weekend Lineup Presented By NYRA Bets: Summer Comes To An End

The Saratoga summer comes to a close this Labor Day Weekend, but a pair of Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win And You're In” races on Saturday will end upstate New York's graded stakes action on a high note. The Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Flower Bowl each offer the winner a berth in the World Championships to be held this November at Del Mar.

On the West Coast, summer racing at Del Mar also comes to an end this weekend. A pair of turf stakes highlight Saturday's action: the Del Mar Derby and the John C. Mabee Stakes.

Sunday will highlight 2-year-old races for fillies on both coasts: the G1 Spinaway at Saratoga, and the G1 Debutante at Del Mar. Monday will offer the juvenile colts a shot at Grade 1 glory: the G1 Hopeful is scheduled at Saratoga, while the G1 Futurity will be held at Del Mar.

Sunday is also opening day at the rich Kentucky Downs meet, and racing at the European-style turf track continues on Monday.

Here's a quick snapshot of this weekend's graded stakes schedule, starting with Saratoga's big races (all times Eastern):

Saturday

6:11 p.m. – $600,000 Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Saratoga

War Like Goddess brings a three-race win streak into this 11-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares, chasing an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf for trainer Bill Mott. The daughter of English Channel has won the G3 Orchid, G3 Bewitch, and G2 Glens Falls over three different turf courses this year, and Mott is confident she can step up to the top level.

However, six-time Flower Bowl-winning trainer Chad Brown will have something to say about that. He'll saddle a pair for this year's edition: My Sister Nate, a half-sister to champion Sistercharlie and runner-up in last year's running of this race, and Great Island, last-out winner of the G3 Matchmaker.

American Bridge will make her North American debut in this spot for owner Peter Brant and trainer Jean Claude Rouget, entering off a win in a Group 3 race over 1 1/4 miles in France last out. Another in with a shot is La Signare for Brendan Walsh, who could be the main speed in the race and has earned three straight G1 placings.

Flower Bowl Entries

6:46 p.m. – $1 million Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga

Another Bill Mott trainee is the highlight in this “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic. This time it's the lightly-raced but definitely talented Forza Di Oro, last year's G3 Discover Stakes winner. He'll looking to put together back-to-back starts this year after an easy allowance victory last out.

Happy Saver won this race last year and appears to be the main threat to repeat for trainer Todd Pletcher, though he'll have to do better than the third he ran in the mud last out in the G2 Suburban. The horse who beat him that day, Max Player, returns for hot trainer Steve Asmussen, and if he is able to remain consistent at this level could be a major player.

Night Ops is the unknown in the race for trainer Brad Cox. He ran second to Art Collector in the Alydar Stakes last out, and that rival came back to win the Charles Town Classic. Night Ops has yet to find the winner's circle this year, but has run four straight seconds and could work out the right trip under Manny Franco.

JCGC Entries

8:37 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar

The Mabee has drawn nine fillies and mares and appears to be the kind of race where contention runs deep. Dogtag has been made a slight 3-1 favorite over Maxim Rate at 7-2, but it's 4-1 shot Going to Vegas who is likely to appeal most to handicappers off her allowance win last out.

Mabee Entries

9:37 p.m. – $250,000 Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at Del Mar

The Derby has drawn 14 runners and is, of course, for 3-year-olds as the culminating event in the track's turf triple for sophomores, having been preceded by the Runhappy Oceanside Stakes and the Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes.

The first three finishers in both of those “prep” races are back to give it a go in this 77th edition of the Derby, which makes for a challenging wagering race. And the fact that Del Mar's morning line maker, Jon White, has made his favorite Hudson Ridge a very tepid 9-2 tells you that the race looms wide open with a thrilling finish likely to decide the winner.

Del Mar Derby Entries

Sunday

6:11 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga

Echo Zulu will attempt to parlay a sensational debut victory into a Grade 1 win as she takes on a field of nine 2-year-old fillies assembled for Sunday's seven-furlong contest. The undeniable favorite earned the highest Beyer of any 2-year-old filly this year in her debut, a 92, and will take serious beating if she can run back anywhere close to that figure.

G3 Schuylerville winner Pretty Birdie is the likely second choice for trainer Norm Casse, but the frontrunning daughter of Bird Song will have to stretch her speed in the Spinaway.

Spinaway Entries

9:00 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at Del Mar

Undefeated Sorrento Stakes winner Elm Drive is back for more in this seven-furlong contest, and as a daughter of Mohaymen, the seven-furlong distance should be well within her scope. Recent maiden winners Dance to the Music and Grace Adler each pose a potential threat, as does the latter's Bob Baffert-trained stablemate, Sorrento runner-up Eda.

Debutante Entries

Monday

5:38 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a pair of strong contenders in Wit and Power Agenda in this seven-furlong sprint for juveniles. Each holds wins at six furlongs, but Pletcher believes the extra eighth of a mile won't be an issue for either of his trainees.

Wit, by 2016 Hopeful-winner Practical Joke and out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Numero d'Oro, is perfect through two starts. Wit posted a six-length maiden win over 5 1/2 furlongs in June, ahead of an eight-length score in the G3 Sanford over six furlongs on July 17.

Power Agenda, by Nyquist and out of the Afleet Alex mare Dream Dance, prevailed by a nose in a gutsy gate-to-wire debut win sprinting six furlongs on Aug. 14 at the Spa.

Hopeful Entries

8:30 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 1 Futurity at Del Mar

Best Pal winner Pappacap drew the rail in this six-horse, seven-furlong event for trainer Mark Casse, but he'll face a tough assignment from a pair of Bob Baffert-trained maiden winners.

Murray, the Baffert-trained son of Street Sense who commanded $300,000 as a yearling, won his July 25 maiden race at Del Mar by 10 3/4 lengths. His stablemate, the Twirling Candy colt Pinehurst, broke his maiden by a half-length at Del Mar on Aug. 1.

Futurity Entries

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Weekend Lineup Presented By NYRA Bets: Big Travers Card Features Six Grade 1 Races

A quartet of Breeders' Cup Challenge races and the $1.25 million Travers Stakes highlight this weekend's racing action in North America, with a total of six Grade 1 stakes on Saturday's card at Saratoga.

The Travers drew a field of seven headlined by last year's juvenile champion Essential Quality. The Brad Cox-trained 3-year-old was undefeated until he finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, but returned to win both the Belmont Stakes and the Jim Dandy.

Other top runners expected to compete on Saturday include champion female sprinter Gamine in the G1 Ballerina, division leader Letruska in the G1 Personal Ensign, and the highly-regarded 3-year-old Life Is Good returns in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens for new trainer Todd Pletcher.

On the West Coast, a Breeders' Cup berth is on the line in Saturday's G2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar, where C Z Rocket is the morning-line choice. On Sunday, Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit returns to the races in the listed Shared Belief Stakes.

Here's a quick snapshot of this weekend's graded stakes schedule, starting with Saratoga's big races (all times Eastern):

Saturday

3:02 p.m. – $500,000 Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine, the Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter of 2020, will get another chance to flash her championship form over a track she dominated last summer when she heads a field of seven in Saturday's G1 Ballerina at Saratoga Race Course.

Also in from the West Coast is Bo Hirsch's 5-year-old homebred mare Ce Ce, who also shipped cross-country for her last start, the G2 Princess Rooney July 3 at Gulfstream Park, beating runner-up and fellow Ballerina entrant Estilo Talentoso.

Godolphin homebred Lake Avenue is chasing her second career graded stakes victory and first in a G1 after running second by a neck in each of her last two starts – the G3 Bed o' Roses June 4 at Belmont Park and G2 Honorable Miss July 28 at Saratoga.

Ballerina Entries

3:37 p.m. – $600,000 Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga

Calumet Farm homebred Lexitonian, a racing enigma who broke through with his biggest performance to date last month, goes after a second consecutive win for the first time in his career in Saturday's seven-furlong contest.

Five of the eight horses entered in the Forego are G1 winners, including Firenze Fire, Mind Control, Mischevious Alex, and Whitmore, the champion sprinter of 2020. Lexitonian joined the group with a half-length victory in the six-furlong Alfred G. Vanderbilt July 31, his 19th career start.

Also in the field, Yaupon won each of his first four career starts last year, two of them coming at Saratoga – an open allowance triumph over older horses and the G2 Amsterdam – as well as the Chick Lang. Following a troubled eighth in both the Breeders' Cup Sprint to end 2020 and the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen to open 2021, Yaupon returned to capture Pimlico's Lite the Fuse July 4 in his most recent outing.

Forego Entries

4:12 p.m. – $500,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes at Saratoga

J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior will seek to solidify himself as the nation's leading sophomore sprinter when taking on a compact field. Jackie's Warrior, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, has shown an affinity for Saratoga, having not come close to losing in three starts at the Spa.

Jackie's Warrior's biggest obstacle could come from the presence of returning graded stakes winner Life Is Good, who arrives off a five-month hiatus and makes his debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The highly-regarded son of leading sire Into Mischief, owned by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm, is unbeaten in three starts on the West Coast and has never been behind horses at any point of call, when racing from the barn of Bob Baffert.

Jerkens Entries

4:47 p.m. – $600,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga

Despite Letruska's imposing presence, a field of nine top-class older fillies and mares will line up to go 1 1/18 miles at Saratoga. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, the dual G1-winning Letruska will be attempting her fourth consecutive graded stakes score. She has already secured her Breeders' Cup Distaff spot with a dominating gate-to-wire 2 ¾ lengths victory in the G1 Ogden Phipps, also a “Win and You're In” event, two starts back at Belmont Park on June 5.

Kenny McPeek is returning Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver to the distaff division. After circumstances forced his hand earlier in the Saratoga meet, he ran her in the G1 Whitney against the boys last out on Aug. 7, and she finished fourth.

Bonny South will try to turn the tables on Letruska after a runner-up finish in the Ogden Phipps. The 4-year-old filly was a well-beaten fifth in her last start in the G2 Delaware Handicap as the odds-on favorite, but has been breezing impressively with stablemate, G1 Runhappy Travers Stakes 4-5 favorite [and Belmont Stakes-winner] Essential Quality.

As Time Goes By runs for the Coolmore connections and has been sent from the Southern California base of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. She ran second to Swiss Skydiver in the G1 Beholder Mile and then racked up a pair of G2 wins, taking the Santa Margarita by 9 ¼ lengths and the Santa Maria by a nose, both at Santa Anita.

Personal Ensign Entries

5:25 p.m. – $750,000 Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of strong contenders in Tribhuvan and Rockemperor, who will square off against a talented field of G1 winners in the 1 1/2-mile turf contest, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the winner for the Breeders' Cup Turf.

With seven wins and more than $3.2 million in purse earnings, Channel Maker will make his fourth straight Sword Dancer appearance following a second in 2018, a fourth in 2019, and a win last year to highlight his championship campaign that also included a score in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont.

Japan, trained by Aidan O'Brien, will make his first start in North America. The 5-year-old, who boasts a record of seven wins and four thirds from 18 starts with purse earnings in excess of $2.1 million, posted consecutive G1 wins in 2019 in the 12-furlong Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp and the 1 5/16-mile Juddmonte International at York. Japan has notched a pair of G3 wins in four starts this campaign, taking the 1 11/16-mile Ormond in May at Chester and the nine-furlong Meld last out on July 15 at Leopardstown.

Sword Dancer Entries

6:12 p.m. – $1.25 million Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga

Juvenile champion Essential Quality overcame Hot Rod Charlie's blistering fractions to run down his rival in the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 5 and followed that 109 Beyer Speed Figure effort with a half-length win over Travers rival Keepmeinmind in the G2 Jim Dandy going 1 1/8 miles.

Keepmeinmind competed in the Triple Crown's second leg, running fourth in the Preakness before earning additional black type with a third place G3 Ohio Derby performance in June. Keepmeinmind matched his career-best 97 Beyer for closing on Essential Quality in the Jim Dandy last month, finishing second and 2 1/4 lengths ahead of fellow Travers foe Masqueparade.

Midnight Bourbon, the runner-up to Rombauer in the Preakness, has not raced since clipping heels with Hot Rod Charlie and unseating rider Paco Lopez in the G1 Haskell in July at Monmouth Park. Masqueparade bested King Fury by a half length in the Ohio Derby, extending his winning streak to three, before finishing third in a Jim Dandy contest that will see the trifecta rematch in the Travers.

King Fury, runner-up in the Ohio Derby, trained at Saratoga through an EHV-1 quarantine, causing him to miss the G2 Jim Dandy and instead return in the G1 Saratoga Derby Invitational on Aug. 7. He finished 10th after a wide trip in his turf debut.

Dynamic One – second in the G2 Wood Memorial – showed his affinity for the Saratoga track last out, rallying from last-of-seven to close strong, besting Miles D by 1 3/4 lengths in the Curlin on July 30 at Saratoga for his first stakes victory.

Travers Entries

9:35 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar

A field of 10 stout sprinters will travel seven furlongs the Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge race funneling into the Dirt Mile.

Morning-line choice C Z Rocket, a veteran gelding who found a new lease on life when he was haltered for $40,000 16 months ago and took up residence in the barn of trainer Peter Miller. The 7-year-old has since won seven races, four of them stakes, and placed in three other added-money tests to bank more than $1.1-million for his new connections.

Chief threat to C Z Rocket appears to be another classy veteran, the 7-year-old Flagstaff, a winner of seven races and $1,011,585. The gelding by sprint champion Speightstown has made five starts this year, but this will be his first in his California home base.

Trainer Bob Baffert has a pair in the dash in Eight Rings and Classier. The former, a 4-year-old colt by Empire Maker, was second beaten only a neck in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs earlier in the meet. Classier, a 3-year-old colt also by Empire Maker, shortens up off a score in the Los Alamitos Derby at nine furlongs on July 4.

O'Brien Entries

Here's a look at the remainder of the weekend's graded stakes, courtesy of NTRA:

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Weekend Lineup Presented By NYRA Bets: Alabama Rematch, Pacific Classic Showdown

Highlighting this weekend's racing action are Grade 1 races from coast to coast. On Saturday, a big rematch is in the cards for Saratoga's Alabama, while a Breeders' Cup Classic berth is on the line in Del Mar's million-dollar Pacific Classic. On Sunday, Woodbine will put on a trio of graded stakes races as well as the $1 million Queen's Plate, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Maracuja posted a big upset over Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat in the CCA Oaks last month, and the two sophomore fillies face off again in Saturday's Grade 1 Alabama. It's far from a two-horse race, however, with graded stakes winners Clairiere, Army Wife, and Crazy Beautiful also part of the seven-horse field.

The Pacific Classic features East Coast shipper Dr Post for trainer Todd Pletcher, while the local favorite Express Train will look to add the elusive Grade 1 score to his growing resume. Royal Ship, Tizamagician, and Independence Hall are also in the nine-horse lineup.

Sunday's Queen's Plate drew a field of 13 sophomores for the 1 1/4-mile classic, with 19-year-old Joshua Attard's Keep Grinding, trained by his grandfather, the 4-1 morning line favorite.

The New York Racing Association has planned an all graded stakes cross country pick 5 for Saturday, encompassing three Grade 1 contests and two Grade 2 events from Saratoga and Del Mar. Past performances are free here for this 50-cent base wager.

Here's a quick snapshot of this weekend's graded stakes schedule, starting with Saratoga's big races (all times Eastern):

Saturday

5:39 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga

In the Lake Placid, Technical Analysis will look to duplicate her effort from the G3 Lake George on July 23 over the Saratoga inner turf, where she tracked in third position before kicking away from Fluffy Socks to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a one-mile contest. The Chad Brown trainee has compiled a 3-0-1 record in five starts but did not face stakes competition until her sixth-place effort in the 1 1/8-mile G3 Wonder Again on June 3 at Belmont Park. After winning at a mile, the Irish-bred daughter of Kingman will be stretched back out, drawing post 2 with Jose Ortiz aboard for the fifth straight start.

Spanish Loveaffair faced top-flight competition last out, running last-of-eight in the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in the opening leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series on July 10. Entering off a two-month respite, the daughter of Karakontie has alternated between solid stakes efforts and disappointing finishes in her four 2021 starts.

Runaway Rumour won her first three starts for trainer Jorge Abreu, including an off-the-pace half-length victory in the Wild Applause in June at Belmont Park going one mile. After running fourth in the Lake George in her first run over the Saratoga grass, the Flintshire filly will return to the Spa, where she has worked since June, including a four-furlong work on the Oklahoma training track on Aug. 7 in 50.83 seconds.

Lake Placid Entries

6:13 p.m. – $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga

Malathaat saw Maracuja snap her five-race undefeated record in the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24, where the blue-blooded daughter of Curlin went into the gate as the 1-5 favorite and set a pressured pace down the backstretch before engaging in a dramatic stretch rally, coming up a head shy of victory. Malathaat will attempt to regain her status as division leader when she again faces Maracuja in the 1 1/4-mile Alabama.

Steve Asmussen will saddle Clairiere in search of her first Grade 1 triumph. Fourth beaten three lengths in the Kentucky Oaks, Clairiere seeks her first victory since the G2 Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Following a victory in the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 27, Crazy Beautiful was never a factor in the Kentucky Oaks finishing a distant tenth. But her brilliance was recaptured in her following two efforts, winning the G3 Summertime Oaks on May 30 at Santa Anita ahead of a six-length romp in the G3 Delaware Oaks on July 3 at Delaware Park.

Army Wife boasts four lifetime wins all over different tracks and will seek to add Saratoga to her list of oval conquests for leading trainer Mike Maker. The bay daughter of Declaration of War was a fourth out maiden winner going seven furlongs in October at Churchill Downs before defeating winners at Gulfstream Park two starts later. After a distant third in the Gazelle, she picked up scores in the G2 Black Eyed Susan on May 14 at Pimlico and the G3 Iowa Oaks on July 2 at Prairie Meadows.

Alabama Entries

8:00 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 2 Del Mar Mile at Del Mar

Six will go hard and heavy at the classic flat mile in the Del Mar Mile and each and every one of them is a major stakes winner. Their purse earnings got past the $5.4-million mark and they're all seasoned racehorses eligible to fire a big shot Saturday.

Mo Forza is the 8-5 favorite having won his last two in a row, though both of those races came at the end of 2020 and he hasn't raced since. Of course, Peter Miller is known to have his horses ready off the layoff. The son of Uncle Mo won this race last year.

Smooth Like Strait will start at 9-5 on the morning line; he won the G1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita back in May, and ran second by a neck when stretched out to nine furlongs in the G2 Eddie Read. Shortening up to a mile could put the Michael McCarthy trainee back on top.

Hit the Road won four races in a row through March of this year, and has gotten a break from the races after finishing fifth in the G1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland in April. Dan Blacker has been working him at Del Mar since mid-July, and he appears ready for a comeback.

Del Mar Mile Entries

9:00 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at Del Mar

The Oaks has lured a field of nine including a pair of shippers: Head of Plains Partners' Fluffy Socks in from New York and Yuesheng Zhang's Soaring Sky aboard from her native Ireland.

The key prep race for the Del Mar Oaks was the G2 San Clemente Stakes, run at Del Mar at a mile on the turf on July 24. The one, two, three finishers from the race — Madone, Going Global and Tetragonal – are all back to try their luck in the more demanding and more lucrative Oaks.

Del Mar Oaks Entries

9:30 p.m. – $1 million Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar

The Pacific Classic is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event providing its winner an all expenses paid entrance into the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run this year at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

Express Train earned his role as the Pacific Classic favorite by compiling and ultra-steady mark of 12-4-4-2 with earnings of $659,300. He also was the horse home first in Del Mar's key prep for the Classic, the G2 San Diego Handicap on July 17. He finished a half length to the good that afternoon going a mile and one-sixteenth and beat four of the runners he'll be facing Saturday. John Shirreffs trains Express Train and he's once again named regular rider Juan Hernandez aboard the 4-year-old Union Rags colt.

Royal Ship is a Brazilian-bred gelding by Midshipman (winner of the Del Mar Futurity in 2008 and 2-year-old champion that year) who has steadily gotten better since coming north from his native land last year. He's won six of 14 starts and earned $293,305 in his career so far and was third, beaten a length and a quarter, in the San Diego. Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has once again named Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith to guide Royal Ship on Saturday.

Dr Post is in from the East Coast where he's proven to be a solid stakes competitor with four victories in nine starts for earnings of $700,635. His most recent outing was a tally in the G3 Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park in New Jersey on July 17. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has commissioned Joel Rosario to ride the Quality Road colt in the Classic. Rosario, a three-time Del Mar riding champ prior to shifting his tack to the east, has twice come west to capture the Classic – with Dullahan in 2014 and Accelerate in 2018.

Pacific Classic Entries

10:00 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at Del Mar

The Del Mar Handicap will bring out 10 competitors and sets up for a clash of titans between two of the best grass route horses in the country in LNJ Foxwoods' United and Donegal Racing, Bulger and Coneway's Arklow. The Del Mar Handicap is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge race that guarantees the winner all expenses paid admission into the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The likely battle royale between United and Arklow will be a fitting nightcap to Pacific Classic day. The pair of turf behemoths bring plenty of bragging rights to the race: United, a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway, has won nine races and $1,675,549. He was second, beaten a head, in this race last year. Arklow also has won nine races, but his bankroll goes past his chief rival at $2,755,746. The long-winded stretch kicker shipped to Del Mar last fall and made short work of the Hollywood Turf Cup at a mile and a half. Both runners will have their regular riders – Flavien Prat on United and Florent Geroux on Arklow.

Del Mar Handicap Entries

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Here's a look at the remainder of the weekend's graded stakes, courtesy of NTRA:

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Weekend Lineup Presented By NYRA Bets: Femme Fatale? Tough Trio Takes On Males In Fourstardave

The Grade 1 Fourstardave highlights this weekend's racing action at Saratoga, with a trio of mares scheduled to line up against five male rivals in the one-mile turf contest. The heavy favorite is Chad Brown trainee Raging Bull, but he faces no easy task in Saturday's feature race. To the winner goes the spoils: an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile in November at Del Mar.

Also at Saratoga, the G2 Saratoga Special has drawn a full field of 12 juveniles in what shapes up as an intriguing contest over 6 1/2 furlongs. Doctor Jeff is the morning-line choice at 2-1, but both Hall of Famers Steve Asmussen and Todd Pletcher have entered a pair of rapidly-improving colts that ought to have a say in the outcome. In addition, top 2-year-old trainer Wesley Ward enters a first-out winner off a tough trip at Royal Ascot, who has been training well for his return.

In the Midwest, Arlington Park will play host to a trio of Grade 1 turf stakes topped by the Mr. D., formerly the Arlington Million. Trainer Chad Brown will be seeking his fourth straight win (excluding 2020, when it was cancelled) in the race with divisional leader Domestic Spending.

The New York Racing Association has planned an all graded stakes cross country pick 5 for Saturday, encompassing four Grade 1 contests and a Grade 2 event from Saratoga and Arlington Park. Past performances are free here for this 50-cent base wager.

Here's a quick snapshot of this weekend's graded stakes schedule, starting with Saratoga's big races (all times Eastern):

Saturday

5:39 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes at Saratoga

Morning line favorite Doctor Jeff won first out in an off-the-turf sprint at Belmont Park on July 10, recording a field-high 78 Beyer for the effort, and has been working well at Saratoga since then. However, others in the full 12-horse field have more race experience, including the Steve Asmussen-trained Gunite, a son of Gun Runner who has three starts under his belt and seems to be putting all the pieces together at the right time.

Another potential upsetter is the Todd Pletcher-trained Double Thunder, already a winner of the G3 Bashford Manor. He may not have earned a particularly high speed figure for that effort, but he didn't need to; the son of Super Savor won by 4 3/4 lengths.

A pair of longshots are especially intriguing in the wide-open juvenile field. First, Nakatomi, the Wesley Ward-trained first-out winner who had a tough trip in his second outing at Royal Ascot. The colt has been working well since his stateside return, and it's hard to count out Ward with 2-year-olds. Secondly, Dance Code, the last-out third-place finisher behind the highly-talented Wit in the G3 Sanford. The colt stumbled badly at the start and was as far back as ninth early on, but was still able to rally for third.

Saratoga Special Entries

6:13 p.m. – $500,000 Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga

Already a Grade 1 winner over the mile trip in 2021, Raging Bull is a deserving favorite for trainer Chad Brown in the Fourstardave. His two starts this year have both seen him record triple-digit Beyers, and it's hard to knock his current form.

Bill Mott trainee Casa Creed will stretch back out to the mile after a big performance last out over six furlongs to win the G1 Jaipur, and the Brad Cox-trained Set Piece should be feeling confident as he enters this race off three back-to-back victories on the turf.

Of course, Got Stormy made headlines when she won this race in 2019 and subsequently went on to finish a close second in that year's Breeders' Cup Mile on the West Coast and to win the G1 Matriarch. She didn't have quite as spectacular a season in 2020, though she did finish second in this contest and recorded a pair of G3 wins when backed up to sprint distances. If the turf is firm on Saturday, Got Stormy's fondness for this course at this distance can't be denied.

The other two mares taking on the boys are: Blowout, trained by Chad Brown and never worse than third in her 12-race career, and Daddy Is A Legend, the best of the U.S. contingent when third last out behind Althiqa and Summer Romance in the G1 Just A Game.

Fourstardave Entries

5:49 p.m. – $400,000 Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park

A field of seven fillies and mares has been entered for this 1 3/16-mile contest, headed by Graham Motion trainee Mean Mary, who is two-for-two this season and 7 for 11 overall. The biggest challenge comes from the yard of Aidan O'Brien in Santa Barbara, last-out winner of the G1 Belmont Oaks and the half-sister to Breeders' Cup winners Iridessa and Order of Australia.

The top local challenger is Naval Laughter, trained by Chris Davis, a lightly-raced 4-year-old making just her fifth career start. Since Davis has overseen her training, the filly is two-for-three this year and won her first graded stakes race in her most recent outing over the Arlington lawn.

Chad Brown has sent out the winner of the Beverly D. each of the past five times it has been run, and six times overall. He'll saddle Lemista for this edition, a filly who finished second behind Harvey's Lil Goil in the G3 Beaugay in her stateside debut, but faded to eighth last out in the G1 Diana.

Beverly D. Entries

6:28 p.m. – $300,000 Grade 1 Bruce D. Stakes at Arlington Park

Formerly run as the Secretariat Stakes, this one-mile contest for 3-year-olds features nine entrants for the 2021 edition. Leading the charge is Jack Sisterson trainee Tango Tango Tango, who owns a win over the Arlington turf in his most recent outing. The lightly-raced Point Me By appears to have some talent for trainer Eddie Kenneally, though a firm turf would suit him best.

Ginsburned is also lightly raced, though definitely moving in the right director for veteran Rusty Arnold. Therideofalifetime will be making his first start on the turf for trainer Ignacio Correas, but if the son of Candy Ride takes to the surface, his numbers definitely put him in the mix.

Bruce D. Entries

7:13 p.m. – $600,000 Grade 1 Mr. D. Stakes at Arlington Park

Divisional leader Domestic Spending will try to give Chad Brown his fourth straight in the race formerly known as the Arlington Million, in what may be the last edition ever held at the Chicagoland racetrack. With a dead-heat win in the G1 Turf Classic and a splashier win last out in the G1 Manhattan, the 4-year-old Kingman gelding is a deserving favorite in this 1 1/4-mile contest.

Aidan O'Brien sends over Armory, a multiple Group 1-placed son of Galileo, to form the international challenge. The 4-year-old has proven his ability to travel well with a second-place finish in Australia's Group 1 Cox Plate, and has improved his numbers this season, finishing a good third behind Love and Audarya in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Bizzee Channel has won two in a row over the Arlington lawn for trainer Larry Rivelli, but will have to step up here. The 8-year-old Zulu Alpha ran an even fifth in his first start off a 10-month layoff, but trainer Mike Maker's ability with older horses over turf routes can't be ignored.

Mr. D. Entries

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