Get 2 views on competitive Bowling Green at Saratoga
The $200,000, Grade 2 Bowling Green, carded for 1 3/8 miles on Saratoga’s inner turf course, originally brought together eight turf marathoners plus three main track only entrants. However, early storms Saturday led Starting Over, Tawny Port, Webslinger and Corruption to be scratched.
Although it's not one of the more prestigious turf marathons, the Bowling Green has nonetheless been won by some good ones. The legendary Theatrical won this race in 1987. Flintshire, a Grade or Group 1 winner on three continents, won this event in 2016. Fan favorite Channel Maker won the Bowling Green for the first time in 2018 in a dead heat with Glorious Empire (and won it again five years later in 2023 after also contesting the race in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The Bowling Green is the eighth race on Saturday’s twelve race card. Post time is slated for 4:29 p.m. EDT.
We look to bowl a turkey after sifting through the relevant information on the field.
| Laurie | Ashley |
| 1. Starting Over (scr) | |
| The aptly named Starting Over is still hanging in there as an 8-year-old. He’s switched hands throughout his career and finished a strong third, bested a head and nose, in the Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park for new trainer Brittany Russell. Starting Over earned a huge 103 Brisnet Speed Rating for his second start off a long layoff. He has tactical speed and can sit anywhere in the race, but I expect that with the rail position and the addition of Manny Franco, Starting Over may contest the pace like he did in the Cape Henlopen. Long-shot exotics. | Trained by Brittany Russell, Starting Over enters off a third place finish in the 1 1/2 mile Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park. In his only other start this year, he was 12th, beaten by 38 1/4 lengths, in the Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland. The 8-year-old gelding has one prior start at Saratoga: a fourth-place finish in an optional claimer in 2023. Starting Over is a graded winner via a victory in the Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream Park last year. Russell is 0% wins with a 40% in-the-money clip in graded stakes at Saratoga over the last five years, according to Race Lens. Manny Franco has the mount. Pass. |
| 2. El Rezeen (8-1) | |
| By English Channel out of a daughter of Kitten’s Joy, El Rezeen has a perfect example of a later-maturing pedigree. He earned his initial win last July as a 3-year-old and followed up with an allowance victory, both at Saratoga. Then El Rezeen dipped a hoof into Grade 3 company in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational and finished a close third, bested by 3/4 length for top money behind Grade 1 winner Carson’s Run. Still eligible for non-winners-of-two allowance conditions, El Rezeen surfaced in April at Keeneland in a 1 1/16-mile allowance event and closed for third into a quick pace. Now this turf router stretches out over a surface he likes. He has tactical speed and potential. Contender. | Trained by Todd Pletcher, El Rezeen was second in an optional claimer last out. It was his first start off a 6 1/2-month layoff, and he earned a career-best 98 Brisnet Speed Rating. In his last start of his 3-year-old season, he finished a very close third in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3), beaten just 3/4 lengths by Carson’s Run. El Rezeen is undefeated at Saratoga, breaking his maiden in his fifth career start and immediately following up with a victory in an optional claimer. He loves a route of ground and has proven he can run well off a layoff. Dylan Davis has the mount. Exotics. |
| 3. Tawny Port (scr) | |
| Tawny Port went off form last October and hasn’t gotten his mojo back. The 6-year-old hasn’t seen the winner’s circle since winning the listed John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga in 2023 and was fifth in that year’s edition of the Bowling Green. Pass. | If the name Tawny Port sounds vaguely familiar to you, it’s because the Miguel Clement trainee contested the 2022 Kentucky Derby. The switch to turf since hasn’t been super successful as Tawny Port is 12: 1-2-4 on the lawn. In his two starts this year, Tawny Port finished sixth in the Pan American (G3) and seventh, beaten by 81 lengths after being eased, in the off-the-turf Belmont Gold Cup (G3). Now 6, Tawny Port is 2: 1-0-0 at Saratoga and has recent losses to Far Bridge, Corruption, and Yo Daddy. Flavien Prat has the return call. Pass. |
| 4. Tucson (15-1) | |
| Tucson tried turf for the first time in April, capturing an allowance contest at Keeneland over 1 1/2 miles. He took on bigger and better less than a month later, in the Manhattan (G1) over good turf. The Todd Pletcher trainee showed early speed before tiring badly to eighth. Was it the quick turnaround, the company or the turf condition? Only Tucson knows. His late-pace figures fit with this field, and although Tucson will contribute to the pace, perhaps he can rebound. Worth a long-shot exotics look if you’re playing multiple tickets, but a pass for me. | Also from the Todd Pletcher barn, Tucson enters off a 25 1/2-length drubbing in the 1 1/8-mile Manhattan in his graded debut. Distance was not the problem as he had just won a 1 1/2-mile allowance race in his previous start. The lightly raced 4-year-old colt just his maiden in January in his second start and then rattled off two more wins before that disappointing showing at Saratoga last month. We won’t see many of those same runners in this event, so Tucson can improve here. Luis Saez has the call. Exotics. |
| 5. Webslinger (scr) | |
| Webslinger has finished off the board in only five of 20 starts, but hasn’t seen the winner’s circle since last June although he’s generally a decent exotics bet. He has late speed but usually goes wide or is left with too much to do at shorter distances. He kicked off his 5-year-old season with yet another closing second-place finish in Canada’s Eclipse (G2) at 1/16 miles on synthetic in May. Mark Casse gave Webslinger a solo four-furlong work in 49.90 seconds over the Saratoga training turf, third-best of 32 of the day. Webslinger enjoyed stretching his legs in this maintenance move. Exotics. | Trained by Mark Casse, Webslinger was a solid second in the Eclipse Stakes at Woodbine off a nearly nine-month layoff. That race was over the synthetic main track, but the 5-year-old gelding showed the same turn of foot we see from him on the lawn. Webslinger has two runner-up efforts over the Saratoga track but is 2: 1-0-0 at 1 3/8 miles. But, that off-the-board finish at this distance wasn’t a terrible effort as he finished seventh in last year’s United Nations (G2), beaten by just 3 1/2 lengths. Jose Ortiz has the call. Contender. |
| 6. Harrow (8-1) | |
| Harrow has been hit or miss against allowance types since being claimed last September. After winning the Barbados Cup in March, the 7-year-old gelding beat Starting Over by a head for second place in the Cape Henlopen Stakes, earning a career-best 103 speed rating. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee jumps up in class but hasn’t proven he can beat listed runners. Pass. | Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Harrow is a former claimer. He finished fifth in the William L. McKnight (G2) and second in the Cape Henlopen with a victory in a stakes race in Barbados sandwiched in between. The 7-year-old gelding received a career-best 103 Brisnet Speed Rating, but this will be a class test for the son of Lea. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount. Pass. |
| 7. Far Bridge (6-5) | |
| Grade 1 winner Far Bridge is the class of the Bowling Green. The consistent 5-year-old has finished out of the money only twice in the last year. The Miguel Clement trainee takes a step down in company after a heartbreaking defeat in the thrilling Manhattan (G1), losing the three-way photo for the victory and denying Far Bridge his third straight victory. English Channel’s son will appreciate the extra distance, and he has tactical speed as a pacesetter or presser. Contender. | Also from the Miguel Clement barn, Far Bridge enters off a third-place finish in the Manhattan, beaten just a neck for it all. It was his first start for Miguel after the death of Miguel’s father Christophe. Earlier this year Far Bridge won the Pan American (G3) by a neck over Corruption and the Man O’ War (G2). The 5-year-old son of English Channel is 4: 1-0-3 at Saratoga and 2: 1-0-0 at this distance. His loss at the distance came in last year’s United Nations, where he finished ninth, beaten just 3 3/4 lengths. Far Bridge has a career-best 104 Brisnet Speed Rating and enters off a 98 in the Manhattan (G1). Regular rider Joel Rosario has the call. Contender. |
| 8. Corruption (scr) | |
| Toss Corruption’s fourth-place finish in the Manhattan Stakes. He broke a step slow and was squeezed by Far Bridge to his outside, causing Javier Castellano to tap on the brakes. A pacesetter in his last three starts, Corruption wasn’t happy when asked to sit in fourth place while three wide through slow fractions. Then, after going wide around the turn, he was taken inside of horses for the stretch drive instead of passing on the outside. Corruption stalled and finished a one-paced distant fourth. The Mark Casse trainee likely will grab the lead early and face other speed types. Pass. | Also from the Mark Casse barn, Corruption was last seen finishing fourth in the Manhattan after getting off to a slow start. As Laurie said, that slow start cost him his preferred pacesetting position, thus likely costing him a better placing. Corruption has seen the hindquarters of Far Bridge twice this year, first in the Pan American and then again in the Manhattan. The 1 3/8-mile distance will be no problem for the 4-year-old as he's 2: 1-1-0 at 1 1/2 miles, and he’s proven competitive in graded company. Javier Castellano has the return call. Exotics. |
Final thoughts
Laurie: Including the dead heat in 2018, most Bowling Green heroes gained ground and finished in the top three in their previous start except for three in stakes.
Three pacesetters won, including the last two years, and pressers and closers took turns winning.
Include favorites in your tickets. Other than the favorite losing the rider in 2023 and an unfortunate breakdown in 2015, favorites have finished no worse than fourth in 11 years and won three of the last four editions of the Bowling Green, not counting 2023.
Include the horse in post position 1 in your tickets. They’ve finished in the top four in 10 of the last 15 editions. In fact, the inside is the place to be, with only two winners beyond post 6 prevailing.
Despite his outside post, on paper, Far Bridge is the horse to beat and the likely favorite. He has the class and tactical speed. But Joel Rosario is ice cold this meet, a dismal 0-for-11 in turf routes, and Far Bridge has a single victory in four starts at Saratoga.
From there, things get interesting. Webslinger usually picks up a check, El Rezeen has upside, so does Starting Over.
I’m going with El Rezeen for the upset victory. Dylan Davis is one of the top turf jocks this meet, and inside posts are the place to be this summer.
Ashley: In looking over the field, I think Corruption is going to end up being the lone speed. Far Bridge went gate to wire in last year’s Sword Dancer (G1), and Webslinger did the same in the 2024 Colonial Cup, but those were atypical races for both. Far Bridge ran down Corruption in the Pan American (G3), and we could see that again here. But in fairness, Corruption came very close to the track record and lost by just a neck. He’ll also have 1/8 mile less to travel this time.
Speaking of Far Bridge, he certainly is the class of the field. The multi-millionaire is a three-time Grade 1 winner and has two other graded wins to his name. The Clements have had him in very good form this year, and he’s the most likely winner.
Webslinger doesn’t always win, but he usually shows up and runs a good race. He’s 18: 5-5-4 on turf and last visited the winner’s circle in June 2024. He ran an excellent race off the layoff last out and should be very competitive here.
Selections
| Laurie | Ashley |
| 2. El Rezeen (8-1) | 8. Corruption (5-1) |
| 7. Far Bridge (6-5) | 7. Far Bridge (6-5) |
| 5. Webslinger (7-2) | 5. Webslinger (7-2) |
| 1. Starting Over (15-1) | 2. El Rezeen (8-1) |