Saratoga 2016 – First Half Graded Stakes Review

Thus far the 2016 Saratoga meeting has checked all of the boxes on the list of expectations for this elite summer racetrack. Appearances by future champions, check; graded stakes races, sixteen, check; odds on performances, check; major upsets, check; volatile summer storms, check; big crowds, check; great giveaways, check; chance to get close to the trainers and jockeys, check; great turf racing, check; the best jockeys competing for the coveted Saratoga riding title, check!

With the meeting at its halfway point, here is a look at some of the highlights from the graded stakes racing. On the trainer side of things, Chad Brown has swept all five of the graded stakes races that were run on the Saratoga turf courses with Ancient Secret, Dacita, Flintshire, Camelot Kitten, and Guapaza.

Two trainers had a coming out party when they won their first career graded stakes race on the biggest stage, Saratoga. Tom Morley, the husband of NYRA television personality, Maggie Wolfendale, won the Honorable Miss (G2) with Haveyougoneaway. Twenty-two year-old newcomer Robert Falcone Jr. found the Amsterdam (G2) winner’s circle with Mind Your Biscuits.

Although Irad Ortiz Jr. has a solid lead in the jockey standings (be sure to follow the daily Horse Racing Nation updates on my Twitter @AndyScoggin, Javier Castellano has four graded stakes wins to Irad’s three with John Velazquez and Joel Rosario with two each.

Odds-on Power

The stars have been out at the Spa and several have gone to the gate as odds-on favorites. Here is a list of the horses who have backed up their popularity at the betting windows with big performances on the Saratoga track.

Flintshire [.10-1, Bowling Green (G2)] Flintshire has emerged as the clear leader of the Male Turf division. As the biggest favorite of the summer thus far, this Chad Brown runner did not disappoint in the Bowling Green. He backed up his win in the Manhattan with a very confident ride by Castellano in which he could have won by pretty much any margin. Flintshire is expected to start next in the Sword Dancer on August 27.

Songbird [.30-1, Coaching Club American Oaks (G1)] The undisputed top three-year-old filly and possibly the best three-year-old, period, strutted her stuff at the Spa in the CCA Oaks. A big crowd came out on the first Sunday of the meeting to watch her easily dispatch the challenge of Carina Mia and stay perfect in nine career starts. The Jerry Hollendorfer trainee is enjoying her stay at Saratoga just like everybody who spends time at the historic track. Songbird will go for win number 10 in the Alabama on Saturday.

Frosted [.50-1, Whitney (G1)] Frosted backed up his Met Mile performance with another convincing win, this time in the Whitney at Saratoga. There would be no upset as the Kiaran McLaughlin runner furthered his position at the top of the Older Male Dirt division with California Chrome. Frosted will have one more start between the Whitney and the Breeders’ Cup in either The Woodward on Sept. 3 or the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 8.

Curalina [.90-1, Shuvee (G3)] Curalina rebounded from a fourth place finish in the Ogden Phipps on the Belmont Stakes undercard when she won an odds on battle with the Phipps runner, Carrumba, in the nine furlong Shuvee. In the end it was a 9 ¾ length margin of victory which is just the way a short priced favorite should win.

Bitumen [.95-1, Sanford (G3)] In the Sanford it was an odds-on juvenile victory for Bitumen, who was a big favorite based on only a maiden win by 6 ¾ lengths at Churchill Downs. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Bitumen came from off the pace to stay unbeaten.

Upset Winners

It would not be Saratoga without some big upsets in the graded stakes. With so many talented horses on the grounds being prepared by top-notch trainers who want nothing more than to win races for their owners at the Spa, the favorites are going fall. This summer has been no different.

Paola Queen [55-1, Test (G1)] $112, 31.40, and 9.50, those are the numbers of a true Saratoga upset. Venezuelan trainer Gustavo Delgado tried to surprise the Kentucky Derby with Majesto, but in the Test he succeeded when his late running daughter of Flatter got the win after the pacesetters tired badly. Look for Paola Queen next growing a distance of ground around two turns.

Laoban [27-1, Jim Dandy (G2)] Trainer Eric Guillot engineered yet another Saratoga upset when he pointed Laoban for the Jim Dandy. Guillot took the 2014 Whitney with Moreno at 10-1 and this year he blew up the Saratoga toteboard with Laoban right when most people had dismissed his graded stakes efforts with the horse. Just the way Guillot likes to do it, Laoban took the field gate to wire to get a graded stakes maiden victory.

Gunnevera [9-1, Saratoga Special (G2)] Trainer Antonio Sano shipped this son of Dialed In to the Spa from Florida and he picked up the pieces to score the mild upset when the frontrunners gave way down the stretch. Sano immediately announced that Gunnevera would run next in the Hopeful on Sept. 5, Day 40, which is the final day of the meeting.

It may be hard to believe, but there are still 19 graded stakes to be run at Saratoga. Seven of them are to come as part of the Travers Day card on August 27. The $1,250,000 Midsummer Derby anchors the card that includes six grade one races. The Travers is final grade one of the year that is restricted to three-year-olds. The Ballston Spa is the lone grade two that day, but it is expected to feature the return of Lady Eli.