Alabama Stakes 2023: Odds, free PPs, picks for Saratoga Grade 1

Racing fans wanting big fields in Saratoga’s big races get their wish Saturday at the Spa.

Wet Paint is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes. Post time from Saratoga is 5:45 p.m. EDT, with Fox showing the 1 1/4-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

The Alabama follows the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) as the second of Saratoga’s two annual Grade 1, two-turn races for 3-year-old fillies. But while only five runners contested the CCA Oaks, a field of 10 has gathered for the 10-furlong Alabama.

Wet Paint enters Saturday off a neck score in the CCA Oaks over fellow Alabama starter Sacred Wish (8-1). She closed from the back of the short field July 22, getting up in the final jumps under jockey Flavien Prat.

Trained by Brad Cox, Wet Paint swept Oaklawn’s string of Kentucky Oaks (G1) preps before running fourth on the first Friday in May. The Blame filly, who enters with a record of 9: 5-2-0, has earned nearly $1.06 million for owner-breeder Godolphin.

Chad Brown trains Randomized (9-2), whose previous try at Grade 1 flight resulted in a sixth-place finish in Belmont Park’s Acorn Stakes. She was first July 14 at Saratoga in the Wilton Stakes.

Julia Shining (5-1) has not raced since April 7, when the Todd Pletcher trainee was third in the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. Defining Purpose (10-1) won the Ashland for trainer Kenny McPeek, two starts before a last-out Indiana Oaks (G1) win July 8 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The Pletcher-trained Gambling Girl (8-1), who was third in the CCA Oaks, joins Wet Paint and trainer George Weaver’s Sacred Wish as graduates of that race to return for the Alabama.

Taxed (8-1) won Pimlico’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) two starts back on Preakness weekend. She was then second to Defining Purpose in the Indiana Oaks by 1 1/4 lengths.

Here is a look at the field for the 2023 Alabama Stakes (trainers and jockeys in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Sacred Wish (George Weaver, John Velazquez), 8-1

2. Wet Paint (Brad Cox, Flavien Prat), 2-1

3. Julia Shining (Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez), 5-1

4. Sabra Tuff (Dallas Stewart, Reylu Gutierrez), 30-1

5. Fireline (Chad Brown, Javier Castellano), 12-1

6. Chocolate Gelato (Todd Pletcher, Jose Ortiz), 15-1

7. Gambling Girl (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.), 8-1

8. Randomized (Chad Brown, Joel Rosario), 9-2

9. Taxed (Randy Morse, Rafael Bejarano), 8-1

10. Defining Purpose (Kenny McPeek, Brian Hernandez Jr.), 10-1

TimeformUS pace projections show Randomized going out to the early lead under jockey Joel Rosario and setting a fast pace. Favorite Wet Paint is projected to attempt a closing move from the back of the field.

Visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page for more information on the Alabama Stakes and some of the weekend’s other key events, including the King’s Plate on Sunday at Woodbine.

Alabama Stakes links

Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis go head to head handicapping the Alabama Stakes. Both writers explain why Wet Paint’s CCA Oaks (G1) score sets her up for Alabama success.

Reinier Macatangay writes that Taxed may improve on the stretch out to 1 1/4 miles, making her a viable pick to beat Wet Paint.

Ed DeRosa is also looking past Wet Paint in the Alabama Stakes, saying that she is a bad bet at her 2-1 morning-line odds.

The Alabama presents Wet Paint an opportunity to make the 3-year-old filly division race a tight one.

This week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod, Super Screener creator Mike Shutty handicaps the Alabama and the Lake Placid Stakes (G2) at Saratoga.

The Alabama Stakes is not the only Grade 1 race Saturday for 3-year-old fillies. Matt Shifman and Brian Zipse analyze both the Alabama and the Del Mar Oaks (G1). Shifman also provides Alabama Stakes odds and analysis.

Other Saturday stakes

Here is a look at other graded stakes taking place Saturday across North America. All post times are EDT.

3:56 p.m. – $250,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3), 3-and-up, 1 1/16 miles, Monmouth Park, FanDuel TV

Zozos (6-5), 10th-place finisher in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, aims for a graded breakthrough Saturday for trainer Brad Cox. Jockey Florent Geroux is in New Jersey to ride the 4-year-old Munnings colt, whose three straight wins include the Hanshin Stakes on July 2 at Ellis Park. Todd Pletcher trains Weyburn (5-2), a Grade 3 winner who was last of seven July 1 at Belmont Park in the seven-furlong John A. Nerud Stakes (G2). Trademark (9-2) tries to make the grade after winning the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes on July 8 at Horseshoe Indianapolis for trainer Vicki Oliver.

4:26 p.m. – $200,000 Lake Placid Stakes (G2), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles (inner turf), Saratoga, Fox

Surge Capacity (3-1) is off to a 2-for-2 start to her career, following a Monmouth maiden win by winning Saratoga’s Lake George Stakes (G3) on July 21. Trainer Chad Brown has tabbed jockey Joel Rosario to ride the Flintshire filly. Brown also trains Aspray (7-2), a Pimlico stakes winner whose own unbeaten record ended when fourth July 8 in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1). Prerequisite (9-2), another of Brown’s four entries, was runner-up in the Belmont Oaks after winning Belmont’s Wonder Again Stakes (G2).

5:22 p.m. – $200,000 (about U.S. $148,000) King Edward Stakes (G2), 3-and-up, one mile (turf), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Shirl’s Speight (3-1), a Grade 1 winner for trainer Roger Attfield, makes his first start in North America since running second last November at Keeneland in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson will be up on the 6-year-old son of Speightstown, who returns from a layoff dating to a fourth-place effort March 25 at Meydan Racecourse in the Dubai Turf (G1). Josie Carroll trains Treason (7-2), a Grade 2 victor was runner-up July 1 in the local Dominion Day Stakes (G3). Lucky Score (4-1), also a Grade 2 winner, was third at Woodbine on July 23 in the Connaught Cup Stakes (G2) for trainer Mark Casse.

8:45 p.m. – $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/8 miles (turf), Del Mar, FanDuel TV

Anisette (5-2) has won both her starts since moving to the U.S. and trainer Leonard Powell’s barn, including the local San Clemente Stakes (G2) on July 22. Jockey Umberto Rispoli will get a leg up on the Awtaad filly. Phil D’Amato trains Impact Warrior (4-1), whose own North America racing debut July 29 at Del Mar produced a second-place finish in an allowance race. Be Your Best (4-1), a Saratoga stakes winner as a juvenile, was ninth in the Belmont Oaks for trainer Horacio De Paz.