First Look: Alabama, King's Plate lead weekend stakes

Top 3-year-old fillies meet at Saratoga on Saturday, with Wet Paint leading the way in the Grade 1 Alabama. Zozos looks for his fourth straight win Saturday at Monmouth Park. And at Woodbine, the Canadian Triple Crown series kicks off with the King’s Plate on Sunday.

Here are the likely fields for this weekend’s graded stakes.

Saturday

Alabama (G1), Saratoga, 1 1/4 miles, 3-year-old fillies

Wet Paint has four wins from six starts this season, including a victory by a neck last out in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), with Gambling Girl, also expected here, 8 1/2 lengths back in third. Defining Purpose beat Taxed by 1 1/4 lengths last out in the Indiana Oaks (G3) and scored in the Ashland (G1) in April. Julia Shining, 2-for-2 last year but 0-for-2 this year, would make her first start since finishing third in the Ashland.

Surge Capacity, unraced as a 2-year–old, is 2-for-2 after winning the Lake George (G3). Heavenly Sunday has a career record of 6: 3-1-2 and just missed a win last out in the Tepin Stakes at Ellis Park. Malleymoo won her debut in Ireland then came stateside, where she was 0-for-4 before winning the Penn Oaks.

Zozos has three victories in a row, including a gate-to-wire win last out in the Hanshin at Ellis Park. Weyburn is 1-for-4 this year and finished last in the John A. Nerud (G2) last out. Whelen Springs was second by a head to Proxy last out in the Monmouth Cup (G3).

Sunday

King’s Plate (restricted), Woodbine 1 1/4 miles (synthetic), 3-year-olds

The top six finishers in the Plate Trial could return here. Paramount Prince led gate to wire and won by five lengths. Since breaking her maiden in April, Elysian Field was second in the Fury at Woodbine before winning the Woodbine Oaks. Wickenheiser was second in the Oaks and in her only other start this year, an optional-claiming allowance race in June.

Probables were not available for Del Mar Oaks (G1) at Del Mar or the Dance Smartly (G2) or Bold Venture (G3) at Woodbine.