Sword Dancer 2025: Odds and analysis for Saratoga stakes

The Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer, which is a win-and-you’re-in qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1, drew a field of nine. Last year’s winner Far Bridge returns in the 1 1/2-mile contest that will be run on the inner turf course at Saratoga on Saturday.

The Sword Dancer field includes seven stakes winners, including two who have Grade 1 victories, a pair  who won a Grade 2 and one Grade 3 winner. Three horses were sired by English Channel and two, who raced in Europe, by Frankel. Nations Pride, Far Bridge and Grand Sonata have career earnings of more than $2 million.

Here is a full-field analysis for the Sword Dancer with morning line odds from the Horse Racing Nation staff. The Sword Dancer is set as race 10 of 12 with post time scheduled for 5:44. p.m. EDT.

1. El Cordobes, 7-2. Frankel – Charlie Appleby / Flavien Prat – 9: 3-2-2 - $193,188. El Cordobes will be making his first trip to America. The 4-year-old won a Group 2 at Newmarket in July when he raced close to the pace, had to wait for room and then got clear by two lengths going 1 1/2 miles. That first victory in a Group 2 was part of a field of four. To start his career he raced on the synthetic track at Kempton Park and got his maiden breaker in his second try. Toss.

2. Rebel Red, 10-1. Frankel – Cherie DeVaux / Irad Ortiz Jr. – 13: 4-1-1 - $301,437. Rebel Red began his career in Great Britain at Newmarket but broke his maiden in his second race in America at Churchill Downs in June 2024 as a 3-year-old. He raced in a series of graded stakes in the Red Smith (G2), Muniz Memorial (G2) and the Elkhorn (G2). His best finish was a third at Aqueduct with a front-end victory. After he clipped heels and fell in the Louisville (G3), he won a listed stakes in Kentucky when he rallied from the back of the field. Last month, he was seventh in the United Nations (G2) at Monmouth Park. Live long shot.

3. Vote No, 12-1. Divisidero – Kelsey Danner / Kendrick Carmouche – 16: 5-2-2 - $658,058. Vote No appears to be in the best form of his career after being claimed for $40,000 in March. He won an allowance at Horseshoe Indianapolis in May. and became a stakes winner in the Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park. He was fourth in the United Nations (G2) last month but earned a career-best speed figure. He steps up in class once again to a level at which he has yet to compete successfully. Toss.

4. Padiddle, 20-1. Empire Maker – Fernando Abreu / Ricardo Santana Jr. – 12: 1-3-5 - $229,935. Padiddle is a 5-year-old with only one victory to his credit, which happened in his eighth start after moving from dirt to turf at Gulfstream. Toss.

5. Nations Pride, 5-2. Teofilo – Charlie Appleby / William Buick – 22: 11-3-2 - $3,699,296. Nations Pride is a multiple Grade 1 winner in America in the Arlington Million and the Saratoga Derby and in the Canadian International at Woodbine and in Germany. The now 6-year-old is the leading money winner in the field. His last two starts were at Meydan in Dubai with a win in the Singspiel (G2) and a 10th in the Dubai Turf (G1). Win contender.

6. Far Bridge, 9-5. English Channel – Miguel Clement / Joel Rosario – 18: 9-3-3 - $2,372,980. Far Bridge won this race last year for Christophe Clement, who won the Sword Dancer five times in his career. This year the son of English Channel won three times, taking the Pan American (G3) at Gulfstream Park and the Man O’War (G1) and Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga on a yielding turf course. The one to beat.

7. El Rezeen, 10-1. English Channel – Todd Pletcher / Dylan Davis – 9: 2-3-1 - $261,550. El Rezeen broke his maiden and then won an allowance for the only wins in his career at Saratoga last summer. This year he was second in an allowance after a winter break and then was second in the Bowling Green. Trainer Todd Pletcher won the Sword Dancer in 2006. Use underneath.

8. Grand Sonata, 12-1. Medaglia d’Oro – Todd Pletcher / Manny Franco – 30: 5-8-2 - $2,244,935. Grand Sonata also is entered in the Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs. The 6-year-old last was seen finishing second in the United Nations. His most recent victory was almost a year ago in the Turf Cup (G2) at Kentucky Downs. Regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. is listed to ride Rebel Run, which might indicate that he will run in the Million on Saturday. May opt for Arlington Million.

9. Utah Beach, 8-1. English Channel – Ignacio Correas IV / Jose Ortiz – 16: 5-5-1 - $689,535. Utah Beach is the third son of English Channel in the Sword Dancer. He won the Elkhorn and the Louisville in a fashion that makes him a threat in this field. In June he had to check in the later stages in a stakes race at Churchill and came up empty. Jose Ortiz, who is having an excellent Saratoga meeting, gets back on board. Win contender.

Summary: Far Bridge won the Sword Dancer last year. The Clement Racing Stable seems to be making all the right moves this summer at Saratoga and tracks across North America under the direction of Miguel Clement, who took over the barn with the death of his father Christophe. At this point, Far Bridge seems like an irresistible force who is in great form and will be hard to beat at his home base. Far Bridge is the top pick.