One of many marquee races of Saratoga Race Course’s summer season meet is about for Saturday, when the $500,000, Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap might be run on the interior turf course. The Fourstardave is held at one mile and affords an automated berth to the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Introduced by PDJF on Nov. 2 at Del Mar as a part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Problem Sequence. The race is called after a beloved New York-bred gelding who received no less than one race on the Spa each meet from 1987 to 1994, together with two wins on this race.
The Fourstardave has been received by a number of the prime grass racehorses of the previous quarter-century-plus, together with such standouts as Lure (1993), Da Hoss (1996), Leroidesanimaux (2005), Clever Dan (2012, 2013), Vacationer (2016), World Approval (2017), and Obtained Stormy (2019, 2021).
This yr’s 40th version of the Fourstardave is highlighted by the presence of Grasp of The Seas, who received the 2023 FanDuel BC Mile and is about to make his second begin of the yr. The Fourstardave might be televised nationwide on FOX as a part of the three-hour “Saratoga Saturdays” present. It has a scheduled submit time of 5:43 p.m. ET.
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Learn on for details about all the Fourstardave starters:
Jockey: Dylan Davis
Coach: Mark Casse
Homeowners: Gary Barber and Kinsman Secure
Profession document: 20 begins – 6 wins – 5 seconds – 3 thirds
Profession earnings: $643,060
Earnings per begin: $32,153
High Equibase Pace Determine: 114
Pedigree: High quality Highway – Tiz So Candy, by Tiznow
Age: 5
Coloration: Darkish bay or brown
Operating fashion: Pacesetter
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: A confirmed frontrunner, Sturdy High quality ought to give Ottoman Fleet firm early within the Fourstardave, and he’ll must run the race of his profession with a purpose to have a shot on the upset. The son of High quality Highway has tallied a pair of stakes wins over the previous yr and a half, however each of these have come towards lesser opposition and one among them – the Knicks Go Stakes again in early Could at Churchill Downs – got here on dust. After that win, Sturdy High quality contested the tempo within the Grade 1 Resorts World On line casino Manhattan Stakes June 8 over Saratoga’s outer turf course however gave means within the far flip of the 1 3/16-mile race and completed final of eight. Over his previous 12 begins relationship again to February 2023, Sturdy High quality has completed worse than fourth solely 4 instances, all in Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes. First-time rider Dylan Davis is having an impressive Saratoga meet, and search for him to let this one-dimensional runner do what he does finest. Corridor of Fame coach Mark Casse has received this race thrice, with World Approval in 2017 after which with the good filly Obtained Stormy in 2019 and 2021. Gary Barber co-owned Obtained Stormy for her preliminary Fourstardave win and likewise co-owned 2015 victor Vacationer.
Wager Sturdy High quality within the Fourstardave Handicap
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Coach: Charles Appleby
Proprietor: Godolphin
Profession document: 17 begins – 9 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds
Profession earnings: $2,520,582
Earnings per begin: $148,270
High Equibase Pace Determine: 119
Pedigree: Dubawi – Firth of Lorne, by Danehill
Age: 6
Coloration: Bay
Operating fashion: Nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: Already a Breeders’ Cup winner, Grasp of The Seas will attempt the tight turns of Saratoga’s interior turf course for the primary time Saturday. If his stablemate Ottoman Fleet and Sturdy High quality group as much as set a swift early tempo, he must be flying via the lane. He’s a nostril shy of being an ideal 4-for-4 in North America, successful the Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes final fall, simply lacking towards As much as the Mark within the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland, after which surging via Santa Anita Park’s homestretch to nip Mawj by a nostril within the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Introduced by PDJF in November. The gelding then returned after a break of over 5 months within the April 12 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland and simply defeated 4 opponents together with runner-up and stablemate Naval Energy. Grasp of The Seas received 5 group stakes in England and Dubai earlier than competing on these shores, and misplaced the 2021 English Two Thousand Guineas – the primary jewel of the English Triple Crown – by a nostril. He’s a real mile specialist and will have the ability to deal with a turf course with moisture in it as his latest win within the Maker’s Mark Mile got here on yielding floor (there’s a 60 p.c probability of rain Saturday in Saratoga Springs). Godolphin steady jockey William Buick might be at Colonial Downs using within the Arlington Million Stakes, however his substitute couldn’t be a better option, as Flavien Prat is successful at a 23 p.c clip throughout the present Saratoga meet. The one query mark with this elite runner considerations whether or not Ottoman Fleet will get sufficient early stress to make sure quick fractions within the Fourstardave. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, proprietor of Godolphin, received the Fourstardave in 2003 with Trademark and in 2009 with Justenuffhumor beneath the Darley Secure banner.
Wager Grasp of The Seas within the Fourstardave Handicap
3. Main Dude
Jockey: John Velazquez
Coach: Todd Pletcher
Proprietor: Spendthrift Farm
Profession document: 15 begins – 5 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds
Profession earnings: $852,712
Earnings per begin: $56,847
High Equibase Pace Determine: 108
Pedigree: Bolt d’Oro – Mary Rita, by Distorted Humor
Age: 4
Coloration: Bay
Operating fashion: Stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: Main Dude has began his 4-year-old season in good kind however will step again into stakes firm and faces a tricky problem within the Fourstardave. The Bolt d’Oro colt made his first 2024 begin in a 1/16-mile allowance elective claiming race on the Belmont on the Massive A meet (Aqueduct) in late June and completed second by a neck to Massive Everest earlier than impressively successful a 1 1/8-mile allowance elective claiming race three weeks in the past on the outer turf course at Saratoga. In that race, Main Dude saved floor via the backstretch and much flip, discovered room on the within throughout the stretch run and received going away by two lengths. Previous to 2024, Main Dude made 12 consecutive begins in graded stakes, 9 of the final 10 of them on turf, together with his finest efforts being a win within the Grade 3 Kitten’s Pleasure Stakes in early 2023 at Gulfstream Park after which in a win within the Grade 2 Penn Mile Stakes at Penn Nationwide in June of final yr. He’s a constant sort who normally could be counted on to rally from off the tempo, however his pace figures have topped out round 10 factors under the historic commonplace for Fourstardave winners and are the bottom on this yr’s discipline. Corridor of Fame jockey John Velazquez rode Main Dude in his July allowance win and retains the mount – search for him to aim an analogous journey positioned near the rail within the Fourstardave. Velazquez has received this race a document 9 instances: in 1992 (Now Pay attention), 1996 (Da Hoss), 2001 (Dr. Kashnikow), 2004 (Nothing to Lose), 2005 (Leroidesanimaux), 2008 (Crimson Large), 2011 (Sidney’s Sweet), and 2012 and 2013 (Clever Dan). Fellow Corridor of Famer Todd Pletcher has two wins, with Crimson Large and Halladay (2020). Spendthrift Farm co-owned 2020 winner Obtained Stormy.
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Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Coach: Chad Brown
Homeowners: e 5 Racing Thoroughbreds
Profession document: 8 begins – 5 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $704,475
Earnings per begin: $88,059
High Equibase Pace Determine: 114
Pedigree: Lope de Vega – Zindaya, by Extra Than Prepared
Age: 4
Coloration: Chestnut
Operating fashion: Press the tempo/stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: This proficient turf runner arguably has one of the best probability amongst U.S.-based Fourstardave entrants to upset the Godolphin pair of Grasp of The Seas and Ottoman Fleet. Irish-bred Carl Spackler has tallied 4 stakes wins, three of them graded, via solely eight profession begins. His most up-to-date win got here July 13 when he outfinished widespread foe Speak of the Nation to take the Grade 3 Kelso Stakes at Saratoga by a half-length. The Kelso is Saratoga’s native prep for the Fourstardave, additionally held at one mile on the interior turf course, and Carl Spackler’s win in that race boosted his profession document on the Spa’s interior turf to 3-for-4, including to 2 graded stakes wins throughout the 2023 meet. He earned a career-top 114 Equibase Pace Determine within the Kelso and retains the providers of jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who has been aboard for every of his begins going again a yr, together with all of his stakes wins. Search for Gaffalione to place Carl Spackler simply behind projected frontrunners Ottoman Fleet and Sturdy High quality and forward of the opposite three Fourstardave horses, which ought to allow him to guage the early tempo and decide the fitting time to induce his mount into competition. Surprisingly, perennial main Saratoga turf coach Chad Brown has but to win the Fourstardave. Gaffalione rode Obtained Stormy to the second of her two wins on this race, coming in 2021.
Wager Carl Spackler within the Fourstardave Handicap
5. Cash Provide
Jockey: Manuel Franco
Coach: Joe Sharp
Proprietor: Jordan Wycoff
Profession document: 19 begins – 8 wins – 2 seconds – 3 thirds
Profession earnings: $717,481
Earnings per begin: $37,762
High Equibase Pace Determine: 105
Pedigree: Sensible Joke – Evita’s Sister, by Sweet Trip
Age: 5
Coloration: Bay
Operating fashion: Stalker/nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: Fourstardave longshot Cash Provide ships to Saratoga off a victory in his first profession turf begin. That occurred on July 6 within the Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis, a 1 1/16-mile grass stakes run on yielding turf. In that race, the Sensible Joke horse sat subsequent to final early on earlier than shifting up within the far flip and unleashing a sustained cost via the stretch to win by a head over Runaway Storm. Cash Provide had matured right into a graded stakes-level racehorse on dust earlier this yr, successful the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes Introduced by Relyne GI by Hagyard at Honest Grounds again in February after which ending third within the Grade 2 New Orleans Traditional Stakes Introduced by Relyne GI by Hagyard on the identical observe in March. General, he’s put collectively a high-quality profession, successful half of his begins and displaying loads of stamina. In truth, a mile could also be shorter than his most well-liked distance. His connections are displaying supreme confidence in transport Cash Provide to Saratoga after one begin on turf to tackle the likes of Grasp of The Seas, Ottoman Fleet, and Carl Spackler. Manny Franco rode this horse early in his profession in three straight dust allowance races, and he will get again aboard for the most important take a look at but. Franco rode 2017 Fourstardave winner World Approval.
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Jockey: Joel Rosario
Coach: Charles Appleby
Proprietor: Godolphin
Profession document: 19 begins – 7 wins – 5 seconds – 5 thirds
Profession earnings: $1,088,717
Earnings per begin: $57,301
High Equibase Pace Determine: 122
Pedigree: Sea The Stars – Innevera, by Motivator
Age: 5
Coloration: Bay
Operating fashion: Press the tempo
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: This gelded son of European Horse of the Yr Sea the Stars joins Grasp of The Seas in giving Godolphin and Charlie Appleby a really formidable 1-2 punch within the Fourstardave. His working fashion is the exact opposite of his stablemate’s – Ottoman Fleet prefers to be forwardly positioned in his races, and he’s employed that technique to win two out of his three U.S. begins in 2024. After first making an impression throughout the Belmont Park meet in spring 2023 with a win within the Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes and a third-place end within the Resorts World On line casino Manhattan Stakes, Ottoman Fleet spent final winter in Dubai and received one among 4 stakes begins earlier than coming again for a repeat bid within the 1 1/8-mile Fort Marcy on Could 4, held at Belmont on the Massive A (Aqueduct). He bobbled at first however recovered to almost prevail, ending second by a neck to Grasp Piece, after which shipped to Churchill Downs and posted comfy back-to-back wins throughout the observe’s spring/summer season meet within the Grade 3 Arlington Stakes and most just lately the Grade 2 Clever Dan Stakes, each held at 1 1/16 miles. He led at each level of name within the Clever Dan and drew clear to prevail by 1 ½ lengths, incomes a 114 Equibase Pace Determine that adopted a 122 ESF within the Arlington. Ottoman Fleet will race at one mile for the primary time Saturday – this gelding usually goes longer – and it is going to be attention-grabbing to see how aggressive first-time jockey and up to date Corridor of Fame inductee Joel Rosario is on his mount within the early levels since Grade 3-level turf runner Sturdy High quality is the one different front-running sort entered. It’s price noting that Flavien Prat, who rode Ottoman Fleet in each of his Churchill stakes wins, takes the reins on stablemate Grasp of The Seas within the Fourstardave. It could not be stunning to see these two Godolphin horses sq. off in a heated stretch duel Saturday night. Rosario received the 2014 Fourstardave aboard Search Once more and the 2016 renewal on Vacationer. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has two wins on this race beneath his former Darley Secure banner: Trademark (2003) and Justenuffhumor (2009).
Wager Ottoman Fleet within the Fourstardave Handicap
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Coach: Cherie DeVaux
Proprietor: Victory Racing Companions
Profession document: 8 begins – 4 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Profession earnings: $493,215
Earnings per begin: $61,652
High Equibase Pace Determine: 113
Pedigree: Extra Than Prepared – Girls’ Privilege, by Harlan’s Vacation
Age: 4
Coloration: Darkish bay or brown
Operating fashion: Nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: This a number of stakes winner must unleash a career-best effort coming again after a nine-month layoff to have any shot at pulling the upset Saturday. Extra Than Seems was final seen rallying from final of 13 to complete sixth within the Nov. 4 FanDuel BC Mile at Santa Anita Park, displaying a swift kick within the lane to complete two lengths behind Grasp of The Seas, who closed even sooner from 12th within the early levels. Previous to that, the son of Extra Than Prepared had received two out of three stakes races in summer season and fall 2023, rallying late in all three of them. His wins got here within the Grade 3 Manila Stakes held at one mile on Belmont Park’s outer turf course after which in September within the Jefferson Cup Stakes at Churchill Downs, additionally going one mile on grass. In between these victories, he completed third following a sluggish begin behind Carl Spackler within the August 2023 Nationwide Museum of Racing Corridor of Fame Stakes held at one mile on Saratoga’s interior turf. Extra Than Seems flashed loads of potential throughout his 3-year-old season and arguably hasn’t reached his ceiling having made solely eight begins. That stated, coming again for his first 4-year-old begin at this Grade 1 degree in late summer season is a really robust task. If he’s certainly prepared to succeed in one other degree off of the layoff, first-time jockey and reigning Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr. ought to have Extra Than Seems closing from again of the pack alongside Grasp of The Seas when the sphere turns for dwelling. Ortiz has but to win the Fourstardave, but it surely’s price noting that he’s received half of his 10 begins over the previous yr when using for coach Cherie DeVaux, who’s having a high-quality Saratoga meet.
Wager Extra Than Seems within the Fourstardave Handicap
