Welcome to Stabile’s Saratoga Special. Throughout the 36 day meet at America’s most revered racetrack, VegasInsider.com writer and handicapper Anthony Stabile, dubbed “King of the Spa” after his record setting ROI for a public handicapper at the 1999 Saratoga meet, will take a look at the stakes action for the day as well as give you a free play in one of the stakes that day. For all of Stabile’s daily Saratoga selections and plays, CLICK HERE!!!
For the first time this meet Saratoga will play host to two stakes worthy of the Saratoga Special but we won’t be talking about the G2 Jim Dandy in this space. To read about that event, as well as the G2 West Virginia Derby and G1 Haskell, CLICK HERE for my Weekend Stakes Roundup. For now, I’ll focus on the $500,000 G1 Diana for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles over the Mellon Turf Course.
Yesterdays’ heavy rains up at the Spa made for a soft turf course and I doubt the course will be in any better condition for the Diana. Thankfully, a majority of the ten scheduled to go postward have had some degree of success over wet turf courses. Let’s start with defending Diana and Breeders’ Cup F&M Turf winner Forever Together.
Since Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard switched her to the turf in May of 2008, Forever Together has won five of eight grass starts and finished second or third in the other three while earning over $2 million in the process. In last years’ Diana, Forever Together was last early before unleashing a powerful late rally to win by ¾ of a length over a course labeled “good.”
In all, she has won three of five over wet turf courses including her seasonal bow in the G2 Jenny Willey at Keeneland. Last out she was second over a yielding Belmont strip in the G1 Just A Game where she encountered a good deal of trouble in the stretch. Regular rider Julien Leparoux has the mount from the outside post 10.
The other millionairess in the field, and a mare that has seen her share of Forever Together in the past year or so, is the Christophe Clement trained Rutherienne. A ten time winner from 19 lifetime starts, Rutherienne has finished behind Forever Together three times in her career and looks to turn the tables on her foe in the Diana. She was second in the Jenny Willey to start the year before shipping up to Woodbine to win the G2 Nassau over a “good” turf course, her first win in over a year. Alan Garcia rides from post 3.
Clement will also saddle Carribean Sunset in the Diana from post 6 with Ramon Dominguez aboard. Carribean Sunset shipped down to Philly Park to win a $200K stakes in her latest and appears to do her best work over firm courses though she did start her career overseas.
Tom Albertrani sends out the probable controlling speed in the Diana, multiple graded stakes winner Criticism. Three for four on the lawn this season, including wins in the G2 La Prevoyante and Sheepshead Bay Handicaps, her lone defeat came in the G3 Orchid going 1 ½ miles over a “good” turf course. Last out she was second in the off-the-turf New York Handicap run over a muddy main track at Belmont. Javier Castellano rides from post 5.
My Princess Jess comes into this off third place finish in the Just a Game where she raced very wide before making a late rally. Earlier this season she won the G3 Beaugay at Aqueduct over a “good” course and also won last years’ G2 Lake George at the Spa over a “soft” course. She’ll break from post 7 under Cornelio Velasquez.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will send out a pair of longshots in Mushka and Indescribable. Mushka was second in the Sheepshead Bay two back before a third place finish in the G2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine last out. John Velazquez rides from post 1. Indescribable has won two of four starts on the grass, including a win in the G3 Cardinal to close out her season last year over a “yielding” course at Churchill Downs. Kent Desormeaux has the call from post 4.
Quiet Meadow, second in a pair of Monmouth stakes including the G3 Eatontown two back for trainer Chad Brown will break from post 2 under Jose Lezcano. Kiaran McLaughlin will send out Colina Verde from post 8 under Robby Albarado. She’s yet to duplicate the form she sported at the beginning of her career down in Brazil where she won the first four starts of her career over wet turf courses. Finally, Tejida will break from post 9 under Corey Nakatani for trainer Michael Matz. Tejida missed by a neck in the G3 All Along at Colonial Downs last out.
THE PLAY
Forever Together won’t be much of a price but I think she’ll have a pretty easy time of it in here. So, let’s make a $1 trifecta part wheel using Forever Together with Rutherienne, Indescribable and My Princess Jess with All for $24. Then make a $1 superfecta part wheel using Forever Together with Rutherienne, Indescribable and My Princess Jess with Rutherienne, Indescribable and My Princess Jess with All for $42. Total plays cost $66. Good luck!!!!!!
BANKROLL: minus $76
