While the $1 million Shadwell Travers is usually the marquee event of the Saratoga meeting, it looks like the Spa meeting will end with a bang, as Rachel Alexandra will be taking on the handicap division on Saturday is the $750,000 Woodward Stakes.

She comes into the race having won eight races in a row, with her average winning margin over those eight wins at nearly nine lengths.

She has beaten three year olds twice and now takes on a rather thin handicap division that is lacking in star power.

Entries for the Woodward will be taken today, with six likely to line up to take on the super filly: Bullsbay, Macho Again, It's A Bird, Past the Point, Asiatic Boy, and Cool Coal Man.

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Saratoga’s summer meeting ends on Monday, and there will be three dark days before the Belmont Park Fall Championship meet gets underway on Friday, Sept. 11.

The stakes action will not slow down when racing leaves the Spa. There are 22 graded stakes on the Belmont Park fall meeting, and many of them will serve as preps for Breeders’ Cup contenders.

There are two stakes on Wednesday’s card including the feature, the $70,000 Lena Spencer Stakes.

A field of nine fillies and mares will go 5 ½ furlongs on the turf course, including the top three finishers of the Finney Stakes on August 9 here at the Spa.

To purchase my full card report for Saratoga that includes analysis, selections, fair odds, and wagering recommendations for today click here.

Here is today's opener from Saratoga to get our day off to a good start:

SAR Race 1 Alw $52,000N1X (1:00 et)

#6 Lost Without You   7/2

#5 Strike the Bell   4/1

#4 Cocktail Attire   3/1

#1 Dawn Chorus   6/1

Analysis: #6 Lost Without You was the beaten chalk last out against $50K starter allowance company. The filly had to check in the early going, came up the inside with a good middle move and could not get to the top pair late in a third place finish. Two back the filly was a solid third at this level in a race that produced three next out winners. The winner of the race was Girlfrioendontheside, who came back to win the $60K Crank It Up at Monmouth Park on June 28. She has a win over the turf here, taking a state bred Alw-2 optional claimer here last summer. She seems to be in the mix each time out and finds a good spot here.

#5 Strike the Bell cuts back from a mile where she made a mild late run to finish third. The runner up in that race was Dynaslew, who came back to beat Alw-1 company in her next start on August 24 here. She should get some pace to run at here and her career top came three back going seven furlongs so she looks like she can handle the cut back in distance here.

Wagering

WIN: #6 to win at 5/2 or better.

EX: 5,6 / 1,4,5,6

TRI: 5,6 / 1,4,5,6 / 1,4,5,6,7

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Saratoga:

SAR Race 9 Lena Spencer S. (5:30 et)

#9 Trusty Temper   10/1

#4 Smart and Fancy   3/1

#7 Karakorum Elektra   5/1

#6 Ahvee's Destiny   7/2

Analysis: #9 Trusty Temper is an interesting choice here and her 10/1 ML looks generous. She comes off a smart looking win in the Jostle at Philly on the main track. Two runners exited that race to win next out including Bold Union, who won the Femme Fatale at Penn in her next start, then ran a good second in the Victory Ride (G3) in her most recent start. Our top pick has only tries turf once in her career, a maiden win at Ellis last summer. She has a decent turf pedigree and in good hands with the Werner barn.

#4 Smart and Fancy ran second to #6 Ahvee's Destiny last out in the Finney but certainly had the tougher trip. The filly was shuffled back in the early going, steadied in traffic on the far turn, and finished strongly, beaten just a neck for the top spot. She has landed in the exacta in 9 of her 11 career starts on turf.

Wagering

WIN: #9 to win at 9/2 or better.

EX: 4,9 / 4,6,7,9

TRI: 4,9 / 4,6,7,9 / 4,5,6,7,9

Live Longshots:

These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Saratoga

R2: #1 Pegasus Fever   10/1

R5: #6 Brother Stuart   12/1

R8: #4 Client Eight   10/1

R9: #9 Trusty Temper   10/1