The 57th running of the Grade I, $750,000 Woodward highlights the Saturday (Sept. 4) program at Saratoga. It’s the final Saturday card of the meet.
Last year, Rachel Alexandra won the Woodward as the final start of one of the greatest campaigns in American racing history by a 3-year-old filly. Rachel Alexandra would go on to be voted 2009 Horse of the Year over undefeated Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Zenyatta.
Five of the last seven Woodward winners subsequently were voted Horse of the Year. Prior to Rachel Alexandra, they were Curlin (2008), Saint Liam (2005), Ghostzapper (2004) and Mineshaft (2003).
Even though Quality Road will be a very short price in the Woodward wagering Saturday, the race still is part of the pick six. In many cases these days, even when it is a big race, if there is a short-priced favorite like Quality Road, a track will not include it in the pick-six sequence. The Woodward goes as the tenth on the 11-race card. The pick six begins with the sixth.
These are the horses I like the most in Saturday’s pick six at the Spa, listed in order of preference, with their program number and morning line:
Sixth Race
7 – Economic Summit 10-1
4 – Astrology 4-1
12 – Praetereo 10-1
9 – Punster 8-1
Seventh Race
2 – My Princess Jess 5-2
3 – Fantasia 3-1
Eighth Race
11 - Pegasus Tommy D. 7-2
5 – Duke of Naples 8-1
8 – Abilio 9-2
4 – Bishop of Nola 5-1
Ninth Race
1 - Vineyard Haven 2-1
1A – Girolamo 2-1
Tenth Race
3 – Quality Road 1-4
Eleventh Race
5 – Bourbon Bandit 5-1
10 – City Train 5-2
COMMENTS:
If any of the turf races in the pick six are switched to the main track, I would recommend passing on this particular pick six.
The pick six commences with a seven-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs. Economic Summit, a $270,000 auction purchase, is a first-time starter by Malibu Moon with a fine workout tab. Astrology, a son of the outstanding sire A.P. Indy, dueled for the early lead and finished second as an 8-5 favorite at Saratoga on July 31 in his career debut. Praetereo, a $250,000 auction purchase, is a Giant’s Causeway colt debuting for leading trainer Todd Pletcher. Punster ran third when unveiled at Belmont Park on July 15 (runner-up Stay Thirsty was a next-out winner when a pick-six single for me on HRTV’s The Edge), then lost by a scant nose at the Spa on Aug. 7.
The seventh race is the Addison Mallery Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile on the inner turf. My Princess Jess finished seventh in Saratoga’s Grade I Diana on July 31, but she’s capable of doing much better than that. She ran third in the Grade I Just A Game at Belmont on June 5. I love My Princess Jess’ last couple of workouts. They suggest she will improve on her Diana performance. My Princess Jess drilled four furlongs on the turf in :47 flat on Aug. 13 (best of 41 at the distance), then again worked the same distance on the turf in :47 flat on Aug. 20 (best of 29 at the distance). When Fantasia ran fifth in the Just A Game, she finished just 1 1/4 lengths behind My Princess Jess. Fantasia was good enough to win a pair of Group III races in England prior to being sent to the U.S.
The eighth race is an allowance/optional claiming contest scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon Turf Course. I definitely see this race as a spread race for pick six purposes. My top selection is Pegasus Tommy D., who comes off a July 3 Belmont Park triumph over a pair of next-out winners. (I also have a soft spot in my heart for this gelding because of his name. The only Thoroughbred my brother, Ron, ever raced was named Tommy D.) Duke of Naples, a half-brother to Grade II Arkansas Derby winner Private Emblem and multiple stakes winner Rhum, has won two of his last four. Abilio opened a 16-length early lead and won by 6 1/2 lengths in a one-mile turf affair Aug. 4 on Saratoga’s inner turf. Bishop of Nola is seeking his third straight victory.
The ninth race is the 31st running of the Grade I, $250,000 Forego. This seven-furlong race is named after one of the sport’s all-time great geldings, a three-time Horse of the Year. Vineyard Haven, a three-time Grade I winner, splashed his way to a pretty easy 1 3/4-length win in Saratoga’s seven-furlong James Marvin Stakes on a sloppy track July 23. That was Vineyard Haven’s first race since last Nov. 28. With that July 23 race under his belt, Vineyard Haven should be a very tough customer in the Forego. Giarolamo has not been under silks since finishing last in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic won by Zenyatta last Nov. 7. Girolamo, a talented son of A.P. Indy, won the Grade II Jerome Handicap at Belmont last year prior to running in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita.
The tenth race is the Grade I Woodward at 1 1/8 miles. Quality Road towers over this group.
The eleventh is a maiden special weight race for New York-breds at one mile on the inner turf. Bourbon Bandit is a first-time starter from the Linda Rice barn. Rice has had a terrific Saratoga meet again this year after winning the 2009 Spa title. Bourbon Bandidt, a son of multiple Grade I winner Congaree, is a half-brother to multiple Grade III turf winner Silver Timber. City Train has finished second or third in four straight starts. It’s not as if he’s been underachieving, though, because City Train has never been the favorite in eight lifetime starts. At Saratoga on Aug. 7, City Train finished second while running on the grass for the first time.
