STAKES ANALYSIS NY-breds battle for $1.15 million in stakes
By Jeff Scott SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » In the six stakes on today’s New York Showcase Day card, the biggest purses are reserved for three-yearolds ($200k-$250k) and two-year-olds ($200k). As usual, though, the strongest fields and most compelling match-ups can be found in the Yaddo and West Point, 8½-furlong races for older runners that are worth only $150k each.
The field for the West Point includes the venerable eight-year-olds Kharafa (4-1) and King Kreesa (61), who between them have won 17 stakes and earned more than $2.5 million. The wins aren’t coming as often for the two geldings, but they hardly ever run a bad race and cannot be dismissed in this spot.
The ultra-consistent Offering Plan, whose considerable back class includes a couple of Grade 1 tries, is the 2-1 morning-line choice. Get Jets (3-1) has been in the exacta in his last four starts, three of them in open company.
In the Yaddo, it’s hard to look past Fourstar Crook (7/5), who will be vying for her ninth straight win, a streak that goes back to last October. The five-year-old Freud mare has won 5-of-6 at 8 ½ furlongs, and exits an open-lengths score in the Dr. Penny Memorial (G3) at Philly Park. She is also the defending champ in the Yaddo.
Literata (5/2) has won her last two, most recently the Saratoga Dew Stakes on Aug. 14. Bar of Gold (7/2) has earned $828k and has considerable experience in graded races, most of it at a mile or shorter. Flipcup (10-1) was runner-up to Fourstar Crook in the 2016 Yaddo but is winless since.
Today’s feature is the $250,000 Albany Stakes for three-year-olds, a race whose winners over the past two decades include Gander, Naughty New Yorker, West Virginia and Tin Cup Chalice. This year’s 8/5 favorite is Twisted Tom, whose three-race winning streak was halted with an up-the-track finish in the Belmont Stakes. The Creative Cause gelding responded with a narrow win in the New York Derby at Finger 22.
Broken Engagement, runner-up in the last-mentioned race, gets in at 5/2. Minsky Moment (3-1) has been in the exacta in all four career starts. The two last-mentioned sophomores were maidens as recently as late June.
Sunset Ridge, 1/5 in the $200,000 Fleet Indian for three-year-old fillies, is the day’s most overwhelming favorite. The daughter of second-crop sire Algorithms won her first three starts by more than 25 lengths. The Fleet Indian will be her first stakes try. Bonita Bianca (4-1) exits a neck win in the New York Oaks.
The $200,000 Funny Cide for two-year-olds has drawn eight starters who have made a combined 13 starts. Aveenu Malcainu (7/2) broke his maiden here on July 28 in his lone career outing.
In the $200,000 Seeking the Ante for two-yearold fillies, favoritism goes to I Still Miss You at 8/5. The daughter of Majestic Warrior won her first two starts with ease, then was runnerup in the Lynbrook at Belmont on July 17. Trouble for Skylar, who romped in her debut here by eight lengths, is pegged at 7/2. Lakes on July