Green Light Go favored in today’s Saratoga Special

When it comes to how recent graduates of the race have fared at three and beyond, the Saratoga Special (G2) must rate pretty high among 2-year-old graded races. Winners of the Special this decade include eventual classic winners Union Rags (2012 Belmont) and Exaggerator (2016 Preakness), as well as $5.5-mllion earner Gunnevera, now five, who is expected to make his next start in the Woodward (G1) on the closing Saturday of the meet.

Kantharos did not race again after his victory in the 2010 Special but has gained some renown as a stallion – current runners include ace sprinters X Y Jet and World of Trouble.

Green Light Go (2-1) earns the top spot on the morning line for this year’s edition of the $200,000 Special on the strength of his wire job in his debut at Belmont on the Fourth of July. The Hard Spun colt won going away by 3¼ lengths. The Adena Springs homebred breezed a bullet four furlongs here on July 29.

Noose (4-1) was another good-looking first-timer when he blew away the field in a six-furlong maiden special at Churchill Downs on June 28. The homebred son of More Than Ready races for Joseph W. Sutton and is trained by Eddie Kenneally.

Long Weekend (6-1) is another Special entrant who impressed first time out at Churchill, romping by six in a five-furlong MSW on June 23. Tom Amoss conditions the Majesticperfection colt.

As a son of Point of Entry, out of a Deputy Minister mare, Tuggle (9-2) would seem to be destined to eventually wind up competing in two-turn races – most likely on turf. He did just fine in his off-the-turf five-furlong debut, though, prevailing by nearly two lengths in the slop at Belmont seven weeks ago. Jeremiah Englehart trains.

The rest of the Saratoga Special field consists of Zyramid (5-1), King Snake (8-1), Peruvian Boy (10-1) and Iberico (15-1).