2017 Fourstardave Handicap Preview, Entries & Odds
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OffTrackBetting.com – The G1 Fourstardave Handicap is on tap for this Saturday, August 12 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Horses three years old and upward will be after the winner’s share of the $500,000 purse when they take to Saratoga’s turf track and race one mile.
A field of six plus one Main Track Only Entry have been confirmed for the Fourstardave Handicap – race 10 on Saratoga’s Saturday schedule. Post time is 6:28 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all seven entries for this intriguing G1 stakes.
2017 Fourstardave Handicap Entries at Saratoga Race Course
Time Test 8-5
British bred Chad Brown trainee has hit the board in 11 of 13 career starts – six wins, four seconds and a third-place finish. He won four Group stakes races at home including the York Stakes three starts back last July and the Brigadier Gerard Stakes in May, 2016. He participated in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile and finished a disappointing tenth and has just two other North American starts – which resulted in an OK runner-up finish as favorite last time out in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park June 10 and another second as favorite again in the G3 Fort Marcy Stakes on that track May 6. Time Test has been in there with some tough competition in the past and has fared very well. He hopes to continue that trend when he leaves from post 3 Saturday with Javier Castellano in the irons of the morning line favorite.
Disco Partner 2-1
Christophe Clement trainee has hit the board in 14 of 18 career starts – eight wins, four seconds and two third-place finishes. He enters on a terrific three-race win streak – the listed forbidden Apple Stakes June 15, the G3 Jaipur Invitational in world record time for six furlongs on turf June 10 and the minor Elusive Quality Stakes in April – all at Belmont Park. Before that was a forth in the minor Belmont Turf Sprint in October and a win in the listed Troy Stakes on this track last August. Disco Partner had been a factor every time out and will be after a fourth straight stakes win from gate 6. Tyler Gaffalione has been tabbed to ride the intriguing second betting choice.
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World Approval 9-2
Mark Casse trained gelding has eight wins, two seconds and four third place finishes in 21 career starts. He put his name on the radar with a win in July, 2015 in the G3 American Derby and has been decent since. Last time out was a bit of a disappointment – a fifth in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park June 10 which followed a nice 2 1/4 length win with a field-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure in the G2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico May 20, an easy 2 1/4 length win in the minor EG Vodka Turf Classic at Tampa Bay April 2 and six months away. Other quality results include an OK third in the G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine September 17, a good win in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 3, an OK third behind the terrific Flintshire in the 2016 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park June 11, 2016 a second in the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic May 7, 2016 and another second in the G2 Muniz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds last March. He also won the G3 Saranac Stakes in 2015. World Approval has been competitive at times in his career but hopes to shrug off an underwhelming effort last time out. He tries for a third win in four starts when he leaves from the outside post 7 with Manuel Franco in the irons.
American Patriot 6-1
Todd Pletcher trained colt has placed in eight of 12 career starts – five wins and three third-place finishes. He made an unsuccessful trip overseas last time out when he was eleventh in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot June 20 after consecutive wins on North American soil – the G1 Maker’s 46 Mile ay Keeneland April 14 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream in February. He failed to place in his previous two starts including a ninth in the G3 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park in October. American Patriot also won the G3 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park in July, 2016. He has been a tad up-and-down so far in his career but shoots for a second G1 score in three starts from gate 2 with John Velazquez guiding the 121-pound co-highweight.
Sassy Little Lila 6-1
Brad Cox trained filly has just eight career starts with three wins and four runner-up finishes – the only time she didn’t hit the board was in her debut. Last time out was a respectable second in the G1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 10 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Churchill Downs May 20 and a good second in her graded stake debut – the G1 American Oaks December 31. Before that was a second in the minor Winter Memories Stakes at Aqueduct in November and two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores – the last coming in October. Sassy Little Lila has been competitive every time out but has yet to record a stakes win. Luis Saez will try to get that win against the boys from post 5.
Ballagh Rocks 10-1
Bill Mott trained colt has five wins, two seconds and a third-place finish in his 12 career starts. He won three straight Allowance races this past winter including an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream January 20 but didn’t looked great in two starts after that – a seventh in the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 6 followed a fourth in the G1 Maker’s 46 Mile April 14. Last time out was a career-best effort however – a win in the G3 Poker Stakes at Belmont Park June 18. Ballagh Rocks seems to be over his funk and will chase a second straight graded stakes score Saturday from the rail. Jose Lezcano gets the call.
Weekend Hideaway 3-1
Main Track Only Entry, Philip Serpe trainee has 12 wins, five seconds and six third place finishes in 39 career starts. He has won multiple minor stakes races in his career – one coming last time out in the Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park May 29 (for the second year in a row). He has six career graded stakes starts but failed to place in any including a seventh in the G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream in December. He has placed in five of his last seven starts overall and will be after a first graded stakes placing if he does indeed race. Luis Saez may be in the irons from gate 4.
2017 Fourstardave Handicap Odds & Entries
Race 10 on Saratoga’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:28 PM.
Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ballagh Rocks | 10-1 | Jose Lezcano | William Mott |
2 | American Patriot | 6-1 | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher |
3 | Time Test (GB) | 8-5 | Javier Castellano | Chad Brown |
4 | Weekend Hideaway | 3-1 | Luis Saez | Philip Serpe |
5 | Sassy Little Lila | 6-1 | Luis Saez | Brad Cox |
6 | Disco Partner | 2-1 | Tyler Gaffalione | Christophe Clement |
7 | World Approval | 9-2 | Manuel Franco | Mark Casse |