Casa Creed and Annapolis meet in Fourstardave

By NY Hot List Staff | Friday, August 11, 2023

Mother Nature has not been kind to the New York Racing Association and Saratoga this summer, but if the weather can stay dry, Saturday’s featured stakes should be an entertaining one. The Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap will bring together two top turfers in Casa Creed and Annapolis, who ran 1-2 in the Kelso Stakes earlier in the meet, in a rematch at a mile on grass. As a bonus, whoever wins the race will get a free spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Here’s the Hot List picks for the $500,000 Fourstardave (G1):

Saratoga, Saturday, Race 9, 5:44pm EDT.

(1) Emmanuel won the Poker (G3) at Belmont Park in June with a late run to get up by a neck earning the highest speed figure of his career. Breaking from the rail, he might show more early speed as he did last year when winning the Pennine Ridge (G2). (4) Annapolis has a great record at Saratoga and at the mile distance. He was a Grade 1 winner of the Turf Mile in October at Keeneland. He won the Opening Verse in his first start of the year which was at Churchill Downs. Regular rider Irad Ortiz stays on board. (6) Casa Creed is the horse to beat in the Fourstardave. He already has a win at Saratoga in the Kelso (G3) four weeks ago. He won this race last year tying the highest speed figure of his career. The Bill Mott runner has more than $2.1 million in earnings. (7) Ice Chocolat finished second in the Jacque Cartier (G2) at Woodbine and stretched out on the turf to finish fourth in the Kelso.

The rest of the NY Hot List picks and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.