Fourstardave heads Saturday Saratoga card

By NY Hot List Staff | Thursday, August 8, 2024

On a big day for turf racing at Saratoga – hopefully – the Fourstardave Handicap will be the featured race Saturday at the Spa. With the scratch of Master of The Seas, stablemate Ottoman Fleet will represent Godolphin in the mile turf stakes and face five rivals.

Heavy rain is in the weather forecast for Saratoga Springs on Friday and Saturday and as a result the New York Racing Association announced a plan in case turf racing has to be cancelled on Saturday.

“Should weather force races off the turf on Saturday, August 10, then NYRA will aim to run the Fourstardave and Saratoga Derby as the final two races on Sunday, August 11,” a NYRA press release stated. “To allow for increased flexibility, those races will fall outside of all horizontal wagers.”

$500,000 Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga, Saturday, Race 10, 5:43 pm ET.

(4) Carl Spackler won 4 out of his last 5 starts including the Kelso (G3) last time at Saratoga. At the Spa he won 3 out of 4 starts and at the mile distance he was a winner 4 times from 5 starts. The turf mile is a niche kind of race and Carl Spackler is a confirmed miler. (6) Ottoman Fleet won his last two starts in a pair of graded stakes at Churchill Downs in the Wise Dan (G2) and the Arlington (G3). At Newmarket in Great Britain he won the last two runnings of the Earl of Sefton (G3). This will be his first try at the mile distance. (7) More Than Looks will make his first start since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). Last year he won the Manila (G3). (3) Major Dude returned from a winter layoff to run in two allowances where he finished second and then was a winner last month. He was a two-time Grade 3 winner last year.

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