While Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) will certainly hog much of the spotlight Saturday with his appearance in the $1.6-million GI Travers S., Saratoga will run five other Grade I events leading up to that centerpiece, and another Grade II for good measure after the “Midsummer Derby.” The $1-million GI Sword Dancer S., one of several races added to the Travers undercard and one of four Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” qualifiers to be held Saturday, features globe-trotting $5-million earner Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}). The Andre Fabre trainee was second in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Champion Untapable (Tapit), upended by Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) in the GIIII Shuvee H. here Aug. 2, looks to bounce back in the GI Personal Ensign S. With 12 horses signed on, the GI Forego S. for older sprinters is among the day's most intriguing events. Speedy MGISW Private Zone (Macho Uno) will take on the likes of 'TDN Rising Star' The Big Beast (Yes It's True), winner of the GI King's Bishop S. 12 months ago and most recently a neck second in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. Aug. 1. A field of 11 sophomore sprinters comprise the King's Bishop, led by Competitive Edge (Super Saver), who cuts back to the trip over which he won last year's GI Hopeful S., and GII Amsterdam S. winner Holy Boss (Street Boss). La Verdad (Yes It's True) seeks her first Grade I in the Ballerina S., but meets GI Humana Distaff S. heroine Dame Dorothy (Bernardini).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
