Fourstardave Handicap 2014 Contenders & Odds

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap comes our way from Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York on Saturday, August 9. Horses three years old and upward will be featured when they go one mile on Saratoga's turf track searching for the winner's share of the generous $500,000 purse.

A small but quality field of six have been confirmed for the Fourstardave - race 10 on Saratoga's Saturday card. Post time is 6:10 PM. Here is a brief glance into the credentials of all six combatants for this lucrative Grade 2 stakes.

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2014 Fourstardave Handicap Race Favorite Entries

Silver Max - actually beat Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile back in October and then went on to a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile. He has just one start in 2014 and it was a good one - a wire-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Firecracker Stakes at Churchill Downs June 28 after nearly seven months away. He won six straight between March and July of 2012 as well including the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes, the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes in wire-to-wire fashion and the Grade 2 Virginia Derby - nobody could touch him! He struggled a tad after that but bounced back and had a terrific second half of 2013 - a win in the minor Opening Verse Stakes last June 1 in gate-to-wire fashion by 9 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs, another win by 5 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth July 28, a terrific score in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch August 31 at Saratoga to go along with the Shadwell Turf shocker. Sandwiched in there is an OK third in the Grade 3 Cornhusker last June 29. He has won four of his last five starts and his win over Wise Dan certainly has opened few eyes. He makes just his second start of the year but looks as good as ever with Robby Albarado aboard the 9-5 morning line favorite and 122 pound highweight from the rail.

Jack Milton - Todd Pletcher trained colt enters on the heels of a disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita June 14 after a two race win streak - the Grade 3 Poker Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths in June at Belmont Park and an Allowance Optional Claiming May 1. Before that was a sixth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in December and four straight third place finishes including the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap in October, the Grade 1 Secretariat in August and the Grade 2 Virginia Derby in July. He has placed in nine of 11 career starts (four wins, a second and four third place finishes), has two wins on turf and will be looking to rebound from an uncharacteristic effort last time out. Javier Castellano gets the call from gate 3 at 5-2 odds.

Fourstardave Handicap 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Seek Again - made his North American debut December 1 and won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park and followed that with a second behind the terrific Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 3 and an OK third as favorite last time out in the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park June 7. This after seven career starts in Britain yielded three wins and two second place finishes including a win at York. He has looked very good in his North American starts and could challenge again Saturday for trainer Bill Mott. Joel Rosario the slight 3-1 morning line second choice rides from post 2.

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Sayaad - Kiaran McLaughlin pupil has 11 career starts with five wins and two second place finishes and enters on a nice three race win streak - the minor Forbidden Apple Stakes at Belmont Park last time out, an Allowance Optional Claiming on that same track in October and in the minor Dance of Life Stakes August 25 after a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park in July. His only graded stakes action came last June - a fifth in the Grade 3 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park. Sayaad makes just his second start of 2014 Saturday but enters in the best form of his career. He goes off at 5-1 odds from post 5 with Jose Ortiz aboard.

Grand Arch finished third in the Grade 2 Sky Classic at Woodbine last August 18 after another third in the Grade 2 Nijinsky on that same track in July. Before that was a two race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming June 23 and an Allowance at Keeneland in April. He continued to look good in his last five starts - a second in the minor Labeeb Stakes in October, a third in the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs in November, a second in an Allowance at Keeneland in April, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 9 at Churchill Downs and a terrific win last time out in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine June 22. Grand Arch has placed in all 14 career starts with four wins, four seconds and six thirds and is expected to be competitive again Sunday. David Moran rides from the outside post Saturday at a very intriguing 8-1 odds.

Dorsett - Brian Lynch trained colt made his 2014 debut July 19 and finished fourth in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes at Woodbine. He ended his 2013 campaign with a sixth in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes in November after a fourth in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby in October and a sixth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in September. Before that was a career best result - a win in the minor Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park in August. He has 13 career starts with three wins, a second and a third place finish and will look to place in graded stakes company for the first time. John Velazquez gets the mount on the longest shot in the field (20-1) from post 4.


2014 Fourstardave Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 10 on Saratoga Race Course's Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:10 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Silver Max R. Albarado D. Romans
9-5
2 Seek Again J. Rosario W. Mott
3-1
3 Jack Milton J. Castellano T. Pletcher
5-2
4 Dorsett J. Velazquez B. Lynch
20-1
5 Sayaad J. Ortiz K. McLaughlin
5-1
6 Grand Arch D. Moran B. Lynch
8-1