2016 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

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Dave Bond | OTB Writer

OffTrackBetting.com - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will play host to the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes on Friday, August 5. Horses three years old will take to Saratoga's turf track and race 1 1/16 miles searching for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.

A field of nine including two Main Track Only entries have been confirmed for the Hall of Fame Stakes - race 9 on Saratoga's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:40 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all nine possible combatants for this Grade 2 stakes.

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2016 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes Race Preview at Saratoga Race Course

Camelot Kitten - Chad Brown trained colt has three wins and two runner-up finishes in seven career starts. He finished a strong second in the Grade 3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes as a juvenile at Keeneland October 4 and went on to a disappointing twelfth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. He has four starts since and has been good - an OK fourth last time out in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational July 9 followed a good win in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park June 4, a career defining upset win in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7 and a second in an Allowance at Keeneland in April. Camelot Kitten has been competitive in all except one race and will try for a third graded stakes score in four starts when leaves from the outside post 9 with Irad Ortiz guiding him. A cut back in distance is expected to help.

Airoforce - Mark Casse trained colt had a very good start to his career - three wins and a second place finish in his first four career starts including a nice win in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November, a second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a win in the Grade 3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes in October. He hasn't looked great in five starts since however - a tenth last time out in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational July 9 followed an OK second to the terrific Catch a Glimpse in the Grade 3 Penn Mile June 4, a fourth in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7, an eighth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes in April and a disappointing tenth, 40 lengths behind as favorite in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds February 20. Airoforce had been a force before his last five starts and hopes to regain his early career form from gate 6. Julien Leparoux has been tabbed with snapping the skid Friday as Airoforce removes the blinkers.

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Unbridled Daddy - Todd Pletcher trained colt has two wins, a second and two third place finishes in eight career starts. He finished third in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga in September and went on to a tenth in the Grade 3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland in October. He has just four starts since - a decent second last time out in the minor Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park July 9 followed a seventh in the Grade 3 Penn Mile June 4, an OK third in the minor Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct April 23 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream March 19. Unbridled Daddy shoots for his first stakes score Saturday from gate 8. Jose Ortiz will be in the saddle.

Isotherm - has two win and a second place finish in five career starts for trainer George Weaver. He was last seen was back in January finishing second in the Grade 3 Dania Beach Stakes with a career best 87 Beyer Speed Figure at Gulfstream Park after an eleventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a breakthrough win in the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park September 26. Isotherm has been OK so far in his career and hopes to shake the rust in his first start in eight months from post 5 Friday with Jose Lezcano in the reins.

Giant Run - Thomas Albertrani trained colt has three wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 10 career starts and has placed in five straight ahead of this race - all stakes. Last time out was a nice win in the minor Manila Stakes at Belmont Park July 4 which followed a third in the Grade 3 Penn Mile June 4, a second in the minor English Channel Stakes May 7 and a good win in the minor Cutler Bay Stakes Match 26. He also had a second in his only other graded stakes action to date - the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes February 27 and a maiden score in January. Giant Run has been very competitive in 2016, has three wins, three seconds and a third in seven career turf starts and could to be in the mix again Friday. John Velazquez has been tabbed to ride.

Strike Midnight - Leah Gyarmati trained colt has two wins and a second place finish in five career starts. He makes his graded stakes debut off a second behind Giant Run in the minor Manila Stakes at Belmont Park July 5, an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track June 3 and a fifth in the minor Awad Stakes in October. Strike Midnight has been OK so far in his career and steps up in decent form. Javier Castellano gets the call from gate 4.

Copingaway - Jaime Mehia trained colt has an astounding 25 starts already with just two wins, four seconds and four third place finishes. He enters off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming here July 31, a third in a similar race at Gulfstream July 10 and off-the-board finishes in his previous four starts including a fifth in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Stakes July 2. His best career result came in May - a win in the minor English Channel Stakes at Gulfstream. Copingaway has yet to place in three graded stakes tries and will be after a major breakthrough Friday from post 7. Ricardo Santana Jr. rides.

Decorated Soldier - Main Track Only entry has two wins in five career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher and enters having failed to place in his last two starts overall - a ninth last time out in the minor Ohio Derby June 25 followed a fifth in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes May 14. Before that was a two race win streak including the minor Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park April 16 and a maiden score by 7 1/2 lengths in March. Decorated Soldier has struggled in his last two starts overall and will be after a bounce back from post 2 Friday if he does indeed saddle up. His jockey has yet to be determined.

Voluntario - Main Track Only Entry has placed in six of nine career starts for trainer Rudy Rodriguez - three wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He made his graded stakes debut last time out and finished fourth in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 9. Before that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Pimlico June 18 and consecutive seconds including the minor LARC Sir Barton Stakes in May. He had been in decent form before his step up last time out and may be out to avenge that result. He may line up in post 3 with a yet-to-be-determined rider in the saddle.


2016 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Saratoga's Friday card with a Post Time of 5:40 PM.

Entry Horse ML Odds Jockey Trainer
1 Giant Run 6-1 John Velazquez Thomas Albertrani
2 Decorated Soldier 3-1 Rider TBA Todd Pletcher
3 Voluntario 2-1 Rider TBA Rudy Rodriguez
4 Strike Midnight 6-1 Javier Castellano Leah Gyarmati
5 Isotherm 4-1 Jose Lezcano George Weaver
6 Airoforce 7-2 Julien Leparoux Mark Casse
7 Copingaway 20-1 Ricardo Santana, Jr. Jaime Mejia
8 Unbridled Daddy 8-1 Jose Ortiz Todd Pletcher
9 Camelot Kitten 8-5 Irad Ortiz, Jr. Chad Brown