King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The 28th running of the Grade 1 King's Bishop Stakes is on tap for Saratoga this Saturday, August 25 during a packed Travers Day schedule in upstate New York. Three year olds will be featured on Saratoga's main track as they go seven furlongs for a healthy purse of $500,000.

The King's Bishop has attracted a field of 10 to go in race 11 on Saratoga's Saturday card - right before the much anticipated Travers. Post time is 5:10 PM. Here is a look at all 10 combatants and what brought them to this Grade 1 race.

Greyhound Betting

2012 King's Bishop Stakes Race Favorites

Trinniberg - finished a brutal 17th in the Kentucky Derby to follow up a pair of wins in 2012 - the Grade 3 Bay Shore and the Grade 3 Swale Stakes. Since the Derby Trinniberg has looked great - a win in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes over Currency Swap was followed by a good second last time out in the Grade 3 Carry Back Stakes at Calder on July 7.

Currency Swap - Won the You and I Stakes on May 12 and before that was a distant eleventh in the Grade 2 Illinois Derby. In his last two starts he has looked very impressive - a win last time out in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes here on July 29 followed a decent second in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes on June 9. Currency Swap has four wins and two seconds in seven career starts.

King's Bishop Stakes 2012 | Remaining Field Entries

Doctor Chit - Todd Pletcher colt has five career starts with three wins and a second place finish. He broke maiden on April 14, followed that with an Allowance score at Woodbine and then won in his stakes debut - the Western Larla Stakes at Belmont on July 5. Last time out was Doctor Chit's graded stakes debut - an impressive second in the Grade 2 Amsterdam behind Currency Swap.

Fort Loudon - has raced in some big events - he finished fifth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, fourth in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Fort Loudon rattled off three straight wins between May and July of this year including the Grade 3 Carry Back Stakes at Calder but followed that up with a disappointing fifth last time out in the Amsterdam Stakes here.

King's Bishop Stakes betting at Saratoga with OffTrackBetting.com

Spin Out - will make his stakes debut after a win, two seconds and two thirds in six career starts in maiden Special Weight and Allowance races.

Unbridled's Note - Steve Asmussen trained colt hopes to build off a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming two races ago and a very good third last time out in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes. He has five career starts with two wins and a third place finish.

Laurie's Rocket - has never placed in a graded stakes race but has won some minor stakes in a 13 race career including the Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn in April. Laurie's Rocket finished a distant ninth in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on June 9 and followed that with an OK fourth last time out in the Grade 2 Amsterdam here behind many of the King's Bishop opponents.

Gun Boat - Bob Baffert colt Gun Boat has seven career starts. Recently a decent third in the Lazaro Barrera Memorial was followed by a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap in June 3. He followed that result with an Allowance score but only managed a sixth last time out in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes on this track.

Ever So Lucky - finished second to Gemologist in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club on November 26 and followed that with a third in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream on March 10 to start his 2012 campaign. Since then Ever So Lucky has posted a disappointing tenth in the Blue Grass Stakes, he won an Allowance on July 5 and recorded a third last time out in the minor Curlin Stakes on this track on July 27.

Willy Beamin - enters the King's Bishop on an impressive five race win streak - no graded stakes scores however. He has six career wins in 10 starts and five of those wins have come in his last five races. Needless to say Willy Beamin is in the best form of his career.


2012 King's Bishop Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 11 on Saratoga's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:10 PM.

Post Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Willy Beamin A. Garcia R. Dutrow, Jr.
10-1
2 Gun Boat R. Bejarano B. Baffert
5-1
3 Currency Swap R. Maragh T. Pompay
5-2
4 Fort Loudon J. Alvarado N. Zito
12-1
5 Laurie's Rocket J. Rosario D. Lukas
20-1
6 Spin Out R. Napravnik N. Zito
20-1
7 Ever So Lucky J. Velazquez J. Sheppard
12-1
8 Unbridled's Note J. Leparoux S. Asmussen
10-1
9 Trinniberg W. Martinez B. Parboo
7-2
10 Doctor Chit R. Dominguez T. Pletcher
5-1