Forego Stakes 2015 at Saratoga Race Course

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will be the scene of the Grade 1 Priority One Jets Forego Stakes on Saturday August 23. Horses three years old and upward will take to Saratoga's dirt track and race seven furlongs searching for the winner's share of the $700,000 purse.

A tough field of 12 will take part in the Forego Stakes- race 9 on Saratoga's blockbuster Travers Day Saturday card. Post time is 4:25 PM. Let's take a glance into the past performances of all 12 combatants for this Grade 1 stakes - a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

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2015 Forego Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Private Zone 3-1 - has placed in his last seven starts overall for trainer Jorge Navarro - four wins over that span including last time out in convincing style in the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship at this distance, the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths May 2, the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in November and the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes in September - a race that he won for the second year in a row. Sandwiched in there is a second behind Honor Code in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap in March, a third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint and another third in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap June 6. Private Zone has been in there with some of the best competition in the world and has nine wins, eight seconds and three third place finishes in 29 career starts. No reason to think differently about this weekend when Martin Pedroza has the mount from post 7 in the 124 pound highweight's Saratoga debut.

The Big Beast 5-2 - Anthony Dutrow trained colt made his stakes debut last August and won the Grade 1 King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga after four career starts yielded two wins and a second place finish. He races for just the fourth time this year and comes off a respectable second in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap here August 1, a fourth place finish as favorite in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct in April and an impressive four race win streak including a first level Allowance score March 1 and 6 1/2 months away due to an ankle chip directly after his King's Bishop score. John Velazquez will be in the reins from post 5 as The Big Beast looks to snap an uncharacteristic two race losing streak.

Forego Stakes 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Tamarkuz 5-1 - Kiaran McLaughlin trainee made his North American debut June 6 and finished fourth in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. At home he had seven wins and two seconds in 13 career starts in Britain and the UAE. He had an impressive four race win streak - all at Meydan before shipping - a Group 2 win in March after a wins in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar Sponsored By Emirates Holidays and another Group 3 Stakes. He looks to make a little noise on American soil and hopes that his success at home translates to this week. Irad Ortiz has been tabbed to ride Saturday from gate 6.

Salutos Amigos 6-1 - has won five of his last seven starts (all stakes) for trainer David Jacobson - the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth June 28, the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap in March, the Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes in February, the minor Gravesend Stakes in December and the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap November 27 with an eighth in March 28 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan sandwiched in there and a fourth in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap here last time out. He also had a seventh in the Breeders' Cup Sprint along the way and a win in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap in October. Salutos Amigos has been very competitive the last 12 months, has 10 wins, two seconds and four third place finishes in 30 career starts and is expected to be in the mix Saturday as well. Cornelio Velasquez gets the mount from gate 10.

Race Day 6-1 - Todd Pletcher trained colt has nine career starts with five wins, a second and two third place finishes. He has won four of his last six starts but is coming off a career worst sixth as favorite in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park July 5. Before that result was a two race win streak at Oaklawn Park - the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap by 3 3/4 lengths in April and the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap in March. He also ended 2014 with a two race Allowance win streak. Race Day has been impressive in his career and seeks a strong bounce back after an uncharacteristic effort last time out. Javier Castellano will be in the saddle from the rail.

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Bourbon Courage 12-1 - hadn't won since the Grade 2 Super Derby in September, 2012 before an Allowance Optional Claiming at Keeneland October 3. He has four starts since - three this year. Last time out was an OK second in the minor Hockessin Stakes at Delaware Park July 18 after a sixth in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes April 4 and a tenth in the Grade 3 General George Handicap at Laurel Park in February. Bourbon Courage has four wins, six seconds and six third place finishes in 24 career starts and has placed in just one of three starts this year. Joel Rosario has been tabbed to hopefully change all that from post 3.

Wildcat Red 20-1 - has 16 career starts - six wins, four seconds and three third place finishes - the lone off-the-board finishes were a troubled eighteenth in the Kentucky Derby, a fifth six starts back in the Grade 1 King's Bishop Stakes and a fifth in January in the minor Florida Sunshine Millions Classic. Last July he had a decent third in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational and a 10 1/4 length win in the minor Quality Road Stakes at Gulfstream June 28. Other notable career results include a good second in the $1 million Grade 1 Florida Derby and a very impressive win streak in 2014 - in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth February 22 and in the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes in February. Wildcat Red has placed in four of his last five starts but looks for his first graded stakes score in 18 months. Jose Lezcano gets the call from gate 4.

Falling Sky 20-1 - hit the track for the first time in nearly a year July 5 with an eighth in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream and bounced back with a win last time out in the minor Trinniberg Stakes on that same track August 1. Before the layoff was a third in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in August, 2014 and a win in the minor Donald LeVine Memorial at Parx in June, 2014. He won the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February, 2014 and had a win in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes in 2013 - so we know that he can run. Falling Sky has six wins, a second and two third place finishes in 16 career starts and hopes for his first graded stakes score in 18 months Sunday. Jose Ortiz rides from the outside post 12.

Viva Majorca 20-1 - Ian Wilkes trained gelding looks for his first graded stakes score Saturday off a somewhat disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap here August 1. That result followed a win in the minor Kelly's Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs June 27, a fourth in the Grade 3 Aristides Stakes on that track in May and an Allowance Optional Claiming score in April. He has won two of his last four starts after failing to place in his prior two. Viva Majorca enters in so-so form and leaves from post 9 with Julien Leparoux aboard.

Den's Legacy 30-1 - was at his best in 2012/2013 when he placed in six straight graded stakes race including a win in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes and five seconds. He has been OK this year - eight starts with two wins and two third place finishes. One of the wins came last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming here August 3 after a third in the minor Iowa Sprint Handicap in June. Den's Legacy has shown form in the past and enters this week in OK form. Ricardo Santana has the mount from post 11.

Takajo 30-1 - John Terranova trainee makes his stakes debut Saturday after 18 career starts produced four wins and five third place finishes. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score here August 8 after a fourth in a similar race in July and three straight third place finishes in Allowance Optional Claiming races to start his year. Takajo take a huge step up in competition in OK form and leaves from gate 2 with Eric Cancel in the irons.

Run for Logistics 50-1 - Edward Barker trained gelding races in graded stakes company for the second time Saturday - the first resulted in a third place finish in the Grade 3 Sapling Stakes in September, 2013. He enters on the heels of three straight runner-up finishes in Allowance races - the last coming on this track July 25 and a Claiming score in May. Run For Logistics is in career best form but will likely be in tough against a pretty good field. Angel Arroyo will be in the saddle Saturday from gate 8.


2015 Forego Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Saratoga Race Course's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:25 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Race Day J. Castellano T. Pletcher
6-1
2 Takajo E. Cancel J. Terranova, II
30-1
3 Bourbon Courage J. Rosario H. Motion
12-1
4 Wildcat Red J. Lezcano J. Garoffalo
20-1
5 The Big Beast J. Velazquez A. Dutrow
5-2
6 Tamarkuz I. Ortiz, Jr. K. McLaughlin
5-1
7 Private Zone M. Pedroza J. Navarro
3-1
8 Run for Logistics A. Arroyo E. Barker
50-1
9 Viva Majorca J. Leparoux I. Wilkes
20-1
10 Salutos Amigos C. Velasquez D. Jacobson
6-1
11 Den's Legacy R. Santana, Jr. R. Moquett
30-1
12 Falling Sky J. Ortiz M. Wolfson
20-1

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