Happy Fourstardave Day! 

Today’s rescheduled feature race honors the “The Sultan of Saratoga” who won at the Spa for a record eight consecutive years (1987-1994).  When he retired there was a Fourstardave Day, Dave was paraded between races and he was given an edible key to the city.  His career stats are from a completely different era: twenty-one wins from one hundred starts. 100 starts!  

Trivia Question: How many times did Fourstardave win this race when it was the Daryl’s Joy? 

Race 10– The Fourstardave Handicap – Grade I 

One Mile on the Inner Turf, For Three Year Olds and Upward 

1. Strong Quality: Speedball who should set the pace from this inside rail post. Turns back from a mile and three-sixteenths to eight furlongs.  He will try and steal it on the front end, but has not been able to close the deal in graded stakes. Passing.
2. Master of the Seas: Early Scratch with a bone bruise.
3. Major Dude: Has been very good for Pletcher/Velazquez in his two starts this year in optional claimer company with a win and a second (dual 95 Beyers). Stalker type. Those last two improved performances were with Lasix – which comes off today. Maybe underneath.
4. Carl Spackler: Won the Kelso last out (98 Beyer) where he stalked the leader and ground him down to win by a widening half length. Two back he somehow was caught wide in the Poker breaking from the three hole. Should set up behind the speed. Three for three over the Saratoga inner turf course. Dangerous.
5. Money Supply: Won his first attempt on the turf last out at Indiana Grand where he came from way off of the pace (93 Beyer) on a yielding course. Showed a big closing kick that makes this one a contender if he is in position. Upset candidate at a price.
6. Ottoman Fleet: Appleby runner comes here off of two wins at Churchill in the Wise Dan (100 Beyer) and Arlington (99 Beyer). Has certainly taken to American racing with a record of 3-1-1 in five starts in North America. Rosario replaces Prat who took the mount on Master of the Seas who in turn scratched.  The Pick.
7. More Than Looks:  Was supplemented here after scratching in the Lure Stakes when it came off the turf last Saturday. Deep closer gets his first start since the Breeders’ Cup Mile last November where he came from the clouds to finish an up close sixth (101 Beyer). He should get pace to run into, but can be mow them all down? Irad takes over. DeVaux is a solid 19% in first starts back off a layoff over 250 days on the turf. Win candidate.  

Picks 6-7-5-4 

Race 11 – The Saratoga Derby – Grade I 

One mile and Three Sixteenths on the Mellon Turf, For Three Year Olds 

1. Legend Of Time: Has been training locally for Appleby since an up close third in the Belmont Derby (87 Beyer) where he was boxed in. Won the Pennine Ridge (84 Beyer) with an inside trip but he got into the clear and edged away. Prat is in the irons for William Buick. Has been beaten by Trikari twice this year but he had excuses for both as he was bottled up last time and in the American Turf he was up too close to a hot pace and got cooked. Should sit a trip saving ground all the way.  The Pick.
2. Izzy d’Oro: Ships in from Colonial where he has been training since his fourth place finish in the Tale of the Cat Stakes at Monmouth (74 Beyer).  Now he moves to a Grade I, draws inside again and will need to get more distance. Up against it.
3. 3. Royal Majesty: Ran well in both the Pennine Ridge and Belmont Derby for Bill Mott but finished behind Legend of Time in both. Stalker type has shown he can gain position but is a bit one paced when the running gets going. Maybe a slice.
4. 4. Carson’s Run: Won the Tale of the Cat at Monmouth (82 Beyer) last out with a nice performance where he stalked the pace set by Izzy d’Oro. This late runner is dangerous with a lot of pace signed up today – he’ll be coming late. Minor award. 
5. Fulmineo: Cross Entered in the Secretariat at Colonial Downs. Arnaud Delacour indicates he will run at the Spa. Ships up from Colonial where he was last seen winning the overnight Boston Stakes (81 Beyer) with a stalk and pounce move.  Has hit the exacta in five of six starts this year and has won twice over soft going but will need to move forward to win. Don’t see it.
6. 6. Deterministic: Won the Gotham but then flopped in the Wood and the Peter Pan and was off the Derby trail. Clement then moved this Liam’s Map colt to the turf in the Manila and he was very good finishing a close second (86 Beyer) after having a bit of an issue changing leads.  His strong late move in the Manila suggests extra ground should suit him. U
7. First Word War: Brendan Walsh indicates this one will scratch given the likely soft going. Cross Entered in the Secretariat at Colonial Downs. Has been excellent on the turf as of late. Last out in the American Derby at Churchill he was up on the pace and was outkicked in the lane, finishing second (88 Beyer). Goes an extra furlong today. Tough situation with other speed in here. Looking elsewhere.
8. Trikari: Cross Entered in the Secretariat at Colonial Downs and Motion has stated that he will likely run in Virginia. Has been in excellent form with a 3-1-1 record in five starts during 2024.  He likes to press the pace and used that approach in the Belmont Derby where he outdueled White Palomino (87 Beyer). He can get the distance and should be able to gain position from this post given he has the full length of the stretch. Dangerous.

Picks 1-6-8-4 

Trivia Answer: Dave won this race twice (1990,1991) when it was named the Daryl’s Joy.