Horse Racing Odds: Top Races at Saratoga and Del Mar
The racing week will build to a crescendo on Saturday, with National Treasure leading a flashy field in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.
This isn’t the only top-level race on the schedule; the Test (G1) and Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) also highlight a stakes-heavy weekend card that includes the Troy (G2). Del Mar will feature the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) on Saturday, while Mountaineer and Ellis Park host some of their season’s most prominent races on Sunday.
Thursday’s Races
The week begins with the Glens Falls (G2) at Saratoga, a 1 1/2-mile turf race for fillies and mares aged four and up. Notable entries include Chop Chop, who has raced in five consecutive stakes, winning twice and finishing second three times.
Eternal Hope, trained by Charlie Appleby, makes her first start since winning the Sands Point (G2) last fall, and Chad Brown’s McKulick, the 2023 Glens Falls winner, is back to defend her title.
Friday’s Action
The Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G2) features Cinderella’s Dream, who set a course record in her U.S. debut in June in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1).
Trained by Appleby and ridden by William Buick, the Shamardal filly faces competition from Greenfinch, trained by Aidan O’Brien, who recently won a stakes race in Ireland. This race is a critical part of the horse racing schedule, influencing the horse racing odds for future stakes.
Saturday’s Stakes
National Treasure stands out in the Whitney Stakes and won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and Met Mile (G1) this year. The Quality Road colt, trained by Bob Baffert, will face 11 other older horses in the Whitney, including Grade 1 winner Bright Future. National Treasure is expected to be a top contender with a bullet workout at Del Mar.
The Test Stakes (G1) will see Chad Brown-trained Ways and Means, who recently won an allowance race at Saratoga by 8 1/4 lengths, competing against Brad Cox-trained Denim and Pearls and John A. Ortiz-trained Brightwork.
The Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) is set to be an exciting race with Diego Velazquez and Legend of Time as crucial contenders. Diego Velazquez, trained by Aidan O’Brien, recently won the Meld Stakes (G3) in Ireland, while Legend of Time, trained by Charlie Appleby, finished a close third in the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1).
Bettors focusing on offtrack betting will find these horses particularly interesting given their recent performances.
Sunday’s Highlights
Sunday will feature the West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer, with notable entries like Dragoon Guard, who seeks his fourth straight victory, and Society Man, who recently won the Matt Winn (G3) after a 16th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
The West Virginia Governor’s Stakes (G3) will likely see Red Route One, winner of the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3), returning to defend his title.
Ellis Park will host the Pucker Up Stakes (G3), an automatic qualifier for the $1.6 million Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational. Pin Up Betty, trained by Mike Maker, will aim for her third win in four starts after recently capturing the Regret Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Key Contenders and Betting Insights
Analyzing the horse racing odds for these races, National Treasure stands out in the Whitney Stakes, while Cinderella’s Dream is a favorite in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational.
Diego Velazquez and Legend of Time are key horses in the Saratoga Derby Invitational.