The Woodward (Grade 1)- $750.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
August 31, 2019

The final weekend of racing is upon us at the beautiful Saratoga Race Course. There is still plenty of exciting racing to be had, and here we will look at the 14th running of the Grade 1 Woodward, a race that has seen some great horses go to the winners circle. Whats Up did it twice, in both 2010 and 2011, and was part of three Woodward’s in a row that were won by his trainer, Australia Wide. Maruzensky, a BC Classic winner, won the race in 2013, as did A One in 2015, and Atomic Twister in 2017. Last year, the late Stranger won the race in what was really a last hurrah for the then six-year old gelding. We talk a lot about three year olds winning races like this, but surprisingly a three has never won the Woodward. With the Travers running a week before, that is real world logical, but in the HRP world, even that is a little surprising. Since there are seven three year olds in this race, that will naturally be the story line. They have a five pound weight advantage over their elders. Will that result in a first time three year old winner of the Woodward, or will a veteran star like Splash Mountain show them how it’s done? Let’s take a look!

#1- The Ego Has Landed (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J Bravo)- The ego has landed on the main track for this race, something that he has not run on since he was still a maiden back in May 2018. He took a while to break his maiden, and it was the move to the grass that saw him win, and ultimately pick up big wins, such as the Grade 2 Pan American. However, a couple of disappointing finishes in his last two starts has the trainer looking for alternatives to that path, and he lands here win the Woodward. Recent works show promise for the surface switch, but this is still, the Woodward.

#2- Tactical (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Mb Stables is still looking for his first career win in the Woodward, and he will bring two three year olds to the starting gate. Tactical is coming off a win in the Grade 3 WV Derby at the beginning of the month, a race that was his third straight win and his first graded win. His SRF’s have been on the increase, and he has liked the addition of bute before a race. These horses that are climbing the ladder for Mb Stables are always the ones to fear in this type of race. Since the WV Derby, his works have been outstanding, and this should give him a great shot to get the win.

#3- Ardetha (Aer Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- During the winter, this three year old showed promise, going on a three race winning streak that culminated in winning the $100.000 El Camino. Since then, he has run competitively in many races, including a close second in the AR Derby. Still, to this point we are still saying his signature win is the El Camino. He’ll have a month and a half of rest for this race, and gets his regular rider back. Also, he is working quite well, so he has no excuses to not run a big race here. Whether that can result in a win or a check is another matter, but he should be about to run real well.

#4- Admiration (Mb Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- After winning the BEL, and narrowly missing out on the PRK, Admiration appeared in the Grade 2 Dandy and finished fourth. The trainer was still happy, since his other entry, Unfold, won that race, but we have to expected that Mb Stables is hoping for a big bounce back effort for Admiration here as we draw closer to the BC Classic. Honestly, I don’t know. There’s nothing wrong with his work times, but they were a little better before. In a game where everything is so close, just a little bit means so much. The weight allowance is big help, but I think he ends up as the trainer’s second best horse in the race again.

#5- Royal Eclipse (Chili King Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- After being a considerable disappointment in his last start, Royal Eclipse has had about two months to think about how he faded to the back in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap. If the easy answer is that the 10th furlong there was too much, then he should be fine. He did start from the outside in that race, and was on the lead there unlike past races, so perhaps the well documented outside push did him in. Either way, it’s been a while since he’s won.

#6- Zombie City (Eastern Equine, ridden by Ro Maragh)- On the topic of it being a while since a win, Zombie City certainly has that covered. He last won the Grade 2 Dandy, which would be great if that was this year, but that was in 2018. Since being acquired by Eastern Equine for a large price, he has picked up fourth place checks along the way, including in the Whitney here at the beginning of the month. I’ve been getting him in a lot of my previews, and it’s tough to be excited about him right now as a winning threat, but he could grab a check again.

#7- Ahimsa (Two Hearts One Love, ridden by E J Wilson)- Making a huge jump in class here after routing a N1X allowance field at BTP in his last start. That came after being acquired in private sales for $25.000 a couple weeks prior. In his five starts, Ahimsa has not even sniffed the stakes level, but has run well where he has been entered. Works are decent, but not as good as his competition. For me, he’s earned the chance to run in a stake, but the Grade 1 Woodward is quite ambitious.

#8- Splash Mountain (John Henry, ridden by J R Velazquez)- After winning the Grade 1 Whitney here at the beginning of the month, Splash Mountain looks to become the third horse, and first since Atomic Twister in 2017 to win both the Whitney and the Woodward. There is really no reason to think that he can’t do such a thing, and he has taken on the challenge of younger horses before, and come out on top. His season so far has seen just four starts, so he has been well prepared for this time of year in hopes of defending his BC Classic crown. Only has one public work since the Whitney, and that is probably all he will need as it shows he is ready to roll. As long as he is in the field, he is tough to bet against. There are other strong threats here, but I still feel he is the one to beat.

#9- Big Universe (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- He as run in several different graded stakes, but to this point he has not won any of them. After showing some promise as a two year old, he was put on the KYD trail, and did run third in the Holy Bull, but that was the highlight of his spring. He dropped back into allowance company, and came up a length short a couple times before taking an optional claimer here last month. We can trust that he can run competitively, and the works are promising. But he has to win at this level first for me to pick him.

#10- Shanghai (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- The trainer looks to win this race for the second straight year. Shanghai is a winner of three of eight, with the highlight being his last start, the $100.000 Shipman for NY-breds here a few weeks ago. Works are fine, but not quite as good as others in this field. Still, the trainer has shown considerable confidence in him and perhaps the weight allowance can help, but he is a longshot here.

#11- Demon (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by A Bocachica)- After being acquired from Joshua Stables for $500.000, Team 7 Illusions put Demon into the KYD. The horse had shown plenty of promise, obviously, but was still a 95/1 longshot for that race. Demon stepped up well and finished fourth in that race. He’d also run in both the PRK and the BEL though score only midpack finishes. Since then, he has had time to rest as the trainer considered options. He’s fresh, and he is working very well right now. Starting from this post is never easy, but don’t rule out another surprise strong effort here. If those odds climb, take a shot.

#12- Centerpiece- Scratched

#13- L A Raw (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by L Contreras)- Starting from the outside post, L A Raw is looking to follow up his victory in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at BEL at the beginning of July. He won that race as a 30/1 longshot, which was mostly because prior races saw him finish off the board. This time, the weight allowance works the other way for the five year old, and that will mean carrying seven more pounds then he did in the Suburban. That could play a role, but the biggest obstacle is this post position.

Prediction: 8-2-3-11

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES