The Amsterdam Stakes – GIII
                          SAR Race 8 6 1/2F – Dirt
                                 Purse $200.000
                                 Three Year Olds

A full field of twelve three year old sprinters will be lining up in Saratoga Springs, New York this Saturday to try and take down the Amsterdam. It’s a pretty stacked field with some nice horses in here and it came up pretty tough. Some pretty horses are in this race so let’s take a look at the field.

1. One Dance (11-3-4-0 $333.910), trained by Gdp Inc

This horse is coming into the race off of a strong win in an allowance last time at WO. It was a pretty short field and he was hammered down at the windows but he still got the win and may have even built up a little confidence in himself. He will need to step up a lot though to get a win in here.

2. Bolden (10-3-3-0 $254.700), trained by Our Athletes

Here is a horse who looks pretty tough in here if he can repeat his race three back when he won the Bay Shore by half of a length. His two races since haven’t been that bad but he has only ran fifth both times which was the Day Mile and the Stephens. I think he has a legitimate chance if he shows up.

3. Alpha Uno (10-1-3-1 $98.320), trained by Estero Farms

Well back in the spring Estero Farms had very high hopes for this horse even running him in a couple of triple crown prep races. It didn’t turn out so great and his last start he finally hit the board in what seemed like forever at PRX in an allowance race. The cut back in distance might make a difference though and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a big race from him.

4. Pure Gifts (10-3-1-1 $213.160), trained by Mb Stables

Here is a horse who is coming out of the always tough barn of Mb Stables and he is coming out of a very tough race in the Ohio Derby where he finished fourth. He has done most of his best work going long though so I’m not sure how he will handle the sprint and if he is at his best going this short.

5. Neon Wolf (10-3-1-0 $280.280), trained by Smokey Stover

This Smokey Stover trained colt wasn’t running his absolute best this spring I didn’t think going two turns even though he did win a statebred stakes around two turns. He ran a very good second last time in the Stephens and I think one turn races are going to be his best races from now on.

6. Caydens Camel (11-4-1-3 $288.000), trained by D J C Racing Stables

Well I think it’s safe to say that sprinting is what he wants to do because he runs a lot better around one turn than he ever has around two turns. He ran pretty good last time against older horses in the BEL Sprint Championship where he ran fifth and only got beat by a length. He will be tough in here.

7. Walkin Broomstick (13-5-2-0 $280.000), trained by T Boy Racing

Now here’s a horse who is pretty fast on paper but he has only been tested in races like this a couple times before and he didn’t do too good in them. He is coming off a win in the Duke City Sprint at ALB which he won by a length. I’m confident with him and I think he has all the right parts but he needs to put them together.

8. Erupt (10-2-2-1 $273.200), trained by D J C Racing Stables

The second horse coming from the D J C Racing Stables barn is a grade one winner and Breeders Cup Juvenile participant last year. He hasn’t won since the grade one FrontRunner last year and hasn’t hit the top three but one time since then but maybe the cut back in distance is exactly what he has been wanting.

9. Denomination (8-2-2-0 $106.970), trained by Fractious

This horse has been very tested in his last couple races but hasn’t shown a whole lot of promise except in the Sam Vicente and Bay Shore when he has really ran his best. The other stakes he has ran in he didn’t run too well but when he runs his best race he can be very tough with a field like this.

10. Peculiar Sensation (8-5-1-1 $200.880), trained by Mb Stables

The second runner from the barn of Mb Stables is a graded stakes winner who is ultra consistent only running out of the top three once and that was a fourth place finish in the Stephens. He is very consistent and always runs a big race and is my going to be my top pick in this race.

11. Project Zero (9-2-2-1 $80.200), trained by Tiratzo

The least accomplished runner in the field money wise comes out of the barn of Tiratzo and he has been giving him shots with the big boys for the last two out that he has had. He ran second in a stake the first time but couldn’t repeat that performance last out when he ran sixth in the Easy Goer.

12. Stainless Metal (13-1-3-2 $198.520), trained by John Henry

Here’s a horse who has exchanged hands a few times but has finally found a home in the John Henry barn for his last five starts. His best race for the barn was when he ran second in the Peter Pan at BEL. He then ran two clunkers in the Belmont and Dwyer. The cut back may help him a little bit.

Summary

Well this is a pretty stacked field and I honestly think any one of the twelve can get the job done if they run their race and everything goes good for them. Peculiar Sensation looks to be the toughest and he is going to be my top pick in here. Good luck to everyone in the race and let’s hope for an exciting race.

10-6-2-5

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES