Saratoga

ASIDE from the Kentucky Derby which will keep you up until after 12 midnight this evening, it’s a huge night of Grade 1 action stateside as Saratoga’s summer meet comes to a close with the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes for older horses.

Juddmonte’s four-year-old Tacitus is the short-priced favourite for the Woodward.

He finally got his big win in the 10 furlongs Grade 2 Suburban Stakes in July by over eight lengths.

Last year he finished second in the Runhappy Travers Stakes here, in a run of five starts in which he finished either second or third in such top races as the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes.

He finished fifth in the Saudi Cup and then fourth in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, but with added blinkers had no trouble at Belmont beating today’s rival Moretti.

Global Campaign looks the next best.

Earlier on the card the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes for three-year-olds sees Wesley Ward’s Kimari take on a field of eight female sprinters including the talented Frank’s Rockette.

A few more of the better-class three-year-olds line up in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes where classic-placed Dr Post heads the field in this $150,000 contest for three-year-olds.

Dr Post will be making his first start since finishing third in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. Before that effort, the son of Quality Road finished second to Kentucky Derby favourite Tiz The Law in the Belmont Stakes.

Rest of Churchill Downs

There are two more Grade 1 races on the Derby card and there are three Irish-breds in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes over nine furlongs on turf (10.50pm).

Rockemperor, a Chad Brown-trained son of Holy Roman Emperor, disputes favouritism with Factor This who beat him three runs back in the Fair Grounds, while another Brown-trained Irish-bred, Digital Ace (Invincible Spirit), also has claims on his Grade 1 Del Mar Derby run last year. Rockemperor was just headed in the closing stage of the Grade 1 Manhattan last time and a furlong shorter here should suit better.

The seven-furlong Grade 1 Derby City Distaff Stakes sees a line-up of some high-class fillies led by recent Grade 1 winner Serengeti Empress.

Mia Mischief lost out in a duel with Guarana in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes last time and should also go close. Bellafina still seeks a big east coast win and can fill the placings again.

The Grade 2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes over a mile on turf has Newspaperofrecord seeking her third win of the year. Juddmonte’s Dansili filly Juliet Foxtrot looks the danger ahead of the Irish-bred Beau Recall.

The Grade 2 Pat Day Mile Stakes at 8.35 is another three-year-old contest and sees the expensive purchaser Cezanne try his hand in graded company. After two wins he was no match for Derby contenders Thousand Words and Honor A.P. in the Shared Belief in Del Mar.

Echo Town beat Tap It To Win over three lengths in the Grade 1 H Allen Jerkens Stakes over seven in Saratoga. He now has to concede 5lb to that rig and to Cezanne, along with fellow Grade 1 winner No Parole who had Echo Town over three lengths behind when winning the Woody Stephens Stakes over seven in Belmont in June.