Alabama Stakes at Saratoga

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Alabama Stakes goes down this Saturday, August 18 from Saratoga Raceway in New York. Three year old fillies will be featured as they go one and one quarter mile on Saratoga's dirt track for an impressive purse of $600,000. The Alabama is a defining race in the three year old division.

The Alabama Stakes has drawn a strong field of seven for race 10 on Saratoga`s Saturday card. Post time is 5:46 PM. Here is a look at the seven entries and what we can expect on Saturday.

2012 Alabama Stakes Race Favorites

Grace Hall - Grace Hall enters the Oaks having won five races; finishing second twice and third once in eight career starts. Last time out was an impressive win in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks to follow up a third place finish as 5-2 favorite in the Kentucky Oaks. Grace Hall started 2012 with a second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale, had a win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks and then finished third in the Kentucky Oaks before her most recent win. Her other wins include Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware, an impressive win at the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks Stakes on March 31. Grace Hall is definitely the feature attraction in the Alabama - it is her race to lose.

Questing - made her North American debut with a fifth place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in November and failed to place in two Allowance Optional Claiming races after that. Last time out however was her second consecutive North American score at the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here on July 21 by four and a quarter lengths to follow and Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park on June 24. Questing is coming into her own and has to be on the Alabama Stakes radar.

Alabama Stakes 2012 | Remaining Field Entries

Zo Impressive - won her first two career starts- an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream on February 25 and a Maiden Special Weight race on January 22 also at Gulfstream. She followed that up with an impressive second behind Grace Hall in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks Stakes on March 31 and a second in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes behind Contested. She was very impressive in winning in the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont on June 23 over Disposablepleasure - her first stakes win and followed that up with a second last time out in the Coaching Club American Oaks to Questing. She has placed in all six career starts with three wins and three second place finishes.

In Lingerie - very impressive Todd Pletcher trained filly that led wire to wire in the Grade 3 Bourbonette Stakes at Turfway and won by six lengths and then followed it up with another impressive score in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico on May 18. Last time out was a third in the Coaching Club American Oaks to fellow Alabama Stakes entries Questing and Zo Impressive. Like Zo Impressive In Lingerie has placed in all of her career starts - three wins a second and a third place finish. In Lingerie is no slouch and is yet another filly to watch in the this weekend.

Alabama Stakes betting at Saratoga with OffTrackBetting.com

Sea Island - has seven career starts under her belt with three wins in four starts in 2012 - an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out here on July 26 and a Maiden Special Weight at Aqueduct and another Allowance score at Belmont Park in May. Her only blemish this year is an uncharacteristic fourth in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes at Belmont on July 7.

Uptown Bertie - made a impressive stakes debut last time out with a win in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks after two wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in Maiden Special Weight and Allowance races in her other nine career starts. Uptown Bertie may not be the biggest name in the race but she has shown that she can be dangerous.

Via Villaggio - has 12 career starts and has placed in ten. Last time out was a good second in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks to Grace Hall to follow a decent third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks. Before that was an impressive win in the Grade 3 Railbird on May 18 in her cushion track debut. Via Villaggio has placed in her last three starts and will be looking to return to the winner`s circle for the first time since her very good Railbird score.

2012 Alabama Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 10 on Saratoga's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:46 PM.