Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap 2013 at Saratoga Race Course
Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap comes our way this Saturday, August 3 from Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. A nice purse of $400,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to dash six furlong on Saratoga's dirt track.
The Vanderbilt Handicap has attracted a small field of just five for race 9 on Saratoga's Sunday schedule. Post time is 5:12 PM. Here is a look at the past performances of all five combatants for this Sunday Grade 1 stakes - another showdown for divisional bragging rights between two of the top older sprinters in the country.
2013 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap Race Favorites
Delaunay - Thomas Amoss trained gelding enters having won an incredible 10 of his last 13 starts - six straight stakes before a respectable second last time out in the minor Iowa Sprint last time out June 28. His only graded stakes action in his 40 race career came May 4 and it predictably resulted in a win by four lengths in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 4. He is one of the hottest horses on the planet; he recorded an incredible 111 Beyer Speed Figure in a win in March but races in graded stakes company for just the second time Sunday. He carries the top weight of 120 pounds, will have Rosie Napravnik in the saddle and is the 8-5 morning line favorite.
Gentlemen's Bet - has six career starts for trainer Ron Moquett and five wins! His only career blemish came in his only graded stakes action to date - a third in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park April 13. Last time out was his first stakes win - the Iowa Sprint Handicap over Delaunay at Prairie Meadows June 28. He may not be the most experience of the entries but he is perhaps the hottest heading into the Vanderbilt outside of his old buddy Delaunay. He is the other favorite for the Vanderbilt, is listed as the 9-5 second choice on the morning line and will break from post 2 with Joel Rosario getting the mount.
Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
Bahamian Squall - is coming off the biggest win of his career - the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder July 6. He started his year with a second in the Sunshine Millions Sprint to Off the Jak in January and followed that with an OK third in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February. Bahamian Squall has four wins, four seconds and a third place finish in 12 career starts and will be looking to regain the consistent form that saw him finish first or second in five straight to end last year. He is currently the 7-2 third choice and will have Luis Saez guiding him.
Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap betting at Saratoga Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com
Justin Phillip - multiple graded stakes winner and Steve Asmussen trainee ended 2012 with a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint behind Trinniberg and started 2013 with an OK third in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes. He looked good in the spring in a pair of races at Oaklawn Park posting wins in an Allowance Optional Claiming and the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap over the scorching Gentlemen's Bet. He followed that with a good second in the Grade 2 True North Handicap at Belmont Park in June and most recently finished fourth in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder behind Trinniberg again who finished second. John Velazquez will ride the 5-1 fourth choice in the field of five.
Caixa Electronica - Todd Pletcher trained Caixa Electronica enters the Vanderbilt on a two race win streak against lesser competition - Starter Optional Claiming races at Saratoga July 27 and at Belmont Park June 28. Before that was a couple unflattering results in graded stakes action - a sixth in the Grade 2 True North Handicap June 8 and a fifth in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic in April. He had 12 starts in 2012 with four wins including at the start of the year - the Grade 3 Fall Highweight as well as the 2012 Charles Town Classic and True North Handicap. He has certainly been up and down the last couple of years but there is no denying that when he is on, Caixa Electronica is a serious contender. He is the longest shot in the field at 10-1 odds.
2013 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap Entries & Odds
Race 9 on Saratoga Race Course's Sunday card with a Post Time of 5:12 PM.
