2016 Madison Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 1 Madison Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, April 9 from Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will be after the winner's share of the $300,000 purse when they take to Keeneland's dirt track and race seven furlongs.

A stellar field of 13 have been confirmed for the Madison Stakes - race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:20 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 13 combatants for this Grade 1 stakes

2016 Madison Stakes Race Preview at Keeneland

Stopchargingmaria - multiple graded stakes winning and defending second place finisher in this race - Todd Pletcher trained mare enters off a career best win in the Breeders' Cup Distaff in October. Before that was a fourth as favorite in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga August 29, a two-race Grade 3 winning streak - the Shuvee Handicap August 2 and the Distaff Stakes at Pimlico in May and consecutive runner-up finishes - the 2015 Madison Stakes in April and in the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes in her first start against older competition - at Belmont Park way back last September. She also holds wins in the 2014 Grade 1 Alabama Stakes in August, the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks by five lengths July 20. Stopchargingmaria now has nine wins (eight graded stakes), three seconds and a third place finish in 16 career starts and has six wins and two seconds in her last nine -competitive the last 23 months. Javier Castellano will be in the irons Saturday from gate 12 looking to keep an impressive run going.

Wavell Avenue - Chad Brown trained mare has placed in nine of 13 career starts - six wins, a second and two third place finishes and finished second in the Eclipse Award voting for Female Sprinter. Last time out was a career defining win in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint which followed a decent second in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Stakes at Belmont Park September 26, an Allowance Optional Claiming score August 26 and a fourth in the minor Shine Again Stakes August 5. Wavell Avenue has been seriously trending upward the last year and will try to build on a terrific win last time out when she leaves from post 3 with Julien Leparoux in the saddle of the 123 pound co-highweight.

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Sheer Drama - won the minor Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes at Laurel Park in September, 2014 and has been decent since. She won the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga August 29 and the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap July 18 and was last seen running an OK fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff. Other results include runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap in June, and La Troienne Stakes in May. She also had a win in the Grade 2 Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream in March, 2015. Sheer Drama now has 20 career starts overall with six wins, eight seconds and a third place finish and enters this week having been in every race the last 15 months. Joe Bravo has been tabbed with avenging an underwhelming fourth last time out - from gate 2 Saturday.

Cavorting - has nine career starts with five wins and a third place finish. She enters off an OK third in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita back on December 26 which followed a somewhat disappointing fourth as favorite in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (from an undesirable post 14) and a nice three race win streak - the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga September 16, the Grade 1 Test Stakes August 8 and the minor Jersey Girl Stakes June 5 at Belmont Park. She also recorded a terrific win in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga August 10 of last year and had an 11 length a maiden score in wire-to-wire fashion at Belmont Park July 3, 2014. Cavorting had been a tad up and down but has placed in four of her last five starts overall ahead of this weekend. She looks for her first win since September however when she departs from the rail with Jose Lezcano aboard.

Birdatthewire - three time graded winner in 2015 made her stakes debut January 24, 2014 one to remember - a win by 3 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes for new trainer Tom Proctor and followed that with a decent second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes February 21 and a good win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks March 28. She has tailed off in three starts after that. Last time out was a somewhat disappointing fifth in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita February 13 which followed an OK second in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes January 16 and an impressive bounce-back upset effort - a win in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes December 26. She now has four wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 13 career starts and has placed in two of her last three starts overall and has won both of her starts at seven furlongs. Drayden Van Dyke gets the call on the other 123 pound co-highweight from post 5.

Dancing House - has placed in 10 of 11 career starts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin - five wins, two seconds and three third place finishes. Last time out was a terrific win in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Stakes at Laurel Park February 13 which followed a runner-up finish behind the great La Verdad in the minor Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct January 9, nine months away from the track and two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores at this time last year. She had third place finishes in her other three career stakes tries including two graded stakes races in 2013. Dancing House looks for her second straight graded stakes score and fourth win in her last five starts overall - from post 7 with Luis Saez guiding her.

Clothes Fall Off - has placed in 10 of 11 career starts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin - four wins and six runner-up finishes. Last time out was a nice win in the minor Correction Stakes at Aqueduct March 19 after a second behind Dancing House in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Stakes at Laurel Park February 13, an Allowance Optional Claiming score in track record time at Aqueduct January 14 and consecutive seconds - an Allowance Optional Claiming December 17 and the minor Fort Spring Stakes at Keeneland October 31. Clothes Falls Off chases her first graded stakes win Saturday having finished no worse than second in her last six starts overall. Jockey Corey Lanerie will try to accomplish that goal from gate 8.

Sunday Rules - Phil D'Amato trained mare has been terrific so far in her career - nine starts with eight wins and a third place finish. The third came in her only graded stakes action - the Grade 3 Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos in July and she's won all three starts since. Last time out the win came in the minor Donald Valpredo California Cup at Santa Anita January 30 after wins in the minor Kakoolan Queen Stakes on that track in December and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar in November. Sunday Rules has been virtually untouchable but looks for her first ever graded stakes score from gate 4 Saturday. Edwin Maldonado rides.

Spelling Again - has five wins, three seconds and three third place finishes in 16 career starts and has placed in six of seven starts ahead of this weekend. Last time out was a third in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap at Aqueduct November 27 after a good win in the Grade 2 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs November 7, a fourth in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes here in October and two straight wins including the minor Open Mind Stakes in September. She has been very competitive the last year and hopes for a huge statement win Saturday from the outside post 13. Shaun Bridgmohan has the mount.

Fioretti - Anthony Hamilton trained mare has 24 career starts with five wins, seven seconds and two third place finishes. She enters off a third place finish in the minor Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway Park December 4, a thirteenth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and a career best effort - a win in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes on this track October 3. That win followed a second in the Grade 3 Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park August 8 and a win in the minor Roxelana Stakes at Churchill Downs in June- her graded stakes debut. Fioretti has been up and down lately but has definitely shown form in the past. She tries to snap a two race losing streak from gate 6 Saturday with Sophie Doyle in the irons.

Enchanting Lady - Bob Baffert trained filly has three wins and three seconds in eight career starts. She returned February 11 after seven months away and won an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita and before the layoff had good runner-up finishes in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes at Belmont Park in July and in the minor Jersey Girl Stakes in June. Enchanting Lady has improved in her last three starts and should be competitive at least Saturday from post 9. Martin Garcia has been scheduled to ride.

Super Majesty - lightly raced Jerry Hollendorfer trained filly has five career starts with three wins and a second place finish. Last time out was a career worst effort - a twelfth place finish in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint which followed a win in her graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 Dogwood Stakes September 19, a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in August and two wins to start her career. Super Majesty had looked great before last time out and looks for a bounce back from gate 10 with Alex Solis in the irons.

Thirteen Arrows - Larry Jones trained mare has six wins, two seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a second in the minor Spring Fever Stakes at Oaklawn Park February 20 and three straight wins including the minor Pan Zareta Stakes at Fair Grounds in December, the minor Zia Park Distaff in November and an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track in October. He only graded stakes result was an eighth in the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes in August. Thirteen Arrows arrives in career best form and will try to keep the roll going from post 11 Saturday with Florent Geroux in the saddle.

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2016 Madison Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:20 PM.