2016 Diana Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 1 Diana Stakes takes place this Saturday, July 23 from Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will take to Saratoga's turf track and race 1 1/8 miles for the winner's share of the $500,000 purse.

10 well-matched older females will take to the track in the Diana Stakes - race 10 on Saratoga's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:55 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 10 combatants for this intriguing Grade 1 stakes.

2016 Diana Stakes Race Preview at Saratoga Race Course

Miss Temple City 3-1 - has placed in nine of 11 career starts for trainer Graham Motion and enters off an OK fourth in the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Ascot June 15. Before that was a terrific win against the boys in the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland in April, a decent second in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup back on October 10, an OK third in the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park September 12, a second in the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes here August 14 and her only other off-the-board finish - a fourth at 50-1 odds in the prestigious Group 1 Coronation Stakes overseas at Ascot last June. Miss Temple City has been competitive virtually every time out and is expected to be again Saturday. Drayden Van Dyke has been tabbed with getting the morning line favorite her second graded stakes score from gate 2.

Wekeela 7-2 - French bred Chad Brown trained filly has three wins and four seconds in 10 career starts. She made her North American debut at Keeneland April 16 and finished a respectable second behind the outstanding Tepin in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes and was second again last time out in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita May 30. She had done well in four consecutive Group races in France - a runner-up finish in the Group 1 Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary last May was followed by a career-defining win in the Group 3 Prix Chloe last June, a fifth in the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette in August and an OK fourth in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera Longines at Longchamp in October. Wekeela has been pretty competitive so far and hopes to make a statement Saturday from gate 4. Javier Castellano will be in the irons of the morning line second choice trying to better a streak of two good runner-up finishes.

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Recepta 9-2 - has five wins, two seconds and four place finishes in 16 career starts for trainer JJ Toner. She enters off a decent second behind Mrs McDougal in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 11, an OK third in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes May 14, a fifth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland April 16 and a good second in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar November 29. Before that was a disappointing twelfth in the Breeders' Cup Mile against the boys, a nice win in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel Stakes at Belmont Park September 19 and a win in the minor Fasig-Tipton De La Rose Stakes in August. She had placed in five of her last seven starts overall and chases her first win in over nine months Saturday. John Velazquez has been tabbed to ride this third betting choice from post 7.

Dacita 5-1 - Chilean champion, Chad Brown trained filly has 14 career starts with eight wins, two seconds and a third place finish and won three of her last four starts before shipping including three Group 1 races at home. She continued her impressive run in her North American debut with a win over Tepin in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga August 29 but stumbled to a ninth place finish as 5-1 second choice in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Last time out was another terrific win in the Grade 2 New York Stakes June 19 at Belmont Park after a fourth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland in April and a respectable runner-up finish in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 5. Dacita is of the only horses in some time to beat Tepin but has been a tad tough to figure out. She looks for her second straight graded stakes score and her third in six starts in North America when she leaves from gate 6 with Irad Ortiz aboard.

Isabella Sings 8-1 - Todd Pletcher trained filly has six wins and four second place finishes in 15 career starts. She enters on a nice two race win streak - the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes June 25 and the minor Miss Liberty Stakes May 29 - both at Monmouth Park. Before that was an uncharacteristic seventh in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile May 7, a second behind the fabulous Tepin in the Grade 2 Hillsborough Stakes in March and a career best effort - a win in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs November 14. Isabella Sings has three wins and a runner-up finish in her last five starts overall and hopes to keep the roll going with Paco Lopez aboard from the outside gate 10.

Mrs McDougal 10-1 - has four wins and two third place finishes in nine career starts for trainer Chad Brown and fourth place finishes two others. The wins include a maiden score at first asking, an Allowance score by an impressive 7 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct last April 24, 2015, a terrific win five starts back in the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes here last July 24 and two starts back in the minor Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct April 16. She also had a third in the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes at Keeneland in October and an OK third last time out in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 11. Mrs McDougal has been competitive virtually every time out and will chase her third stakes win Saturday with Joel Rosario in the irons from post 5.

Sandiva 12-1 - Irish bred Group 3 winner in France - Todd Pletcher trained filly won the minor Tropical Park Oaks to close out her 2014 campaign and won the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February, 2015. She has been decent since. Last time out was an OK third in the Grade 2 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park back on April 2 after a runner-up finish as favorite in the Grade 2 Royal Delta Stakes on Gulfstream's dirt track February 13, a nice win in the Grade 3 Marshua's River Stakes January 9, an OK third in the Grade 3 My Charmer Handicap at Gulfstream Park West November 21, a disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park last June 6, a third in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile in May and a second in the 2015 Honey Fox Stakes. Sandiva has placed in eight of her last nine starts overall (four straight) and will be out for her first win since January. Manuel Franco has been tabbed to keep an impressive run going Saturday from the rail.

Strike Charmer 15-1 - Mark Hennig trained mare won the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap in November, 2014 and has been up and down since. Last time out was a disappointing eighth in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 11 after a nice win over Recepta in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes May 14, a second in the minor Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct April 16, a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Marshua's River Stakes in January and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Aqueduct in November. Strike Charmer has five wins, four seconds and three third place finishes in 19 career starts and hopes for her second graded stakes score in her last three starts overall. Junior Alvarado gets the call from post 3.

Onus 15-1 - Shug McGaughey trained filly has four wins and a third place finish in nine career starts. She won the Grade 3 Commonwealth Oaks last September during a three race win streak and has been OK since. Last time out was a decent third in the minor Perfect Sting Stakes at Belmont Park July 2 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track May 21 on that track and a disappointing ninth in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs in November. Onus hopes to channel her form from last summer and to post her first graded stakes score in nine months from gate 8 Saturday. Jose Ortiz rides.

Rainha Da Bateria 20-1 - 2014 Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes winner - Chad Brown trained filly has two wins, four seconds and a third place finish in 14 career starts. She enters off a disappointing seventh in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 11 which followed a respectable second behind Tepin in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile May 7, another seventh in the Grade 2 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay March 12 and consecutive runner-up finishes - the Grade 3 Suwannee Stakes February 6 at Gulfstream and the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes in November. She failed to hit the board in her previous three starts - all stakes. Rainha Da Bateria has been OK but has failed to place in two of her last three starts overall. Julien Leparoux will try to right the ship Saturday from post 9.

2016 Diana Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 10 on Saratoga's Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:18 PM.