2016 King's Bishop Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will play host to the Grade 1 Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes on Saturday, August 27. Three year olds will take to Saratoga's dirt track and race seven furlongs for the winner's share of the $500,000 purse.

A near capacity field of 13 will take to the track in the King's Bishop Stakes - race 8 on Saratoga's stacked Travers Day Saturday card. Post time is 3:35 PM. Let's take a look into the past performances of all 13 combatants for the competitive Grade 1 stakes.

2016 King's Bishop Stakes Race Preview at Saratoga Race Course

Drefong 4-1 - has posted three wins in four career starts for trainer Bob Baffert and makes his stakes debut Saturday. He enters on a three race win streak by a combined 18 1/4 lengths - two Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita and a maiden score at Del Mar in November. Drefong has improved every time out and hopes to carry the momentum from the outside post 13 Saturday with Mike Smith guiding this intriguing tepid morning line favorite.

Mohaymen 5-1 - Kiaran McLaughlin trained colt finished second (albeit by a wide margin) in Eclipse Awards voting behind Nyquist for two year old males. He was undefeated in his first five career starts but has posted three straight disappointing fourth place finishes ahead of this weekend - in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes last time out on his track July 30, in the Kentucky Derby out May 7 and in the Grade 1 Florida Derby April 2- a tiny bit of a concern ahead of this race. Before those uncharacteristic efforts were five starts and five wins including an impressive 2 1/4 length win in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes February 27, by 3 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes January 30, in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes November 28, the Grade 2 Nashua Stakes November 4 and a dominant maiden score at first asking. Mohaymen had been a favorite on the Triple Crown trail and hopes to prove why once again this week. He tries to snap a three race losing streak in a cut back in distance from gate 6 Saturday with Junior Alvarado guiding the 123 pound highweight and morning line second choice again.

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Summer Revolution 6-1 - has just two career starts for trainer Rudy Rodriguez with two good wins. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off an Allowance score August 8 on this track and a maiden score at first asking - at Belmont Park July 4. Summer Revolution hasn't been touched so far and will try to remain undefeated in his step up in competition from post 3. Javier Castellano rides the third betting choice.

Economic Model 6-1 - Chad Brown trained colt has six career starts with three wins and two runner-up finishes. He enters off a respectable second behind Fish Trappe Road in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 9 and a two race win streak - the minor Easy Goer Stakes with a 101 Beyer Speed Figure June 11 and an Allowance Optional Claiming by four lengths May 4 - both at Belmont Park. Before that was an uncharacteristic ninth in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in March and a respectable second in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park January 30. He arrives in very good form and chases his first graded stakes score from the rail Saturday. Irad Ortiz gets the call.

Fish Trappe Road 8-1 - Bret Calhoun trained colt has three wins and three second place finishes in nine career starts. Last time out was a career defining win in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 9 after a respectable second at 25-1 odds in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes June 11, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Churchill Downs May 7, a seventh in the Grade 3 LeComte Stakes in January and a second in the minor Sleepy Hollow Stakes on this track in October. He has two wins and a second in his last three starts overall - peaking ahead of this weekend. Luis Saez will be in the saddle trying to keep an impressive run going from gate 2.

Jazzy Times 8-1 - has two wins, a second and a third place finish in four career starts for trainer Bob Baffert. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar July 31 and a second and a third respectively in a pair of similar races earlier this summer. Jazzy Times has improved every time out and hopes to continue that trend in his step up - from post 9 with Rafael Bejarano scheduled to ride.

Noholdingback Bear 10-1 - has an impressive four wins and four second place finishes in nine career starts for trainer Michael De Paulo. He arrives on the heels of an OK second in the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes at Woodbine July 23 after three straight wins - an Allowance with a terrific 101 Beyer Speed Figure at Woodbine July 1, the minor Tom Ridge Stakes at Presque Isle Downs May 23 and the minor Woodstock Stakes in July. Also this year he's had a second in the minor Texas Glitter Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a fourth in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes and consecutive respectable runner-up finishes - in the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream January 2 and in the minor $100,000 Juvenile Dirt Sprint Stakes at Keeneland October 31. He had a maiden score by 5 3/4 lengths at first asking at Woodbine in September. Noholdingback Bear has been competitive every time out and will be looking for a fourth win in five starts Saturday. Eurico Rosa Da Silva will be in the irons from post 11.

Tom's Ready 12-1 - Dallas Stewart trained colt has just two wins in 11 career starts to go along with four runner-up finishes. Last time out was one of those wins - in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park June 11 after a disappointing twelfth in the Kentucky Derby, a second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby March 26, a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes February 20 and a second in the Grade 3 LeComte Stakes in January. He has been a tad up and down in his career but chases his second straight graded stakes score from gate 12 Saturday. Joel Rosario rides.

Mind Your Biscuits 15-1 - Robert Falcone trained colt has placed in eight of nine career starts - three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. He enters on a nice two race win streak - the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes here last time out (his graded stakes debut) and an Allowance race at Belmont Park July 3. Before that was a respectable second in the minor Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont Park May 30, a third in an Allowance May 7 and a maiden score at Aqueduct in April. Mind Your Biscuits has been a factor in every career start so far and tries for his third straight win from gate 8 Saturday. John Velazquez rides.

Star Hill 20-1 - George Arnold trained colt has just one win in nine career starts but he does has six third place finishes. He enters off three of those third place finishes - the Grade 2 Indiana Derby last time out July 16, the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park June 11 and the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs in May. His only win came in a MSW at Gulfstream February 13. Star Hill has been fairly competitive so far and will be after his first stakes score from post 7 Saturday. Florent Geroux will be in the reins.

Rated R Superstar 20-1 - Kenneth McPeek trained gelding has placed in nine of 11 career starts - three wins, four seconds and two third place finishes. He enters on a nice two race win streak - in his graded stakes debut last time out in the Grade 3 Carry Back Stakes at Gulfstream July 2 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs May 30. Before that was a third in the minor Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park in April and consecutive seconds in Allowance races this past spring. Rated R Superstar arrives in career best form and will be out to claim his third straight win overall (second graded stakes) from gate 10. Cornelio Velasquez has the mount.

Tale of S'avall 30-1 - has just one win, a second and a third place finish in seven career starts for trainer Barclay Tagg. Last time out was an OK third in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 9 after a sixth in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes June 11, a second in the minor Gold Fever Stakes on this track in May, a sixth in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in April and consecutive fifths in graded stakes action. He hasn't been great so far, particularly against graded stakes foes but hopes for a breakthrough Saturday with Manuel Franco in the reins from gate 4.

Bird Song 30-1 - will hit the track for just the fifth time Saturday having posted two wins so far. He started his career with consecutive off-the-board finishes but has been better lately. Last time out was an Allowance score on this track July 24 after a maiden score at Churchill Downs in June. Bird Song has improved every time out and hopes to make some noise in his major step up in competition - from post 5 with Jose Ortiz aboard.

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2016 King's Bishop Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Saratoga's Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:35 PM.