2016 Woodward Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will be the scene of the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes on Saturday, September 3. A purse of $600,000 will be on the line for an impressive group of horses three years old and upward when they take to Saratoga's dirt track and race 1 1/8 miles.

Nine older entries will give it a go in the Woodward Stales - race 10 on Saratoga's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:46 PM. Let's take a glance into the past performances of all nine entries for this intriguing Grade 1 stakes.

2016 Woodward Stakes Race Preview at Saratoga Race Course

Frosted 1-2 - Kiaran McLaughlin trained colt put his name on the map early in his career with a couple of good runner-up finishes - as 9-5 favorite in the 2014 Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct and in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream January 24, 2015. He finished seventh in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic and took his skills to UAE where he won a Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge February 4 of this year and finished fifth in the UAE Derby as second betting choice. He enters on a nice two race win streak - the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes by an easy two lengths on this track August 6 and by a record-setting 14 1/4 lengths with a 109 BRIS Speed rating in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 11. Other good results include a win in last year's Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby, a third behind Keen Ice and American Pharoah in the 2015 Grade 1 Travers Stakes August 29 and had consecutive runner-up finishes last year - in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes and behind American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes. He also had a win by two lengths in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct last April 4. Frosted has been in there with some of the best in the world and has fared well in those races. He is definitely the one to catch after his ultra-impressive win streak. Joel Rosario has been tabbed to ride the overwhelming morning line favorite from post 3.

Mubtaahij 5-1 - globetrotting Irish bred colt had four wins and a second place finish in five races overseas last year including a win in the 2015 UAE Derby by eight lengths March 28 and the Al Bastakiya Stakes at Meydan before debuting in North America. He failed to place in his next four starts including a fourth in the 2015 Belmont Stakes and eighth in the Kentucky Derby before a second behind California Chrome in the $10 million 2016 Dubai World Cup in March. He was last seen running an OK third in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park July 9. Mubtaahij has been a force in the past and enters off a couple of pretty good efforts. He tries for his first win in 16 months (6 races) Saturday with Irad Ortiz from the outside post 8 as the morning line second choice.

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Bradester 6-1 - speedy entry dominated last year's summer meet at Monmouth Park for trainer Eddie Keneally. He won the Grade 3 Salvator Mile in July and the 2015 Monmouth Cup in August and finished third in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes August 30. He struggled to a ninth place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile but has since won three more times - the minor Majestic Lights Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths May 21, the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap in gate-to-wire fashion at Churchill Downs June 18 and the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup Stakes last time out July 31. He also holds wins in the 2014 Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap and Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap. Overall Bradester has 10 wins, six seconds and two third place finishes in 24 career starts and has won five of his last seven ahead of this weekend. Joe Bravo will be in the saddle of the third betting choice from gate 4.

Samraat 10-1 - was at his best in 2014 for trainer Richard Violette when he won three straight including the Grade 3 Withers Stakes and Grade 3 Gotham Stakes. He went on to a second in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and was fifth in the 2014 Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Belmont Stakes that year. Samraat had just one start in 2015 - a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming and has raced four times this year. Last time out was an OK second in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park July 9 which followed a fourth in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational June 11, a respectable second in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes on this track May 7 and a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming in April. Samraat now has five wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 13 career starts and will be after his first win in 30 months from gate 6. Jose Ortiz will be in the reins.

Shaman Ghost 12-1 - Canada's Sovereign Award winner for 2015 Champion 3 Year Old Colt won his country's biggest race last year - the Queen's Plate and also posted a nice win in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes at Woodbine last May. His last race of 2015 was second in the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown - the Prince of Wales Stakes in July before being sent to the sidelines for 10 months. He returned to action May 21 and finished an OK third in an Allowance Optional Claiming here and followed that with an easy win in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational on this track June 11. Last time out was a bit of a step back - a fifth in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park July 9. Shaman Ghost now has five wins, a second and a third place finish in 11 career starts and has five wins, a second and a third in his last eight overall. He looks for a strong bounce back from the reins Saturday. Javier Castellano rides.

Breaking Lucky 20-1 - raced all three legs of last year's Canadian Triple Crown with mixed results. He won the Prince of Wales Stakes at 13-1 odds at Fort Erie July 28 but also had a ninth in the Breeders' Stakes in August on this track and a fifth in the Queen's Plate here July 5. He enters off a nice win on the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes at Woodbine August 1 which followed consecutive respectable seconds - in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes July 1 and in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes May 28 also at Woodbine. Before that were three straight third place finishes - the Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland April 16, the minor Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay March 12 and the Grade 3 Ontario Derby September 20 of last year. He has been trending upward and looks for his second straight graded stakes score Saturday. Luis Contreras has the mount from gate 2.

Catholic Cowboy 20-1 - - Nick Zito trained gelding has 32 career starts with six wins, four seconds and seven third place finishes. He won the minor Jewel Stakes in 2014 and had a win in the minor Old Hickory Stakes at Gulfstream in February - he hasn't been great since. Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here July 31 after an ugly ninth in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational June 11 and a fourth in the minor Flat Out Stakes in May. He tries for his first graded stakes win but enters in less-than-spectacular form. Luis Saez gets the call from post 5.

Tale of Verve 30-1 - Dallas Stewart trained colt has just two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 15 career starts - the best of which was a second in the Preakness Stakes in May of last year. He enters off his best effort in quite some time - an Allowance score here July 23 after failing to place in his previous seven starts. Tale of Verve hasn't been great and will still be after a first stakes score from post 7 Saturday. John Velazquez will be in the irons.

Tapin Mojo 50-1 - Naipaul Chattrpaul pupil has placed in nine of 12 career starts - five wins, a second and three third place finishes. He enters off a third in a Starter Allowance here August 20 and a seventh in his only stakes action - the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap July 9. He won five of his last six starts overall - the last being a Claiming race May 2. Tapin Mojo hasn't shown a whole lot against top flight competition but will be out to make a little noise from gate 8 with Manuel Franco in the irons.

2016 Woodward Stakes Entries & Odds

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