2017 Vosburgh Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Belmont Park in Elmont, New York will be the scene of the G1 Vosburgh Stakes on Saturday, September 30. A purse of $350,000 and an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Sprint will be up for grabs for horses three years old and upward willing to dash six furlongs on Belmont Park's dirt track.

Seven older entries will line up in the Vosburgh Stakes - race 7 on Belmont Park's impressive Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:04 PM. Let's take a brief glance into the past performances of all seven combatants for this competitive G1 stakes - a "Win & You're In" prep for the 2017 $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint.

2017 Vosburgh Stakes Entries at Belmont Park

El Deal

Jorge Navarro trainee has nine wins, two seconds and a third-place finish in 16 career starts. He enters on a nice three-race win streak - the G1 Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap by eight lengths last time out at Saratoga July 29, the minor $60,000 Decathlon Stakes by three lengths at Monmouth Park June 11 and a 7 3/4-length score in a 4 1/2-furlong Handicap race at Charles Towns April 22. Before that was a ninth in the listed Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint January 28, a fourth in the G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream January 1 and a third in the minor Gin Rummy Champ Stakes in November. El Real enters in career-best form - having posted three straight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures and tries to keep an impressive run going Saturday at a distance he's win seven of 11 career starts - with Javier Castellano guiding him from gate 2.

Takaful

Has two wins, a second and a third-place finish in six career starts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. He arrives off a respectable second behind Practical Joke in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed a gate-to-wire Allowance score by 5 1/4 lengths on that track July 21, an eighth in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream in March, a seventh in the G3 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct in January and an OK third in the Remsen Stakes on that track in November. Takaful has been decent in his career and will chase a first stakes score Saturday in his first start against older company with Jose Ortiz aboard from gate 4.

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Mr. Crow

Todd Pletcher trained colt has just three career starts with two wins and a second-place finish. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off a 6 1/4 length Allowance score at Saratoga August 30, a maiden score on that track July 22 (the two wins by an impressive combined 17 3/4 lengths with triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in both) and a second in his debut - on this track June 24. Mr. Crow steps up in good form and will have Luis Saez in the reins from post 5.

Stallwalkin' Dude

Defending runner-up in this race (he was third in 2015) - David Jacobson trained millionaire gelding has 19 wins (seven stakes), eight seconds and eight third place finishes in 56 career starts and enters in so-so form. He has four wins, four seconds and a third-place finish in his last 11 starts overall. Last time out was an eighth after tiring in the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed a win in the minor Tale of the Cat Stakes on that track August 11, a fourth in the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship July 8 and a second in the G2 True North Stakes here June 9. Before that was a good 1 3/4 length win in the listed Diablo Stakes on this track May 7, a sixth in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan in March, a second in the G3 General George Handicap at Laurel Park February 18 and an OK third in the G3 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct January 16. Other results include a win in the minor Gravesend Stakes, a second in the G3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct and a good win in the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park. Stallwalkin' Dude has been pretty good the last 16 months but will be in search of a bounce back off an uncharacteristic effort. Joe Bravo rides from the rail.

Celtic Chaos

Kiaran McLaughlin trained colt has six wins, four seconds and four third-place finishes in 20 career starts. He makes his graded stakes debut off a third in an Allowance at Saratoga August 24 which followed a three-race win streak - the minor John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga July 27, the minor Affirmed Success Stakes on this track April 28 and an Allowance Optional Claiming April 7. He finished second in three straight races before that - the best of which being the minor Hollie Hughes Stakes in February. Celtic Chaos has placed in eight straight races ahead of this weekend and steps up in good form. Eric Cancel will be in the irons from gate 6.

Weekend Hideaway

Philip Serpe trainee has 12 wins, six seconds and seven third place finishes in 41 career starts. He has won multiple minor stakes races in his career - one coming three starts back in the Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park May 29 (for the second year in a row). He followed that with an OK third in the minor Tale of the Cat Stakes at Saratoga August 11 and a second in an Allowance a Saratoga August 24. He has six career graded stakes starts but failed to place in any, including a seventh in the G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream in December. Weekend Hideaway has placed in four of his last five starts overall and will be after a first graded stakes placing from the outside post 7. Manuel Franco rides

Green Gratto

Gaston Grant trainee won the 2015 G3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct but has been up and down since. He arrives in less-than-spectacular form - a seventh last time out in the G1 Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga July 29 followed consecutive fifths - the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship July 8 and the G2 True North Stakes here June 9, a fourth in the competitive listed Diablo Stakes May 7 and a terrific win at 54-1 in the G1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct April 8. Before that was a seventh in the G3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct March 11, a front-running win with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the G3 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct January 16, an OK second behind Stallwalkin' Dude in the minor Gravesend Stakes on this track and three straight off-the-board finishes in graded stakes action. He has placed in just six of 19 graded stakes tries, has nine wins, nine seconds and eight third place finishes in 57 career starts and has failed to hit the board in his last four ahead of this weekend. Kendrick Carmouche tries to change that trend from post 3.

2017 Vosburgh Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 7 on Belmont Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:04 PM.