2017 Forego Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G1 Forego Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, August 26 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Horses three years old and upward will chase the winner's portion of the $600,000 purse when they take to Saratoga's dirt track and race seven furlongs.

10 older entries will line up in the Forego Stakes - race 9 on Saratoga's incredible Travers Saturday card. Post time is 4:12 PM. Let's take a brief glance into the past performances of all 10 entries for this competitive G1 stakes.

2017 Forego Stakes Entries at Saratoga Race Course

Drefong 5-2

Reigning Champion sprinter has posted five wins in seven career starts for trainer Bob Baffert including his graded stakes debut - the G1 Kings Bishop Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure at Saratoga August 27, 2016 and on the Big Stage - by 1 1/4 lengths in the Breeders' Cup Sprint November 5. Before that were three more wins by a combined 18 1/4 lengths - two Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita and a maiden score at Del Mar in November. Last time out was a step back however - a DNF after losing his rider in his only start of 2017 - the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar July 29. Drefong had improved every time out before an unfortunate result in his last start but hopes to prove that result was the exception, not the rule. Mike Smith gets the call again on the slight morning line favorite from the outside gate 10.

Mind Your Biscuits 3-1

Chad Summers trained colt has placed in 14 of 16 career starts - six wins, six seconds and two third place finishes. He enters on a terrific two-race wins streak - the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship by 3 1/2 lengths last time out July 8 and the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen by three lengths at Meydan in March which followed an OK second in the G3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February and a nice win in the G1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita December 26. Before that was a respectable second after closing from last at 15-1 odds behind Drefong in the Breeders' Cup Sprint November 5, a second in the G3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx September 24, a fifth in the G1 King's Bishop Stakes August 27 and a nice two race win streak - the G2 Amsterdam Stakes July 30 (his graded stakes debut) and an Allowance race at Belmont Park July 3. Mind Your Biscuits has been a factor in every career start so far and has been especially good in 2017. He hopes to keep an impressive run going Saturday with Joel Rosario scheduled to ride the second betting choice from gate 6.

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Divining Rod 5-1

Has placed in 13 of 14 career starts for trainer Arnaud Delacour - five wins, three seconds and five third place finishes. 2015 results include a second in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes, a third in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby (both at Tampa Bay), a terrific win in the G3 Lexington Stakes and three straight thirds including the Preakness Stakes, the minor Ohio Derby and the G2 Indiana Derby. He ended 2015 with a fifth in the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes in August before being sent to the sidelines for 13 months. Since his return to action Divining Rod has three wins and two seconds in five starts. Last time out was a win with a lofty 106 BRIS Speed Rating in the minor Polynesian Stakes at Laurel Park August 12 which followed consecutive seconds - the G1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in November and the G2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland in October and two Allowance Optional Claiming scores. Divining Rod has been a factor every time out and hopes to keep and impressive roll going from gate 4 with Javier Castellano in the irons of the morning line third choice.

Awesome Slew 6-1

Mark Casse trained colt has 14 career starts with four nice wins, three seconds and three third place finishes. Last time out was a decent second behind Mind Your Biscuits in the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship at Belmont Park July 8 after a fourth in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10, a second in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6 and a good win in the G3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 8. Other results include a second in the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap February 11, a third in the minor Sunshine Millions Classic, another third in the G3 Harlan's Holiday Stakes and a career best result - a dominating, gate-to-wire seven length win in the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes September 5. Awesome Slew hasn't been afraid of top company, has placed in six of his last seven starts ahead of this weekend and will have John Velazquez guiding him from post 5.

Stallwalkin' Dude 8-1

Defending third-place finisher in this race - David Jacobson trained millionaire gelding has 19 wins (seven stakes), eight seconds and eight third place finishes in 55 career starts and enters in good form. He has four wins, four seconds and a third-place finish in his last 10 starts overall. Last time out was a win in the minor Tale of the Cat Stakes on this track August 11 which followed a fourth in the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship July 8 and a second in the G2 True North Stakes on that track 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, a good win in the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park and a respectable second with an impressive 103 Beyer Speed Figure in the 2015 G1 Vosburgh Stakes. Stallwalkin' Dude has been a factor in every race the last 14 months and hopes for a first graded stakes score since October. Joe Bravo has been tabbed to ride from the rail.

Tommy Macho 8-1

Has placed in 13 of 16 career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher - five wins, a second and seven third-place finishes. He won the G3 Discovery Handicap by 4 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct to end his 2015 campaign and has been OK in nine starts since. He enters off four straight third-place finishes - the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship last time out July 8, the G1 Metropolitan Handicap June 10, the G1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct April 8 and in the G3 Gulfstream Park Handicap February 11. Before that was a terrific 5 3/4 length win at Gulfstream in the G3 Hal's Hope Stakes January 14. He also had a good 3 3/4 length win in the G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream in February, 2016. Tommy Macho has been good lately and hopes to snap a string of thirds from post 7. Luis Saez rides.

Tale of S'avall 12-1

Barclay Tagg trained colt has four wins, a second and two third-place finishes in 14 career starts. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 28 which followed a seventh in the G3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 8, a third in the G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March and another Allowance Optional Claiming score in January. He has been good against lesser company but has yet to post a stakes win. Jockey Manuel Franco hopes to change all of that from gate 8 Saturday.

Ross 15-1

Irish bred Peter Schiergen trainee has just four wins in 24 career starts with five seconds and a third-place finish. He makes his North America debut Saturday in good form - an Allowance score at Deauville August 4 followed three straight runner-up finishes - the Group 2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan March 25 and the Group 3 Burj Nahaar on that track March 4. He failed to place in five starts prior to that but has been seriously tending upward ahead of this week. Andrasch Starke will be in the saddle trying to keep the roll going from gate 2.

Tom's Ready 20-1

Dallas Stewart trained colt has just four wins in 17 career starts to go along with four runner-ups and a third-place finish. Last time out was one of his wins - the minor Leemat Stakes at Presque Isle Downs July 9 which followed a seventh in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10, an OK third in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6 and a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Before that was another one of his wins - in the G3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs October 1, an ugly ninth in the G1 King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga last August 27 and another win in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park June 11, 2016. He also had a disappointing twelfth in the 2016 Kentucky Derby, a second in the G2 Louisiana Derby last March 26 and a second in the G3 LeComte Stakes in January of 2016. Tom's Ready has been a tad up and down in his career but chases a second straight stakes score Saturday from post 3 with Brian Joseph Hernandez guiding him.

Very Very Stella 30-1

Has 24 career starts for trainer Jose Noda-Fernandez with five wins, three seconds and five third-place finishes - all at Gulfstream. He arrives off a fifth in the minor Trinniberg Handicap August 12 which followed a decent second in the minor Coast Is Clear Handicap July 23, an eighth in the minor Mecke Handicap July 9 and an OK third in the G3 Smile Sprint Stakes July 1. He placed in three straight races prior to that against lesser company. Very Very Stella shoots for a first stakes win Saturday when he leaves from post 9 with Carlos Hernandez in the irons.

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2017 Forego Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 9 on Saratoga's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:12 PM.