2017 New York Turf Writers Cup Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will be the scene of the G1 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap on Thursday, August 24. A purse of $150,000 will be on the line for horses four years old and upward willing to take to Saratoga's turf track and race 2 3/8 miles.

A field of 12 steeplechasers have been confirmed for the New York Turf Writers Cup - the first race on Saratoga's Thursday schedule. Post time is 1:00 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 12 entries for this intriguing G1 stakes.

2017 New York Turf Writers Cup Entries at Saratoga Race Course

Modem 7-2

British bred Elizabeth Voss trained gelding has 47 career starts with seven wins, seven seconds and 10 third-place finishes. He made his North American debut last time out and finished a very respectable second behind Swansea Mile in the G1 AP Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase on this track July 27 which followed a nice Novice Weight For Age Steeplechase win in Ireland May 30 and eight straight off-the-board finishes. Modem appears in pretty good form, has been seriously trending upward lately and chases his first graded/group stakes win from gate 2 with Jack Doyle aboard the tepid morning line favorite.

Swansea Mile 9-2

Has 26 career starts for trainer Richard Henriks with four wins, six seconds and four third-place finishes. He arrives off a career-best outing - a win by two lengths, just ahead of Modem in the G1 AP Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase Handicap on this track July 27 which followed a sixth in an Allowance at Parx July 8, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 21 and a fourth in the Group 3 Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Handicap in April. His only other graded stakes start resulted in a fourth in the G1 Lonesome Glory Handicap at Belmont Park last September. Swansea Mile has been decent since arriving in North America and will try to build on a terrific effort last time out. Michael Mitchell will be in the irons of the slight second choice from gate 10.

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Portrade 6-1

Defending champion in this race, Elizabeth Voss trained gelding has four wins, three seconds and five third-place finishes in 20 career starts. He arrives on the heels of two straight fourth-place finishes - the G1 AP Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase last time out here July 27 and the G3 National Hunt Cup Hurdle Handicap May 20. Before that was a second in the G3 Temple Gwathmey Handicap in April and a third in the G2 David L. Zeke Ferguson Memorial Hurdle Stakes in October. Portrade has been competitive virtually every time out, has looked good in works leading up to this week and looks in OK shape for the repeat win here. Gustav Dahl has been tabbed to ride the intriguing third betting choice from post 3.

Mr. Hot Stuff 8-1

Multiple Graded stakes winner - Jack O. Fisher trained gelding has six wins, three seconds and eight third-place finishes in his 33 career starts. He won the 2013 G1 AP Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase and went on to a fourth in the 2013 edition of his race before 20 months away from the track. He returned to action in April, 2015 and won the G3 Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Handicap and has been good since. Last time out was an unfortunate DNF after being pulled up in the G1 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle Stakes May 13 after a third in the G3 Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Handicap in May, another 11 months away, a third in an Allowance at Suffolk Downs last September and a second in the 2015 G1 Temple Gwathmey in May. When healthy Mr. Hot Stuff has been very competitive. He shoots for his first win overall in 28 months from gate 8 with Seam McDermott in the saddle.

Diplomat 8-1

Kate Dalton trained gelding has eight wins, two seconds and eight third-place finishes in 41 career starts. He won the G3 David L. Ferguson Memorial Hurdle Stakes at Great Meadow in 2015 and has been decent since. Last time out was an OK third behind Modem and Swansea Mile in the G1 AP Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase here July 27 after an Allowance score at Parx July 8, a third in a Handicap at Fair Hill May 27 and a fifth in the G2 David Semmes Memorial Stakes May 6. Diplomat has placed in three straight ahead of this weekend and should be competitive again Thursday. Bernard Dalton has the mount from gate 6.

All the Way Jose 8-1

Jonathan Sheppard trained gelding participated in this race in 2015 but posted a DNF - he has largely been up and down since. Last time out was a DNF in the G1 AP Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase Handicap on this track July 27 after a win, a second and a third respectively in a trio of Handicap races to start 2017. All the Way Jose has four wins, five seconds and a third-place finish in 21 career starts but has yet to hit the board in a graded stakes race in four attempts. Jockey Darren Nagle will try to change all of that Thursday from the rail.

Alcazar de Maram 10-1

Has just one win in 10 career starts for trainer Jonathan Sheppard to go along with two second-place finishes. He steps into stakes company for the first time Thursday off a fifth in an Allowance here August 2, a twelfth in an Allowance at Parx July 8 and a maiden score at Camden in November. He placed in two of his three previous races as well. Alcazar de Maram has been decent against lesser company and hopes it translates in his major step up Thursday. Gerard Galligan has the mount from post 5.

Show Court 12-1

Irish bred Archibald J. Kingsley Jr. trained gelding has 29 career starts with five wins, four seconds and three third-place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut Thursday off a nice win in the minor Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes on this track July 26, a tenth in an Allowance at Parx July 8, a fifth in the minor Marcellus Frost Champion Hurdle Stakes May 13, a second in the minor Queen's Cup MPC Chase Hurdle Stakes April 29 and a good win in the minor Carolina Cup Hurdle Stakes April 1. Show Court has been busy indeed, placing in three of his last five starts overall. He steps up in good form and will have Ross Geraghty guiding him from gate 4.

Colla Pier 12-1

Irish bred David Dunne trained mare has six wins, 10 seconds and eight third-place finishes in 59 career starts. She makes her North American debut Thursday off a DNF in a Hurdle Handicap July 8 overseas, a nice Steeplechase win at Down Royal June 23, a third in a Novice Steeplechase June 4 and a nice Handicap score at Dundalk May 10. She failed to place in her previous four starts however. Colla Pier has won two of her last four starts - in OK form ahead of her first North American start. She tries to make some noise from post 7 Thursday with Robert Dunne guiding her.

Three Kingdoms 15-1

Irish bred George Weaver trained gelding has eight wins, three seconds and four third-place finishes in 30 career starts. He makes his North American and graded/group stakes debut Thursday off an unfortunate DNF in the minor Galway Plate Handicap overseas August 2, a Handicap score at Curragh July 1 and a twelfth in a Handicap Hurdle race at Naas in March. He failed to hit the board in his nine previous starts but did have a stretch of three wins in four starts in 2015 including a win in the Grand-National2015.co.uk Lightning Novices Steeplechase. Three Kingdoms has shown some serious form in the past and hopes to record his biggest win to date from post 11 Thursday. Sean Flanagan is scheduled to ride.

Choral Society 15-1

Has 36 career starts for trainer Jack O. Fisher with eight wins, seven seconds and three third-place finishes. He won the 2015 G1 AP Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase here and went on to a DNF in the minor William Entenmann Memorial Hurdle Stakes at Belmont Park in September of that year. He was out of racing for almost 20 months before returning in April to another DNF in a Handicap race, a sixth in the G3 National Hunt Cup Hurdle Handicap in May, a fourth in an Allowance at Park July 8 and a nice win last time out in a Handicap race on this track August 9. Choral Society shoots for a second straight win overall and second career graded stakes score from the outside gate 12. Danny Mullins gets the call.

Casino Markets 20-1

Irish bred Emma Lavelle trained gelding has 17 career starts with four wins, a second and four third-place finishes. He makes his North American debut Thursday off a fifteenth-place finish in the Betfred Summer Plate Handicap at Market Rasen overseas July 22 and two straight third-place finishes in minor stakes action in April. He won two straight Handicap Steeplechase races at Worcester last summer. Casino Markers steps into group/graded stakes company for the first time Thursday in OK form and chases a first win in 13 months from post 9. Leighton Aspell will be in the irons.

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2017 New York Turf Writers Cup Odds & Entries

Race 1 on Saratoga's Thursday card with a Post Time of 1:00 PM.