Horse racing stakes events happen every week. Check out top plays and Horse Racing Odds for the Top Stakes Races of the Week from Wednesday, August 12 to Sunday, August 16. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.
Top Horse Racing Stakes Races of the Week
- When: Wednesday, Aug. 12 – Sunday, Aug. 16
Wednesday, August 12 Races
Indiana Grand
- Indiana Grand Stakes – 1 Mile Turf – $150,000
- Caesars Stakes – 1 Mile Turf – $150,000
Turf racing at Indiana Grand on Wednesday starts the stakes action. In Good Spirits, an Albert Stall trained Ghostzapper sired runner, is the lukewarm 7/2 favorite in the Indiana Grand Stakes.
The favorite in the Caesars Stakes is the Mark Casse trained Peace Achieved. The Declaration of War sired runner is at 3/1. Steve Asmussen trained Billy Batts, named after the Goodfellas character that ends up in Henry Hill’s car trunk, is second-choice at 7/2 while Mike Maker trained Fancy Liquor is the 4/1 morning line third choice.
Saratoga Racecourse
- Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes – 6 ½ Furlongs Dirt – $150,000
Based on odds, the Adirondack is a 3-horse battle among 9/5 Make Mischief, 2/1 Thoughtfully, and 3/1 Lucifer’s Lair.
Make sure to handicap before boxing the favorites. Ava’s Chalk at 10/1 goes for top trainer Robertino Diodoro while Michael Stidham trained Beautiful Farewell offers 8/1.
Thursday, August 13 Race
Saratoga Racecourse
- Union Avenue Handicap – 7 Furlongs Dirt – $85,000
Saratoga has yet to set odds for the Union Avenue Handicap. When odds do come out, expect favoritism to bounce between Ratajkowski and Newly Minted.
Friday, August 14 Race Race
Saratoga Racecourse
- Perfect Sting Stakes – 1 1/16 Miles Inner Turf – $100,000
The Perfect Sting kicks off the weekend of stakes races. Altea or Café Americano, one of the two Chad Brown trained runners, will go off the favorite. There’s a good chance the other goes off second choice.
Cristophe Clement, who wins at 34% at Saratoga, saddles Feel Glorious.
Saturday, August 15 Races
Saratoga Racecourse
- Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes – 1 3/16 Miles Turf – $500,000
- Grade 1 Alabama Stakes – 1 ¼ Miles Dirt – $500,000
Without a doubt, Blue Grass Stakes second-place finisher Swiss Skydiver will offer underlay odds to win the Alabama Stakes. The Kenny McPeek trained miss has won the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, Grade 3 Fantasy, and Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks. Go against at your own peril.
In the Saratoga Derby Invitational, Cristophe Clement trained Decorated Invader won’t offer odds better than 3/5. If we get lucky, the obvious choice will go off at 4/5.
Del Mar Racecourse
- Solana Beach Stakes – 1 Mile Turf – $125,000
Big Sweep has 3 wins and a third from 4 races. Although this will be her first start on turf, she shows top turf sire Dynaformer in her pedigree. She figures to go off the chalk on Saturday.
Woodbine
- Grade 2 Dance Smartly – 1 ¼ Miles Turf – $175,000
- Grade 3 Bold Venture – 6 ½ Furlongs All-Weather – $125,000
No information yet on who will run in Woodbine’s stakes races on Saturday. The Dance Smartly often attracts at least one top North American grass filly or mare.
Monmouth
- Pegasus Stakes – 1 1/16 Miles Dirt – $150,000
Last year, Maximum Security finished second in the Pegasus. Saratoga ran the Travers Stakes this past Saturday, though. It remains to be seen whether a top 3-year-old, like Maximum in 2019, enters for the August 15 Pegasus Stakes.
Sunday, August 16 Race
Saratoga Racecourse
- Saratoga Oaks Invitational – 1 3/16 Miles Turf – $500,000
Bill Mott trained Antoinette, Speaktomeofsummer from the Clement barn, John Gosden trained Ricetta, and Mike Maker trained Stunning Sky figure to battle each other for favoritism. Ricetta will likely go off the chalk since Juddmonte Farms bred her.
Remember to handicap all stakes races once past performances come out. Also, wager in the MyBookie racebook!
