Stars of the future in spotlight during final week of Saratoga

A meet hindered often by inclement weather, Saratoga wraps up its 2018 season this week with a generally favorable forecast. As is customary, juveniles will play a significant role in the stakes action with a pair of turf features midweek, the $150,000 With Anticipation and the $100,000 P.G. Johnson for fillies, followed by the historic Spinaway (G1) and Hopeful (G1) at the weekend.

The most lucrative feature of the week is the $750,000 Woodward (G1), which highlights a four-stakes card on Saturday. The large field of older horses is expected to include Kentucky Derby (G1) veterans Gunnevera and Patch, Clark H. (G1) winner Seeking the Soul, Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) winner Yoshida, and 2017 Belmont Stakes (G1) hero Tapwrit. The Woodward is run at 1 1/8 miles.

The $350,000 Spinaway, a "Win & You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge race over seven furlongs, will feature Chasing Yesterday, a Tapit half-sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Like her older brother, Chasing Yesterday is trained by Bob Baffert. She was a dominating winner on debut at Del Mar on July 28.

Saturday's card also includes the $300,000 Saranac (G3) for three-year-old at 1 1/8 miles and the $250,000 Glens Falls (G2) for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles, both on the turf.

The lone stakes on Sunday is the $250,000 Prioress (G2), a six-furlong dash for three-year-old fillies. Among those targeting the race are multiple Grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories and undefeated stakes newcomer Dream Pauline, whose dam, Dream Rush, is a past winner herself of the Prioress and the Test (G1). Dream Pauline is also a half-sister to Grade 1 vixen Dreaming of Julia.

Saratoga wraps up on Labor Day with the $350,000 Hopeful for two-year-olds at seven furlongs and the $250,000 Bernard Baruch (G2) for older turf runners. Probables for the Hopeful include noted last-out graduates Mucho and Nitrous, as well as Sanford (G3) winner Sombeyay.

(Teresa Genaro photo)