Alabama Stakes Preview at Saratoga

Written By Fairway Jay on August 20, 2021 - Last Updated on October 1, 2021
Alabama Stakes

The $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama is a prestigious stakes race at Saratoga for 3-year-old fillies and one of the oldest races for females in the U.S. Inaugurated in 1872, the 1 ¼ mile race headlines three stake races at The Spa on Saturday, Aug. 21.

Recent notable champions include the sensational Songbird (2015), who won nine Grade 1 races and rolled to a 7-length win in the Alabama. In 2020, Swiss Skydiver cruised to a throttled-down 3 ½ length victory in the Alabama and then followed months later to beat the boys in the Preakness Stakes. Some other all-time greats to win the Alabama include Top Flight, Gamely, Beldame, Maskette, Shuvee, Life’s Magic, Silverbulletday, Royal Delta and stakes record-setter Go For Wand.

The 2021 Alabama Stakes has a solid field scheduled and will test these fillies’ stamina in the 1 1/4 mile race. You can watch Saturday’s races at Saratoga on TVG as part of its comprehensive daily racing coverage.

BEST HORSE RACING REBATES AND BONUSES

Alabama Stakes – 2021 Field and Odds

1 – Crazy Beautiful (3-1)

  • Jockey: Mike Smith
  • Trainer: Ken McPeek

2 – Will’s Secret (3-1)

  • Jockey: Jon Court
  • Trainer: Dallas Stewart

3 – Clairiere (6-1)

  • Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
  • Trainer: Steve Asmussen

4 – Maracuja (7-2)

  • Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
  • Trainer: Rob Atras

5 – Played Hard (3-1)

  • Jockey: Luis Saez
  • Trainer: Philip Bauer

6 – Malathaat (1-1)

  • Jockey: John Velazquez
  • Trainer: Todd Pletcher

6 – Army Wife (6-1)

  • Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
  • Trainer: Mike Maker

The Alabama Stakes is not a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race this year. But next Saturday’s Travers Stakes Day will have three “Win and You’re In” automatic qualifiers for the 2021 Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar.

Race Contenders and Profiles

Malathaat has won 5 of 6 starts and is a daughter of the great Curlin. She’ll be the favorite, having won the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and beating Will’s Secret and Clairiere. Malathaat finished second last month at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Coaching Club America Oaks at this same distance and posted her fastest speed figure (107, Equibase).

Will’s Secret won a minor stakes to start 2021 and followed with a Grade 3 win. In April, she finished third in the Grade 1 Ashland and then third again in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, 3 lengths behind winner Malathaat and a nose better than Clairiere. Just her second out-of-the-money finish came in last month’s Indiana Oaks (G3).

Clairiere is also a daughter of Curlin who has finished behind Malathaat in both the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and a distant third in the Coaching Club America Oaks (G1)

Maracuja was the upset winner over Malathaat and Clairiere in last month’s 1 1/8 mile Coaching Club America Oaks for her first stakes win.

Army Wife is 3 for 4 this year and working very sharply for this race. She’s won back-to-back graded stakes her last two starts, in the Black-Eyed Susan and last month’s Iowa Oaks with her highest speed figure (102).

Played Hard makes her stakes debut after winning over this track last month in an easy wire-to-wire Allowance race. Her recent work tab includes a bullet best-of-35 runners at 5 furlongs.

Crazy Beautiful has won 5 of 10 starts and only missed the money in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). She has won her last two starts and graded stakes races including a career-best 100 speed figure against a small field going shorter.

Tune in on TVG, where legal horse betting is available in more than 30 states. Leading online operators like TVG and Twinspires provide added bonuses when using the promo code LSRTVG, or $100 when registering at Twinspires.

Photo caption: Eclipse Sportswire

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Fairway Jay

FairwayJay is a leading national sports and betting analyst and provides insight and information you can bet on to engage and assist the avid fan. His tee-to-green coverage and racing contributions have been provided to Churchill Downs, Twinspires, TVG, Forbes, TheLines, numberFire and PlayUSA platforms. Follow on Twitter: @FairwayJay

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