Havre De Grace Confirmed for Woodward Stakes

It was only a few years ago that a famous filly capped off an incredible season with a smashing victory against older colts and geldings in the Woodward Stakes. Rachel Alexandra, owned by the late Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables, was challenged at every single point of the race and lead wire to wire, first duelling with Belmont Stakes winner Da'Tara before holding off an incredible challenge from Bullsbay and a determined, late-closing Macho Again.

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Now it is the turn of the next superstar female looking to make a statement heading into the Breeders' Cup which is only two months away at this point. Havre De Grace, the four-year-old daughter of Saint Liam, has never finished outside of the top three in her entire career while capturing a grab-bag of graded stakes victories in her 2011 campaign. Beaten a slim nose by Blind Luck in what will go down as a famous stretch duel at Delaware Park, while conceding weight to the travelling filly.

Ramon Dominguez is confirmed for the mount and the Apple Blossom winner is likely to go off as the betting favourite once the tenth race gets underway at Saratoga on Saturday.

Several tough contenders are here to deny Havre De Grace her place in history and to secure a free berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic as well. Ice Box has returned to the track after nearly a year on the sidelines and he finished third in an optional claimer for non-winners of three towards the end of July. He definitely needed the race but will be able to improve off of that and possibly adopt more of a stalking trip than the front-running effort he tried to put together last time out. He had been known as a late closer for most of his three-year-old campaign so they may revert to old tactics if they think the ground is playing into the hooves of those with later pace.

The impressive Giant Oak is set for a run here and some might think he peaked in last year's Grade 1 Donn handicap when he notched a 105. He put in a good shift chasing the irrepressible Tizway to finish third in the Whitney. He will certainly be in the mix for this one, as will Rule who just got back to winning ways in the ungraded Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga in the first week of August.

Flat Out will certainly attract attention, but the mysterious Mambo Meister may be the most interesting play with massive 110 Beyer laid down at Calder in the ungraded Primal Stakes. He is looking for his fourth score on the bounce and takes a very big step up in class – expect him to go off at a price and capitalize on any errors from the favoured runners.