The Lead:
The American racing community fixes its eyes on Saratoga this week for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, culminating with Saturday's final jewel in the Triple Crown. But before the 3-year-old clash between Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism, elite sophomore sprinters battle in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens. It's a 7-furlong donnybrook with fascinating options.

Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet this Friday and Saturday are encouraged to take part in the $20,000 Exacta-Thon promotion.

​Field Depth:
Grade 1 winners CITIZEN BULL and CHANCER McPATRICK (pictured) top the credentials in the field of 11. MACHO MUSIC is a Grade 2 winner, while MADAKET ROAD, NEOEQUOS and GATE TO WIRE are graded stakes-placed. Those runners have kept the strongest company lines, but there are some class risers of serious repute to consider.
​​
Pace:
Rapid. There's no shortage of gate speed, whether sprinters or routers, in this melting pot. MACHO MUSIC may be fastest, and from post 3 under a hustling Javier Castellano, figures to be an early target. Anyone who wins this on the front will have earned it; a strong finisher should get every chance if he fires.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

#1-BIG TRUZZ: My most promising maiden winner of the 2025 Keeneland Spring Meet had me all-in on Kentucky Derby Day when he appeared in allowance company. He ran his race from post 10 in the slop, took a big shot at Woody Stephens return rival Patch Adams and just wound up second-best. They ran 102 and 105 BRIS late pace figures, fantastic stuff. This Justify colt is all racehorse and could pair beautifully with late-running jockey Joel Rosario.

#2-MADAKET ROAD: Consistent sophomore gets blinkers back on after a runner-up effort in the Derby Day Pat Day Mile at Churchill. He went 1-for-3 with the hood earlier in his career. No reason to think he's not a factor and could be the best price of his career (never over 5-1). In the mix, but will take pressure with MACHO MUSIC right outside of him.

#3-MACHO MUSIC: 13-1 upset winner of the Pat Day Mile has turned it on in his last 2 starts for Gulfstream-based trainer Rohan Crichton. The "speed of the speed" once again will have to take pressure and this, frankly, looks like a stronger field. But the shorter trip than last won't hurt if he can duplicate his last.

#4-PATCH ADAMS: Razor-sharp allowance winner on Derby Day at Churchill over Stephens return rival Big Truzz, getting this colt back on the beam. He showed great promise in November. The connection between those 2 big efforts and 3 other disappointments? He's 2-for-2 at CD and 0-for-3 elsewhere. Favored in all 5 starts, both he and Big Truzz must run Lasix-free in this Grade 1.

#5-CITIZEN BULL: Last year's Champion 2-Year-Old has seen the wheels come off in his last 2 starts when challenged on the front end of the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby. He'll race without blinkers for the first time and cut back to a sprint after 5 straight bids around 2 turns. Didn't really want to pass horses in last summer's 7F Del Mar Futurity when third as the favorite, and still may not. Route-to-sprint hasn't been a big boon for Baffert statistically.

#6-T KRAFT: Off since March, this Bill Mott trainee hopes to be a positive lead-in for barnmate Sovereignty in the main event. But he'll make a big rise in class off 4 straight wins. BRIS late pace figures are soft and, thus, his closing style probably won't bring enough oomph vs. these.

#7-COLLOQUIAL: All the speed-figure rage after a February 7 romping maiden win at Aqueduct. Parlayed that into massive favoritism in Keeneland's Lafayette Stakes and won that in more workmanlike fashion. Massive effort at Big A was only start with Lasix in 3 tries and vastly faster than the others, which is notable. Some pace versatility helps the cause with this difficult read.

#8-GUNMETAL: Hinted at stardom in his Fair Grounds debut win Dec. 26. Stuck between horses in an uncomfortable spot when disappointing in Gulfstream's Swale behind Stephens returnees Gate to Wire and Macho Music. His last win at Keeneland was much more like it while outside runners and may want that same sort of trip as Irad Ortiz Jr. becomes his 4th rider in 4 starts. Always felt he was this class of horse and gets a chance to prove it.

#9-NEOEQUOUS: Dueled Citizen Bull in the Kentucky Derby, putting that one away and leading between calls in upper stretch before the parachute came out. After 5 sprints to start his career, he's back where he blongs after showing class in the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby at trips beyond his best. Couple of Saratoga works since and feels dangerous if he can stalk a couple of runners and pass horses wide on the turn.

#10-CHANCER McPATRICK: Star 2-year-old of 2024 returns to the scene of his debut and Hopeful wins, and just as importantly returns to 1-turn racing. You understand the Derby pursuit, but he came up short as a router and gets back to what he should do best. Sire McKinzie was big-time winner at the Spa and his limited offspring have excelled here. Gets pace and should be respected as Flavien Prat sticks over some other good options.

#11-GATE TO WIRE: Dominant Swale win over Macho Music and Gunmetal looks like an outlier in his form as he swooped up wide past the duelers at Gulfstream. Should get a similar kind of trip and could remedy some of his inconsistency. Not the first choice, but not without some consideration on his best with this pace set-up.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
No locks here, but CHANCER McPATRICK has been pointed to this race for 2 months after dashed Derby trail dreams and is proven over the track and distance -- plus, the right pace set-up.

Best Longshot Contender:
NEOEQUOUS ran 6 consistent races in succession before the Kentucky Derby and gets my nod.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$10 exacta part-wheel NEOEQUOS, GUNMETAL with NEOEQUOS, GUNMETAL, CHANCER McPATRICK, BIG TRUZZ ($60). $20 daily double in the Woody Stephens-Belmont Stakes special wager of GUNMETAL and NEOEQUOS to JOURNALISM ($40).