The Grade 1 hits continue at Saratoga with the $750,000 Sword Dancer this Saturday. One of summer’s premier Breeders’ Cup Turf divisional showdowns brings defending champion Far Bridge center stage against 8 rivals. The undercard includes the Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks Invitational, also on the grass.

Let’s meet the contenders for the Sword Dancer (Race 10), which will be run over 1-1/2 miles:

#1-EL CORDOBLES: UK shipper exits a Group 2 Princess of Wales victory July 10 at Newmarket, his career-best performance. Son of Frankel has finished top-3 in all 5 career starts at 1-1/2 miles or farther. The Sword Dancer is one of the few NYRA turf stakes that has eluded trainer Charlie Appleby and owner Godolphin, a worldwide superpower. Jockey Flavien Prat won last week’s Saratoga feature in the Grade 1 Whitney aboard Sierra Leone.

#2-REBEL RED: Listed stakes winner makes his first appearance at the Grade 1 level while 4 of 13 lifetime. Like El Cordobles to his inside, this is another son of the legendary miler Frankel. Won the 11-furlong Chorleywood at Churchill, but is 5: 0-0-1 in graded stakes. Trainer Cherie DeVaux and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. both are in search of their first Sword Dancer trophy.

#3-VOTE NO: $40,000 claim at Turfway Park in March for Kelsey Danner has shown significant improvement for the new connections. The Divisidero 4-year-old won a Horseshoe Indy allowance and Delaware Park’s listed Cape Henlopen Stakes before a solid fourth on the class test at Monmouth in the Grade 2 United Nations. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche takes over in the saddle and he notably orchestrated last Saturday’s Grade 1 Fourstardave victory by Deterministic over the Spa lawn.

#4-PADIDDLE: Fernando Abreu claimed this one for just $25,000 on Valentine’s Day at Gulfstream Park and he’s since rattled off graded stakes-placings in the Pan American, Man o’ War and Belmont Gold Cup – the first pair in pursuit of Sword Dancer return rival Far Bridge. Gelded son of Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker has won just 1 of 12 and has Ricardo Santana back in the saddle.

#5-NATIONS PRIDE: More accomplished of the uncoupled pair from Charlie Appleby and Godolphin in the Sword Dancer, he’s earned just shy of $3.7 million while winning 11 of 22 starts worldwide. Interestingly bypasses a title defense in the Arlington Million the same day at Colonial Downs and instead returns to the Spa, where he won the 2022 Saratoga Derby Invitational and was runner-up in the 2024 Manhattan. Regular rider Willam T. Buick has the call on the 6-year-old who makes his first start since a Group 1 Dubai Turf dud in April.

#6-FAR BRIDGE: He became trainer Christophe Clement’s record-setting fifth winner of the Sword Dancer last year and third for the barn in a 4-year run. Joel Rosario has been aboard the trio of recent Clement Sword Dancer winners and can match Pat Day’s race record if able to notch a fourth. The Clement Stable has been turned over to Miguel Clement since Christophe’s passing in late May, and the 27-year-old conditioner has notched the Grade 2 Glens Falls, Grade 2 Bowling Green and last week’s Grade 1 Fourstardave at the Saratoga summer stand. Clement Stables won back-to-back Sword Dancers of recent vintage with Gufo (2021-’22). This son of Breeders’ Cup Turf winner English Channel is a neck shy of perfection this year through 4 starts.

#7-EL REZEEN: No match for Far Bridge when a 3-length runner-up in Saratoga Grade 2 Bowling Green looks to get over the top for his first stakes score. Like Far Bridge and Utah Beach in this field, he’s a son of Breeders’ Cup Turf winner English Channel. Todd Pletcher trained the sire and this 4-year-old who was third in the 2024 Jockey Club Derby Invitational in his only other stakes bid. Pletcher won this race in 2006 with Go Deputy. Dylan Davis guided El Rezeen to his 2 career scores and returns in the saddle.

#8-GRAND SONATA: The more accomplished of an uncoupled Todd Pletcher-trained pair in the Sword Dancer, this $2.2 million earner is cross-entered Saturday in the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs. Given the rider assignments, appears more likely to scratch here and head to Virginia. Medgalia d’Oro 6-year-old has won just 1 of his last 15, capturing the 2024 Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs. Exits a second-place effort in Monmouth’s Grade 2 United Nations. Pletcher won this race in 2006 with Go Deputy; jockey Manny Franco took the 2020 edition with Channel Maker.

#9-UTAH BEACH: Third son of Breeders’ Cup Turf winner English Channel in this field, alongside Far Bridge and El Rezeen, this gelding looks to add to a 2025 resume that includes wins in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland and Grade 3 Louisville at Churchill Downs Trainer Igncacio Correas announced earlier this week that he’ll retire from training and return to his native Argentina in December. Jose Ortiz gets back aboard Utah Beach for the first time since their third-place finish in last October’s Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland.