Sanford Stakes

Date: July 19, 14
Post: 4:10 pm ET
Purse: $150,000
Grade: II
Type: T
Distance: 6F
Age: Two Year Olds
Sex: -
Turf: Dirt, left-handed

Notes
A pair of unbeaten stakes winners are set to square off in the G3 Sanford S. on the opening Saturday of the historic Saratoga meet when G3 Bashford Manor champ Cinco Charlie and Tremont hero Bessie's Boy face seven others. In taking the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs on June 28, Cinco Charlie became the first juvenile graded stakes winner of the year in the U.S. and announced himself as a major player in the division with his 94 BRIS Speed Rating, which tops this field. Though only awarded an 81 BRIS number, Bessie's Boy was visually impressive in his 6-length romp in Belmont Park's Tremont eight days earlier. Silverhill and Chocolate Wildcat, the second-place finishers in the Bashford Manor and Tremont, respectively, will try to turn the tables on their conquerors. Silverhill was gallant in his 1 3/4 -length defeat, battling all the way to be easily best of the rest. Chocolate Wildcat broke his maiden first out at Gulfstream Park on April 25 then resumed training just over a month later at Monmouth Park. The son of Wildcat attracted Javier Castellano when he shipped over from New Jersey for the Tremont and will again have the services of the nation's current leading rider. Victoria S. also-ran Less Than Perfect is the other stakes competitor in the field and will be making his dirt debut off that last-place finish at Woodbine. The win in his initial outing, a Presque Isle Downs maiden race, came against a suspect field and the Pleasantly Perfect colt will have to step it up to be a factor here. Belmont maiden special weight winner Nonna's Boy looked good winning his debut and was flattered when the runner-up from that, Bustin It, returned to capture the Rockville Centre S. there on July 13. Big Trouble also launched his career with an easy maiden score at Belmont. The Tony Dutrow charge sports some sharp works for his return, including a 5F move over this course last Sunday. Souper Colossal invades from Monmouth, where has worked well in the mornings following a June 7 victory at first asking. Mr. Z is the only entrant besides Cinco Charlie who has won at this 6F distance, having taken a maiden contest on the Bashford Manor undercard in his only start.
The Sanford Stakes is about to complete hundred years of racing at the historic Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. At present, it enjoys grade II status and is open to two-year-olds desire for competing six furlongs sprint race. The name of the stakes is for the Sanfords, one of the renowned horseracing families at Saratoga. At present, this horseracing event carries a purse of $150,000. This race is going to complete 94th running in 2008. The Sanford Stakes did not take place in 1961 and 2005.