Handicapping: Labor Day Graded Stakes Action

Labor Day weekend is closing weekend at the preeminent summertime racetracks, and as you might expect all the graded stakes action in North America Saturday, Sept. 4, takes place at Del Mar and Saratoga Race Course.

The focus is on turf at Del Mar, which offers up the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) for older fillies and mares and the Del Mar Derby Presented By Caesars Sportsbook (G2) for 3-year-olds.

At the Spa, the Prioress Stakes (G2) for sophomore filly sprinters is followed by the Saranac Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old grass runners, the Flower Bowl Stakes (G1T), and the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). The Flower Bowl and Gold Cup, formerly run at Belmont Park, are Breeders' Cup Challenge races for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) and the Longines Classic (G1), respectively.

Here are some short takes on the stakes sextet in race order, all times Eastern.

Prioress (Sar, race 5, 2:47): Travers Day was a chalkfest, with six of the seven stakes won by the favorite, the lone exception when odds-on Life Is Good  was outgamed by 3-2 second choice Jackie's Warrior  in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1).

So naturally, let's take a shot against 6-5 morning-line choice Souper Sensational  (6) and use her only defensively in this six-furlong dash.

Souper Sensational comes off two peak efforts in longer sprints, but has never run this short and faces some up-and-coming types in Oxana  (1), Edie Meeny Miny Mo  (2) and Amendment Nineteen  (5).

Oxana won her two dirt sprints by better than 28 lengths at Parx Racing; Edie Meeny Miny Mo won her two sprints at Pimlico Race Course by more than 10 lengths; and Amendment Nineteen goes first time for Brad Cox off a private purchase by Juddmonte.

A - 1, 2, 5

B - 6

Saranac (Sar, race 8, 4:27): This 1 1/16-mile test kicks off a late pick 5 that ends with the Flower Bowl and Gold Cup.

Public Sector  (1) picks up six pounds off a rail-skimming rally to win the Hall Of Fame Stakes (G2T), but is consistent (3-3-0 from seven starts) and is getting faster race by race this season for Chad Brown, who also entered the stretch threat Founder  (5).

Never Surprised  (4) looked like a divisional leader winning his first two starts at Aqueduct Racetrack last fall, but was rank early and settled for second as the 3-10 favorite in the Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) when last seen at Gulfstream Park Jan. 30. He's talented and dangerous off the bench, and gets weight from Brown's pair.

A - 1, 4

B - 5

Flower Bowl (Sar, race 11, 6:11): Brown has won this race six times since 2011 and narrowly missed last year when My Sister Nat  (4) was second by a head. But My Sister Nat had her doors blown off by War Goddess  (3) through the closing stages of the Glens Falls Stakes (G2T) under similar conditions four weeks ago, and the latter actually gets in two pounds lighter under the allowance conditions of this three-turn affair.

La Signare  (1) and the Brown-trained Great Island  (6) figure to attract support, but the former hasn't won in a year and a half since taking the one-mile Sand Springs Stakes, and the latter has never been this far, either.

American Bridge  (2) is the X factor from overseas and like My Sister Nat she is owned by Peter M. Brant, who has won this race four times. This Kodiac  filly has been victimized by slow paces and/or soft turf in France on several occasions, and comes off a sharp score in the Premio Del Giubileo (G3T) at San Siro Racecourse in Italy. She'll be the lone backup to the favorite.

A - 3

B - 2

Jockey Club Gold Cup (Sar, race 12, 6:46): An effort to keep Max Player  (2) closer to the early pace paid dividends in the Suburban Stakes (G2), and the son of Honor Code   earned his way into the Classic with a determined win over pro-tem divisional leader Mystic Guide . A series of bullet workouts at five furlongs indicate he maintains peak form.

Happy Saver  (4), last year's Gold Cup winner (over Mystic Guide), was four wide throughout the Suburban and ran on evenly late for third, suffering the first defeat of his career after five straight wins. That was just his second start of the year and the lightly-raced colt by Super Saver   is eligible to improve.

Ankle problems have hindered Forza Di Oro  (1), but the 2020 Discovery Stakes (G3) winner returned from a layoff with a facile victory over high-end optional claimers early at the meet and matched his top 3-year-old figure right off the bat. That bodes well if he can handle the stretch to 10 furlongs.

Night Ops  (5) could be the value play for Brad Cox. He has had a frustrating campaign finishing in the money six times without a win in 2021, but enters in top form and is just as fast as the main contenders based on a recent runner-up finish over the track to Art Collector , who returned to capture the $800,000 Charles Town Classic (G2).

A - 2, 5

B - 1, 4

John C. Mabee (Dmr, race 9, 8:30): The second, third, and fourth finishers from the Yellow Ribbon Handicap—Dogtag  (3), Maxim Rate  (1) and Bodhicitta  (6)—meet again, and figure to get a legitimate pace up front due to the presence of speedy longshots Quiet Secretary  (2), Nasty  (4) and She's Our Charm  (5).

Dogtag is 2-4-0 from six starts for Dick Mandella, and Umberto Rispoli forsakes Going to Vegas  (8) to retain the mount.

Going to Vegas is third off the bench after taking a salty optional claimer over a trio of next-out winners, and picks up leading rider Flavien Prat.

A - 1, 3

B - 6, 8

Del Mar Derby (Dmr, race 11, 9:30): Multi-race bettors who make it to this cash-out leg must navigate through a minefield where 12 of 14 entrants have top turf Beyer Speed Figures in a narrow range of 80-85.

The race is so competitive that Hudson Ridge  (1) is favored at a tepid 9-2, with six others pegged at single-digit odds as well. Two of those, Sword Zorro  (13) and Flashiest  (14), get the axe due to being marooned on the far outside.

Hudson Ridge is in line for a ground-saving trip after being floated out and bumped as the favorite in the La Jolla Handicap (G3T), and gets a noteworthy switch to Prat.

Hockey Dad  (3) is our second key. After battling up front to deep stretch in his last two tries, the blinkers are coming off so he may revert to off-the-pace tactics that have previously been successful.

Barraza  (2), Petruchio  (7) and Jimmy Blue Jeans  (10) are all 12-1 or better on the line, and have some positive aspects. That is particularly true of the latter, who has won three straight since being transferred to turf.

A - 1, 3

B - 2, 7, 10