Named after the stalwart New York-bred who won at least one race at Saratoga each year from 1987-1994, this year’s $750,000 Fourstardave drew a field of 10 turf specialists headed by multiple graded stakes winner Johannes.
One of five graded stakes on Saturday, Whitney Day, the Fourstardave (G1) also is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) in November at Del Mar.
Johannes, who is making his East coast debut, enters off an eight-month layoff dating back to his victory last December in the San Gabriel (G2) at Santa Anita, from which he emerged with mild bone bruising that led to his lengthy hiatus, according to trainer Tim Yakteen.
“We’re coming into it in great shape,” said Yakteen of Johannes, whose only loss in six 2024 starts came when second to More Than Looks in the BC Mile.
“He pretty much looks identical [to December]. He’s always a horse that carries a great coat and he carries his condition well. It’s been an uneventful trip back to his first race, and hopefully we’ll continue with that this week.”
The 5-year-old son of Nyquist returned to training at the end of May at Santa Anita and has been working steadily ever since. Most recently he posted a 5-furlong move on July 26 at Del Mar in 1:00.40, his final move prior to shipping to New York.
“We’re doing good. It’s a long way to travel if we’re not doing good,” Yakteen said, with a laugh. “He had his final prep and we’re all set. We’re happy with the way he’s doing, so let’s see if we can have some luck here.”
“It’s a big ask, but I think he’s up to the task,” he added. “He handled the ship well before. [Jockey] Umberto [Rispoli] knows him well. He’s been very versatile, and I think that’s his asset. It’s always nice when you have that.”
Johannes had a highly successful year in 2024, winning the American (G3) in his first start as a 4-year-old, and followed that with his lone Grade 1 win to date in the Shoemaker Mile. He then captured the Eddie Read and City of Hope, both Grade 2s, before challenging for the lead but settling for second, three-quarters of a length ahead of favored Notable Speech in the BC Mile.
The Fourstardave will be his third start in a Grade 1.
“It’s a big ask, but I think he’s up to the task,” he added. “He handled the ship well before. [Jockey] Umberto [Rispoli] knows him well. He’s been very versatile, and I think that’s his asset. It’s always nice when you have that.”
Joining him as highweights under 126 pounds are Win for the Money (8-1), who took the Woodbine Mile (G1) last November, New York-bred Spirit of St. Louis (6-1), who captured the
Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs, and recent Manhattan (G1) winner Deterministic.
Trained by Miguel Clement, Deterministic has blossomed since being switched to the turf last June, finishing no worse than third in seven starts on the surface, including wins in the Fort Marcy (G2), Hill Prince (G3) and Virginia Derby (G3). Along with his Manhattan victory, he finished third in last year’s Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) and broke his maiden on the dirt as a 2-year-old.
He has made one start on the turf at the Fourstardave distance, finishing third in the Manila (G3) and won the Gotham (G3) over a sloppy, sealed track, both at Aqueduct.
“He’s training spectacular,” Clement said. “His weight, color, training are all great. He won the Gotham over a mile, and he’s got the speed to do it. I don’t think it will be an issue.”
Spirit of St Louis, the leading money-earner in the field with a bankroll of more than $1.8 million, enters off a non-threatening sixth in the Manhattan. He cuts back to a mile for the first time since finishing fifth in October to Carl Spackler [last year’s Fourstardave Winner] in the Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland but owns a trio of New York-bred stakes wins at the distance.
Trainer Chad Brown also will send out Intellect, a European import who has a record of 0-2-1 from three stateside starts, including a pair of seconds at Saratoga in the Poker and Kelso, both Grade 3s.
Mark Casse also enters a pair in Win for the Money, most recently third in the Kelso coming off a six-month layoff, and My Boy Prince, who comes in off three straight sprint starts, finishing second in the Highlander (G2) at Woodbine and the Jaipur (G1) at the Spa. He won his first start of 2025 in the Elusive Quality at the Big A.
“I think this [inner] turf course is made for him with the tighter turns,” Casse said of My Boy Prince. “He’s a little athlete and he can kind of scoot around them with his speed.
He’s coming off the sprint races, so he’s going to be up very close to the pace.”
Rounding out the field are Kelso winner Think Big, Cugina, winner of an optional claimer in June at Aqueduct, Lagynos, who owns a second and threes third in four starts this year, and Neat most recently fourth in the Kelso.
Whether Johannes returns to his winning form in his first race in nearly a year is the big question here. That said, Deterministic seems in top racing shape and Spirit of St. Louis is more than capable of rebounding off his poor Manhattan effort.
For those who bet horse racing, the picks ...
1 Deterministic 2 Johannes 3 Spirit of St Louis
The field for the $750,000 Fourstardave Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Cugino (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Shug McGaughey), 10-1
2 My Boy Prince (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse), 15-1
3 Johannes (Umberto Rispoli, Tim Yakteen), 5-2
4 Think Big (Luis Saez, Michael Stidham), 6-1
5 Win for the Money (Dylan Davis, Mark Casse), 8-1
6 Intellect (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 5-1
7 Spirit of St Louis (Manny Franco, Chad Brown), 6-1
8 Deterministic (Kendrick Carmouche, Miguel), 9-2
9 Lagynos (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen), 20-1
10 Neat (Junior Alvarado, Rob Atras), 20-1
