The Saratoga summer meet is a jewel in the crown of North American horse racing, a place where legends are born and champions are forged. Among the meet's most prestigious races, the Sword Dancer Stakes stands out as the ultimate test of stamina and class on the turf.
This "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Turf brings together top-tier stayers from around the globe, all vying for a coveted spot in the year-end championship and a major payday. For both seasoned handicappers and new fans, this race offers a thrilling spectacle and a compelling puzzle to solve.
The US Racing handicappers are here to give you an insider’s look at everything you need to know about this year’s running. From the official date and schedule to a deep dive into the whole field and a look at the historic past winners, we cover all the bases to help you get the most out of this marquee event.
We will analyze the 2025 Sword Dancer Stakes betting landscape, providing you with the key insights you need to make your wagers confidently. This article is your essential guide to understanding the race and the horses. Make sure to pay close attention to our breakdown of the Sword Dancer Stakes odds as we reveal which horses offer the best value and which ones you should consider placing your bets. The opportunity to bet on the Sword Dancer Stakes is a special one, so let's prepare to make it a profitable one.
The 2025 Sword Dancer Stakes will take center stage on Saturday, August 9, at the historic Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. This Grade 1 marathon, contested at a grueling 1 ½ miles on the Inner Turf course, serves as a crucial prep race for the Breeders' Cup Turf in the fall. The race, officially named the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes, carries a significant purse of $750,000, attracting a highly competitive field year after year.
The Sword Dancer is the main event on a stacked undercard, with the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer scheduled as race 10 on a card that also features the Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks Invitational. The scheduled post time for the Sword Dancer is 5:44 PM ET.
You can catch all the action live on platforms such as BUSR Experience's live streaming service, which offers comprehensive analysis and live broadcasts throughout the day. This setup ensures you have multiple options to watch every moment unfold, whether you are at home or on the go.
The history of the Sword Dancer Stakes is filled with champions who have defined their divisions and left a lasting legacy. Analyzing past winners gives us valuable context and helps us understand the types of horses that thrive in this demanding race. The winners of the last several editions showcase a mix of American-based turf specialists and formidable international raiders, a pattern we see reflected in the 2025 field.
In 2024, the Christophe Clement-trained Far Bridge delivered a stunning performance, capturing the race in a thrilling finish. He finished the 1 ½-mile distance in 2:29.51, a time that speaks to the firm, fast conditions of the turf that day. The year before.
In 2023, the Aidan O'Brien-conditioned Bolshoi Ballet (IRE) danced his way to victory, snapping a long winless streak to claim the top prize. This Irish invader demonstrated the power of international competition, a theme that has become increasingly common at Saratoga.
In 2022 and 2021, the talented Gufo secured back-to-back victories for trainer Christophe Clement and jockey Joel Rosario, cementing his place as a fan favorite and a true distance runner.
Other notable winners from the past decade include the Chad Brown-trained Annals of Time in 2019 and the superb European turf star Flintshire (GB), who won the race in both 2015 and 2016 for Juddmonte Farms, proving his world-class ability on two different continents.
Weather plays a critical role in turf racing, influencing everything from a horse's performance to the overall complexion of the race. For Saturday, August 9, the long-range forecast for Saratoga Springs, New York, looks promising. Meteorologists are predicting a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit.
Humidity is expected to be moderate, and there is only a minimal chance of precipitation. This forecast suggests the turf course will be firm and fast, which tends to favor horses with a good turn of foot and strong late kick. While some horses prefer a softer course, these conditions will likely lead to a faster race time and a more tactical contest. Horses who excel on firm ground will have a significant advantage, and this is a factor we must consider in our analysis of the full field and the Sword Dancer Stakes odds.
A full field of nine horses will contest the 2025 Sword Dancer Stakes, creating a competitive and intriguing lineup. This group features a mix of proven Grade 1 winners, promising up-and-coming stayers, and two formidable international challengers from the esteemed barn of Charlie Appleby.
The morning-line odds, set by the track’s oddsmaker, provide an initial look at the betting public's perception of each horse's chances. However, these odds can change dramatically based on how people bet on the Sword Dancer Stakes, so always check the live numbers before placing your wagers.
Here is a full breakdown of the field with their post positions, jockeys, trainers, and official morning-line odds. We will then dive into a detailed analysis of each contender.
Now we will meticulously examine each horse in the field, evaluating their form, pedigree, connections, and overall chances in the 2025 Sword Dancer Stakes. Understanding these key factors is paramount to making intelligent and informed decisions about your Sword Dancer Stakes betting.
Hailing from the powerful Godolphin stable and trained by the globetrotting master Charlie Appleby, El Cordobes (IRE) enters this race as a fascinating new face. A four-year-old gelding by the brilliant sire Frankel, he possesses a pedigree brimming with stamina and class. He recently delivered a career-best performance in the Group 2 Kingdom of Bahrain Princess of Wales’s Stakes in England, winning decisively at the 1 ½-mile distance. This victory confirms his ability to handle the trip and suggests he is hitting top form at the perfect time.
His tactical speed and proven staying power make him a legitimate win contender. The presence of Flavien Prat in the saddle is another major plus, as the Eclipse Award-winning jockey has an impeccable record in major turf stakes. At 4-1 on the morning line, he presents a fantastic value play for your bets.
Rebel Red (GB), a five-year-old horse, has been a consistent performer at lower levels but faces a steep class jump in this Grade 1 event. His connections, including trainer Cherie DeVaux and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., are formidable, but his graded stakes record is a concern. He is 0-for-5 in graded company, and his best victories have come in listed stakes against less impressive fields. While he did win a 1 3/8-mile race at Churchill Downs earlier this year, the competition in the Sword Dancer is on an entirely different level.
His 8/1 morning-line odds might seem appealing, but his lack of top-level experience against these seasoned veterans makes him a difficult horse to endorse as a primary win contender. We are looking for more proven Grade 1 talent in a race of this magnitude.
This four-year-old gelding makes his Grade 1 debut in the Sword Dancer, and it represents a significant challenge for him. He won his only try at the 1 ½-mile distance in a listed stakes race at Delaware Park, but the quality of his opposition was not comparable to what he will face today. While he has shown potential, his overall resume does not stack up against the likes of Far Bridge, Nations Pride, or El Cordobes.
His 15/1 morning-line odds accurately reflect his longshot status. He would need a massive, career-defining performance to hit the board, and a victory would be a monumental upset. It’s hard to justify betting on him in this spot against such high-class competition.
Padiddle comes into the race as the longest shot on the board at 30/1, and for good reason. He has a single win from 12 career starts and has failed to show a consistent level of performance in graded stakes company. While he finished a respectable third behind Far Bridge in a recent race, he was soundly beaten by six lengths at long odds.
This horse simply lacks the class and speed necessary to compete with the top contenders in a Grade 1 event. While anything can happen in racing, the statistics and past performances suggest he is overmatched. He is a toss for all win, place, and show bets.
The second international raider from the powerful Charlie Appleby stable, Nations Pride (IRE), is a six-year-old horse with an impressive resume. He has multiple stakes victories and over $3.6 million in career earnings. However, a closer look at his recent form reveals some cracks in his armor. He has lost six of his last eight races and appears to be past his prime.
While he did win a Group 2 race earlier this year in Dubai, the quality of that field was questionable. He will need to rediscover his best form to be a factor here. However, with William Buick in the irons and Appleby pulling the strings, you can never completely count him out. His 3/1 morning-line odds make him the second choice, but he might be an underlay on the board, offering a potential opportunity to find value elsewhere in the Sword Dancer Stakes betting pool.
The defending champion and morning-line favorite, Far Bridge, is the horse to beat in the 2025 Sword Dancer Stakes. This five-year-old son of English Channel is a true turf star, possessing remarkable versatility. He can win from the front, from off the pace, or from a deep-closing position. His trainer, Miguel Clement, reports that he is in “tip-top shape” after a recent three-length victory in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga, a race he also won in 2024.
He is a neck away from being perfect this year, and his only poor showing in the last seven races was a troubled-trip ninth in the Breeders' Cup Turf. With superstar jockey Joel Rosario aboard, who has a sensational record in this race, Far Bridge has a proven affinity for the Saratoga turf and the 1 ½-mile distance. His 9/5 Sword Dancer Stakes odds make him a deserving favorite and a confident pick.
El Rezeen, a four-year-old colt trained by the legendary Todd Pletcher, has a solid record and is an intriguing option for exotic bets. Another son of the turf-sire English Channel, he is a proven stayer who has hit the board in his last five starts. He ran a strong second to Far Bridge in the Bowling Green Stakes, and a repeat of that performance puts him right in the mix for a minor award.
He has shown a good closing kick and the ability to handle the marathon distance. His 15/1 odds offer excellent value, making him a must-use in your trifectas and superfectas. El Rezeen is a strong contender to hit the board at a decent price and a wise choice for those looking to build out their exotic tickets.
Grand Sonata, a six-year-old horse from the Todd Pletcher barn, has struggled to find the winner's circle recently, with only two wins in his last 10 starts. He has been second twice in Grade 2 races over the past year but has come up short in all three of his Grade 1 attempts.
While his 10/1 odds might seem tempting, his overall form and class suggest he is a cut below the top contenders. He would need to produce a career-best effort to upset this field, and his recent performances do not indicate he is capable of that. Like his stablemate, he has the stamina, but he lacks the winning punch against this caliber of competition.
Utah Beach is another son of the great sire English Channel, a testament to the influence of that stallion on American turf marathoners. This five-year-old gelding has a consistent record, finishing in the exacta in 8 of his 13 career grass starts. He has two stakes victories this year at the 1 ½-mile distance, but they came against much weaker fields than what he faces in the Sword Dancer.
This is his first attempt at a Grade 1, and while he possesses the stamina, the class question remains. Jockey Jose Ortiz is a strong rider, but this horse still needs to prove he can compete at this level. At 8/1, he offers potential for the lower rungs of exotic tickets, but a win would be a significant surprise.
The 2025 Sword Dancer Stakes promises to be a captivating renewal of a classic turf marathon. The clash between the reigning champion, Far Bridge, and a pair of international invaders from Charlie Appleby's powerhouse stable creates a compelling narrative.
Our expert analysis points to Far Bridge as the most likely winner, a horse in career-best form with a proven affinity for Saratoga's turf. However, El Cordobes presents a serious threat at a square price, making him a strong alternative and a key player in all exotics.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
