Anne Marie Duff

THE Saratoga card this evening reads like a who’s who of US racing. Only Arrogate and Gun Runner are missing. It’s second only to the Breeders’ Cup in quality.

7:23 PERSONAL ENSIGN STAKES (GRADE 1) (DIRT) 1m1f

Action begins with Songbird, some say overrated, some say one of the best fillies in recent years. This is her biggest test this season and she failed to impress in the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap where a hard track was blamed. Winner of 13 of her 14 races, her only loss came to Beholder - by a nose - in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff last November where Forever Unbridled was a length and a quarter back in third. She will have to be at her best to hold off Forever Unbridled, a dual Grade 1 winner who won her Grade 2 outing this season.

SELECTION: Songbird

NEXT BEST: Forever Unbridled

7.59 BALLERINA STAKES (GRADE 1) 7f

Some evenly matched fillies with little to choose between them. Paulassilverlining is on a four-timer and has two Grade 1 wins this season. Michelle Nevin trains By The Moon and she has been a model of consistency, finishing second in this last year and third to Paulasilverlining last time. Carina Mia won the Grade 1 Acorn at three, has moved to Chad Brown and prepped with a listed win here.

SELECTION: Carina Mia

NEXT BEST: Paulasilverlining

8:35 H. ALLEN JERKENS STAKES (GRADE 1) (DIRT) 7f

Coal Front (Pletcher) and American Anthem (Baffert) have won their last five race between them. Practical Joke has kept top company, finishing fifth in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Haskell, beaten only half a length.

SELECTION: Practical Joke NEXT BEST: American Anthem

9.12 FOREGO STAKES (GRADE 1) (3YO+) 7f

A fascinating speed match-up between Drefrong and Mind Your Biscuits. Drefong was the outstanding sprinter last season, winning this easily and adding the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He blotted his copybook when dropping Mike Smith as he ducked for the rail on his comeback run at Del Mar.

Mind Your Biscuits added to his Dubai Golden Shaheen win when proving he stayed seven furlongs in the Grade 2 Belmont Sprint Championship. Drefong might have too much early speed.

SELECTION: Drefong

NEXT BEST: Mind Your Biscuits

9:49 SWORD DANCER STAKES (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (TURF) 1m4f

This looks an excellent chance for Idaho and Ryan Moore to pick up another US Grade 1 for Aidan O’Brien. On his best form, French-trained Erupt is a danger if returning to his Canadian International winning form of last year, though he was well below that when eased and last of nine behind Zarak in a Saint Cloud Group 1 last time.

The US turf horses are a poor crop and Hunter O’Riley is the pick after winning the Grade 2 Bowling Green Handicap with three of today’s runners – Bigger Picture (2nd), Sadler’s Joy (3rd) and Frank Conversation – behind him. Money Multipier represents Chad Brown and that alone gives him a chance. He was second in this last year and has kept top company.

SELECTION: Idaho

NEXT BEST: Money Multiplier

10:44 TRAVERS STAKES (GRADE 1) (3YO) (DIRT) 1m2f

This race unveiled Arrogate in a 13-length romp last year but is unlikely to reveal a star this season, even though it has drawn a top class field.

Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit was installed as the morning-line favourite.

With three different classic winners in the line-up, Tapwrit, a tough two-length winner when outstaying Irish War Cay at Belmont, is one of six possible contenders who could emerge the divisional leader.

The Todd Pletcher-trained colt will be joined by stablemate and Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and by Preakness Stakes victor Cloud Computing.

Also in the field are Grade 1 Haskell winner Girvan and impressive Grade 2 Jim Dandy winner Good Samaritan (who had behind him Always Dreaming third after setting the pace and Cloud Computing fading to fifth).

Always Dreaming, 6/1 on the morning-line, looked a very good colt in winning the Kentucky Derby but disappointed in the Preakness and last time in the Jim Dandy.

Good Samaritan (Bill Mott) came back from turf races to beat Giuseppe The Great, Always Dreaming and Cloud Computing in the Jim Dandy.

Bob Baffert’s West Coast, is surprisingly short – he was installed at 4/1 odds in the wake of his victory in the Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby. This is a huge step up in class but he has won his last three.

Despite Girvin’s triumph in the Haskell Invitational Stakes, he is around 10/1.

Irap was a shock winner of the Blue Grass in the spring and found the Kentucky Derby too hot (18th). Since then he has got back in the winning trail in the Ohio (beat Girvan) and Indiana Derbys and, on that form, is not out of it. In a moderate year, he could spring a surprise.

SELECTION: Irap

NEXT BEST: Good Samaritan

11:20 WOODFORD RESERVE BALLSTON SPA STAKES (GRADE 2) (TURF) 1m110y

The Grade 2 finale features one of the most popular horses in the US, the multiple Grade 1 winner Lady Eli. She got up late to win the Grade 1 Diana last time, with Antonoe and Dickenson behind her, her 10th win from 12 races.

Roca Rojo began racing with Ado McGuinness and failed by a nose in a Grade 1 at Del Mar but disappointed in the Grade 1 Just A Game behind tonight’s contender Antonoe.

SELECTION: Lady Eli

NEXT BEST: Roca Rojo