The Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga is set for Thursday, August 13, with a scheduled post time of 5:14 p.m. ET. The $200,000 event for three-year-olds and up will be contested at 1 3/4 miles on the main track.
The marathon distance should make stamina and proven dirt form especially important. Parchment Party is 2-for-2 at the distance and is the obvious horse to beat.
Before getting into the Birdstone field, it’s worth noting that last Sunday produced two video top-choice winners. Igniter won the Ellis Park Derby at even-money for trainer Rick Dutrow, while Zihnal, ridden by John Velazquez, won the West Virginia Derby at 3-1. Hopefully, that momentum continues into this week’s stakes races.
No. 1 Parchment Party (8-5)
Parchment Party is the morning-line favorite for trainer Bill Mott, with John Velazquez returning to the saddle.
The biggest positive is his proven record at this demanding distance. He is 2-for-2 at 1 3/4 miles and 2-for-3 at Saratoga. Both of his wins at the distance came in stakes races, including last year’s Birdstone Stakes.
Parchment Party defeated Interceptor in the Isaac Murphy Marathon earlier this year and also edged Jokestar in the Temperence Hill Stakes at 1 1/2 miles. His ability to save ground from the inside post should also help, particularly in a race where several horses could be looking for position going into the first turn.
His seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Suburban can be forgiven. That race was essentially a prep for this event, and the 1 1/4-mile distance was shorter than ideal for him.
He is clearly the horse to beat, but at a short price, I’m willing to look for a little more value.
No. 2 Annexperience (10-1)
Annexperience has a respectable overall record, with three wins, four seconds and a third-place finish from 10 starts.
He is also 1-for-1 at Saratoga and has shown a particular affinity for wet dirt, winning both of his starts over wet tracks by a combined 17 1/2 lengths.
The problem is the class and distance hike.
He has been competing against New York-bred allowance and optional-claiming company and will now jump into a $200,000 stakes race while stretching all the way to 1 3/4 miles. He has also been effective when setting the pace, so he could be the horse to catch.
There are simply too many questions to make him one of my top four.
No. 3 Stars and Stripes (5-2)
Stars and Stripes is the second choice on the morning line for Bill Mott and will reunite with Luis Saez, who rode him to back-to-back victories at Oaklawn and Keeneland earlier this year.
He won the Grade 3 Ben Ali at 1 3/16 miles in April, but his most recent effort in the Grade 2 Suburban was a major disappointment. He finished eighth, beaten 17 lengths, after racing wide from post nine in an 11-horse field.
The biggest question here is whether he wants 1 3/4 miles. Mott had considered running him in a shorter stakes race at Monmouth (G3 Iselin at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 15), but ultimately entered him here.
Stars and Stripes has talent, but the added distance makes him difficult to endorse at 5-2.
No. 4 Passing Game (15-1)
Passing Game is one of the more interesting longshots in the field.
Tyler Gaffalione gets the mount on a horse with three wins, four seconds and a third from 12 starts. He is also 1-for-1 at Saratoga.
The distance probably won’t trip him up. He has already competed in long-distance stakes races, including a two-mile turf stakes in October 2025 (2nd) and a Grade 3 event at Woodbine at 1 1/2 miles (3rd).
He also has solid dirt numbers, with two wins and two runner-up finishes from six starts on the surface.
His most recent race was a ninth-place finish on turf at 1 3/8 miles, but he drew post 10 and never really became involved. Now he returns to dirt for his third start of the year.
At 15-1, Passing Game could be an interesting underneath horse in trifectas and especially superfectas. I could see him tracking Annexperience from second and getting first run if the pace develops favorably.
No. 5 Waitlist (20-1)
Waitlist has three wins, six seconds and a third from 27 starts, but he is winless in four starts at Saratoga.
He did win an entry-level allowance race at 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct in April, but his last three starts have produced finishes of fifth, eighth and fifth, all against optional-claiming company.
Those races came at 1 1/8 miles on dirt and 1 3/8 miles on turf, so stretching out to 1 3/4 miles is a major question.
At 20-1, he will likely be overlooked for good reason.
No. 6 Interceptor (9-2)
Interceptor is a legitimate top three contender.
Trainer Mike Maker has a consistent horse here, as Interceptor has finished in the top three in each of his last seven starts. His overall record is three wins, four seconds and two thirds from 13 starts.
He has also already proven that he can handle demanding distances. Parchment Party defeated him by just 1 1/4 lengths in the Isaac Murphy Marathon at 1 1/2 miles, while Interceptor also finished second in the Excelsior Stakes at 1 1/4 miles.
Last time out, he tracked the pace, took the lead and finished third, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths. He missed second by a nose and finished six lengths ahead of the fourth-place finisher.
That tactical speed could be especially useful in this race.
The only real concern is the rider situation. Irad Ortiz Jr. is listed to ride, but he was dealing with a foot injury and missed mounts last weekend.
No. 7 Jokestar (4-1)
The key to Jokestar’s success is the surface.
He has been far more effective on conventional dirt than on all-weather or turf. On fast dirt, he has four wins, a second and a third from seven starts. On all-weather tracks, however, he is just 1-for-12, while he is 0-for-2 on turf.
His most recent start came in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes on all-weather at Woodbine. He finished fifth, beaten about 12 lengths, but I’m willing to draw a line through that performance.
The return to conventional dirt could make a major difference.
Jokestar was a stakes winner earlier this year in the Post Time Stakes at Laurel Park, winning by more than six lengths after tracking the pace. He also finished a close second to Parchment Party in the Temperence Hill Stakes.
That Temperence Hill performance is particularly encouraging. Jokestar was right there with Parchment Party, and now he gets another opportunity to turn the tables.
He also gets Jose Ortiz in the saddle and has been training well. Jokestar posted a bullet five-furlong workout at Woodbine on July 31, covering the distance in 59 4/5 seconds, fastest of five horses.
His versatility is another positive. He can sit off the pace, make a move from the middle of the pack or rally from farther back.
If the track is fast, I believe Jokestar has a chance to produce a rebound performance and upset the favorite.
No. 8 Carolo Rapido (20-1)
Carolo Rapido is the other big longshot in the field.
He has six wins from 22 starts and has put together several solid recent efforts. He won a $50,000 claiming race at Keeneland in April, was claimed that day, and then finished second in a $62,500 claiming race at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Norm Casse claimed him on May 14, and Carolo Rapido subsequently finished third in a starter allowance event.
The problem is the class hike and the outside post. He is moving into a stakes race, stretching out in distance and facing significantly tougher competition.
He looks up against it.
