Kentucky Derby 2023 Betting: Improving Mage is ready for the big time
Read this articleMicromanage Tops Five Rivals in $100,000 Birdstone Stakes
On Thursday at Saratoga, the 4th running of the $100,000 Birdstone Stakes has drawn a field of six colts and geldings to compete in the mile and three-quarters contest over the main track. The race is named after Saratoga mainstay Marylou Whitneys Belmont Stakes winning colt.
Topping the field is at 4-5 is Micromanage, a four-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro trained by Todd Pletcher. Regular rider Javier Castellano will be aboard carrying the orange and royal blue colors of Repole Stable. A $170,000 purchase as a yearling, the bay colt is a multiple graded stakes winner and is trying to rebound off of a seventh place finish in the Suburban Handicap (G2) in July. He won the Skip Away (G3) in March in his lone victory of the year.
Don Dulce trying to earn first win of the year
Second choice on the morning line and breaking from post four at odds of 7-2 is Don Dulce. Trained by Jason Servis, the six-year-old gelded son of Maria’s Mon will have Jose Lezcano in the irons as he attempts to earn his first victory of the year. The biggest victory of his seven-win career came in a minor stakes race at Remington Park in 2012. He was last seen finishing fourth in the Salvatore Mile (G3).
Six-figure yearling Irsaal going for first stakes win
Kieran Mclaughlin will saddle Irsaal, 4-1 on the morning line with Irad Ortiz, Jr. scheduled to ride. The well-bred gelded son of More Than Ready was a $325,000 purchase as a yearling for Shadwell Stable. He has been competing primarily against optional claiming competition and has four wins from fifteen starts. As a sophomore, he was third in the Easy Goer Stakes. He is trying to rebound off of a fifth place finish in his most recent start.
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