Casa Creed wins the 2022 renewal of the Fourstardave (Chelsie Raabe)
Winner Gains Automatic Berth into $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Defending victor Casa Creed faces a stiff challenge from the Todd Pletcher-trained duo of Annapolis and Emmanuel in Saturday’s $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap (G1) on turf at Saratoga Race Course live on FOX, with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET. The race winner will earn an automatic starting position, and fees paid, into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 Graded/Group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
The 1-mile Fourstardave, with a scheduled post time of 5:44 p.m. ET, headlines a three-hour broadcast on “FOX Saratoga Saturday” from Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The program will also include the listed $150,000 Galway Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf for 3-year-old fillies, and the $200,000 Herb Moelis Memorial Saratoga Special (G2) for 2-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.
Saturday’s show will be hosted by Laffit Pincay III, who will be joined by analysts Tom Amoss, Jonathon Kinchen, analyst/reporter Richard Migliore, and reporters Acacia Clement and Maggie Wolfendale. Frank Mirahmadi will call the races.
Seven-year-old Casa Creed, the 7-5 morning line favorite, will be making his fourth consecutive Fourstardave appearance. Owned by LRE Racing and JEH Racing, Casa Creed finished third in the 2020 and 2021 editions of the race before scoring a 1 1/2-length victory in last year’s renewal. A winner of more than $2 million in career earnings, Casa Creed won his first race of 2023 on July 15 when he captured the 1-mile Kelso Stakes (G3) at Saratoga. Luis Saez has the mount from post six.
Casa Creed is trained by Bill Mott, who has won the Fourstardave five times, including in 2016 with Tourist, who later that year won the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park.
Todd Pletcher has entered two main threats to Casa Creed in Bass Racing LLC’s 4-year-old Annapolis and Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC’s 4-year-old Emmanuel. Multiple graded stakes winner Annapolis, the 8-5 morning line second choice, finished second to Casa Creed as the 4-5 favorite in the Kelso. A winner six times in 10 starts, Annapolis won his seasonal debut, capturing the listed Opening Verse Stakes May 4 at Churchill Downs. Saratoga’s leading rider and four-time Eclipse Award winner, Irad Ortiz Jr., has the call from post four.
Emmanuel has won three of five starts this year, beginning with back-to-back triumphs this winter in Florida, taking the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3) and the Canadian Turf Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. After defeats in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland and the Dinner Party (G3) at Pimlico, he came from off the pace to win the June 10 Poker Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park. Jose Ortiz will ride Emmanuel from post one.
Mark Casse has entered three in the race, led by Brazilian-bred 5-year-old Ice Chocolat, who finished second in the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) at Woodbine and was fourth in the Kelso. Joel Rosario will ride Ice Chocolat from post seven.
In the Galway Stakes, the Wesley Ward-trained Love Reigns (IRE), winner of the listed FanDuel Limestone Stakes in April at Keeneland, is the 5-2 morning line favorite.
Rhyme Schemes, trained by Norm Casse, has been made the 4-5 morning favorite in the Herb Moelis Memorial Saratoga Special off his 9 1/2-length gate-to-wire romp when breaking his maiden June 15 at Ellis Park going 5 1/2 furlongs.
