James Marvin Stakes 2013 at Saratoga Race Course

Las Vegas, NV – Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York opens for its summer meet on Friday, July 19. On the card are two graded stakes races. One is the $100,000 Grade 3 James Marvin Stakes, a seven furlong dash on Saratoga’s dirt track for horses three years old and upward.

The James Marvin Stakes has attracted a field of nine for race 8 on Saratoga’s Opening Friday card. Post time is 4:47 PM. Here is a brief glance into the past performances of all nine entries for this Grade 3 stakes – a local prep for the Grade 1 Forego Stakes August 31.

Sage Valley – Rudy Rodriguez trained colt had a string of three straight wins to end his 2012 campaign – the biggest being the minor Mr. Nasty Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct in November. After nearly six months away he returned May 18 to stretch his win streak to four in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths at Pimlico. Last time out was an uncharacteristic fifth in the Grade 2 True North Handicap at Belmont Park June 8. He has nine career starts with five wins and three third place finishes, is the highweight for the James Marvin and will be looking to get back to his winning ways Friday.

Souper Speedy – Thomas Albertini trained colt is coming off a nice win in the minor Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park June 7 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score May 23. His only graded stakes action came back in November – a very respectable second in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes to O’Prado Again at Aqueduct. He has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish in seven career starts and enters the James Marvin in very good form.

Politicallycorrect – is coming off a third in the minor Jaipur Stakes June 7 after a sixth in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes in May and a nearly six month layoff. He did have a pair of minor stakes wins last fall but ended 2012 with a distant eighth in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in December. Politicallycorrect has four wins, three seconds and three third place finishes in 16 career starts for trainer Wesley Ward but hasn’t tasted victory since the Damascus Stakes November 3.

Right To Vote – finished a very nice second in the 2012 Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes but has failed to place in two graded stakes races since. He has won two of his last three starts however – the minor Kelly’s Landing Stakes by five lengths at the James Marvin distance last time out at Churchill Downs June 29 and an Allowance Optional Claiming three back. He will be looking to get back on the radar after a disappointing ninth in his last graded stakes action – the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes May 3.

James Marvin Stakes betting at Saratoga Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

Laurie’s Rocket – has nine career starts already this year for trainer D. Wayne Lukas with three wins earlier this year in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming and the minor Count Fleet Stakes at Oaklawn Park in March. He enters the James Marvin off a second in the minor Kelly’s Landing Stakes behind Right To Vote at Churchill Downs June 29 after a trio of thirds in graded stakes action – the Grade 2 True North Handicap, the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap and the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes. He has placed in eight of nine starts this year and looks good ahead of the James Marvin.

Strapping Groom – races in graded stakes company for the first time Friday but enters having won three times and finishing second twice in his last five starts overall. Last time out was a nice 3 1/2 length win in the 6 1/2 furlong minor Lion Cavern Stakes at Belmont Park June 26 after a second in a Claiming and an unfortunate 11 month layoff. Strapping Groom has six wins, five seconds and a third place finish in 19 career starts.

Jaguar Paw – Chad Brown pupil secured his first stakes win last time out in the minor Three Coins Up Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths over Love to Run June 14. Before that he won two of three Allowance Optional Claiming races – all in 2013. He has five wins in 20 career starts with three of those scores coming in his last four starts overall but the last time he raced this distance he finished eighth in the Grade 2 Play The King Stakes back in August.

Hello Lover – is a veteran of 33 career races but Friday marks his graded stakes debut. He has placed in his last eight starts including four wins against lesser competition but along the way picked up a second in the Jennings Handicap, a third in the Auld Lang Syne Stakes and a third last time out in the Donald LeVine Memorial Handicap at the James Marvin distance June 22 at Parx. He has look good but Friday marks an enormous step up in competition.

Willyconker – had a streak of four wins and two seconds at the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 but he hasn’t been the same since. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Hollywood Park May 25 after a fourth in a similar race three weeks earlier. His best career result came in March 2012 a win in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile in upset fashion at 10-1 odds but in two graded stakes starts since he has a ninth and a tenth respectively. All of his North American starts have come on the West Coast – 25 to be exact. He has eight wins, four seconds and three thirds in those 25 starts.

Race 8 on Saratoga Race Course’s Friday card with a Post Time of 4:47 PM.