Horse Racing Betting – Race for Second Place in Woodward

Many horse racing bettors have resigned themselves to the proposition that Quality Road is going to win the Woodward Stakes on Saturday, but there is still a race for second place in the event because the exotics always figure big. Who wins that? Or, can one of these horses actually pull an upset? Let’s talk about it. Quality Road is the -500 Woodward betting favorite, and he’s priced at -2000 to finish second in a special proposition.

Woodward Stakes
Saturday, September 4
Saratoga Race Course
Post Time – 5:48 PM ET

Betting Odds – Top 2 Finish

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1 Convocation +200
2 Mine That Bird +335
3 Quality Road -2000
4 Arcodoro +1000
5 Indian Dance +700
6 Tranquil Manner +500
7 Mythical Power +400

CONVOCATION (+200 to come in top two in the Woodward betting odds) won an optional claimer in his last race, and posted a Beyer figure of 103. That’s important because it was at the same distance as the Woodward. Convocation was beaten seven lengths by Quality Rod in the Grade I Metropolitan at Belmont, and Haynesfield had too much for him in the Suburban on July 3.

MINE THAT BIRD (+335 to finish in top two in the horse racing betting odds) had that dramatic finish to win the Kentucky Derby last year, then raced second to Rachel Alexander (last year’s Woodward champ) in the Preakness, but has been out of the money four straight times. He failed in the Whitney after getting a run on turf, which constituted an odd placement by trainer D. Wayne Lukas. There’s a jockey change from Calvin Borel to Rajiv Maragh, and the horse is in the third start of a form cycle. There’s been too much disappointment, and the magic seems gone.

ARCODORO (+1000 to finish top two in the Woodward betting odds) has had one start on dirt, winning an allowance race at this distance on July 31, and that was by far his best Beyer figure. He also has, by far, less winnings than anyone in this field ($95 k). It took nine starts to break maiden, and was beaten pretty easily in Grade 2 company. Arcodoro is expected to be the early speed, and Quality Road would simply like to rate right behind him.

INDIAN DANCE (+700 odds to finish first or second) laid off for a while, then ran a 94 Beyer figure in his last race. His best race at the distance was in a $62K stakes race at Laurel back in March, winning by a couple lengths against an undistinguished field. This is his first graded stakes start, and will be ridden by Kent Desourmeaux, who last piloted him to 8th place in a maiden race last August.

MYTHICAL POWER (+400 odds for a top two finish) has the combo of jockey Garrett Gomez and trainer Bob Baffert working for him, and ran on synthetic his last time out. This four-year-old colt didn’t hit the board against Grade 2 company in the Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows on June 26, at this distance. A bullet work at five furlongs at Saratoga last week. This horse is faster on dirt but also at shorter distances.

And finally, my play here…

TRANQUIL MANNER (+500 odds to come first or second) was off nine weeks and broke last in his only race at a mile and an eighth, and came on very strong at the end, posting a 94 Beyer and winning by a length on this oval. Granted, it was in an optional claimer, but this horse demonstrated some genuine late speed, and if there is a speed duel between Arcodoro and Quality Road on the front end, you never know – this grandson of Seattle Slew, who commanded $150K as a yearling, may be the beneficiary. Count on a late move – hey, you saw what happened to Rachel Alexandra, right? Like Drosselmeyer, who was my pick in the Belmont, there was more expected from this horse, and maybe, at this distance, he’s ready to deliver. I’m putting him in the exotics and also placing a win ticket on him at +1500 in the Woodward Stakes betting odds.

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