On Saturday at Belmont Park, some of the top two-year-olds will try to position themselves for a spot in the Breeders Cup Juvenile and potentially, next year, a bid at the Triple Crown. The Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, run at a mile on the main track, has drawn a field of six to compete for the winners share of $500,000.
Daredevil has been installed as the morning line favorite at odds of 2-1 and will break from the outside post for trainer Todd Pletcher. Purchased for $260,000 as a yearling, the chestnut son of More Than Ready won his debut effort over an off track at Belmont Park in September. Javier Castellano will be aboard, replacing John Velazquez who is in Keeneland to pilot Wise Dan.
Second choice at morning line odds of 5-2 is El Kabeir for trainer John Terranova. Purchased for $250,000 by Zayat Stables, the gray son of Scat Daddy delivered impressively in his second career start after finishing third in his debut at Saratoga. Irad Ortiz, Jr., aboard for his maiden win, will be back in the irons and they will break from the rail. He has had consecutive bullet workouts since his last race.
Also in the field is Upstart, a New York-bred son of Flatter trained by Rick Violette. Tabbed at 7-2 on the morning line, the ridgling has won both career starts and earned his first stakes win last time out in the Funny Cide at Saratoga. Both victories have come against restricted state-bred company and he has been training at Aqueduct since his last race. Jose Ortiz will be back aboard from post position two.
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