up

Diana Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will play host to the Grade 1 Diana Stakes this Saturday, July 19. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be featured as they take to Saratoga's turf track and go 1 1/8 miles for a healthy purse of $500,000.

A strong field of 10 will line up in the Diana Stakes - race 10 on Saratoga's Saturday card. Post time is 5:46 PM. Let's take a brief look into the past performances of all 10 entries for this lucrative Grade 1 stakes.

Horse Race Betting at Saratoga Race Course

- Open OTB Account
Horse Racing Rebates

2014 Diana Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Alterite - French bred filly was last seen running third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf eight months ago for trainer Chad Brown. She made her North American debut last September 14 - a terrific win in the Grade 1 Garden City Stakes at Belmont Park and followed that with a good second in the Grade 1 QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 12. She had nine starts at home with three wins, two seconds and a third place finish. She hadn't won since March before the Garden City and had some rough results in some big races in France - a sixth in the Grade 1 Prix de Diane Longines-French Oaks and a tenth in the Grade 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-French One Thousand Guineas. But Alterite has placed in all three North American starts and looks to be on the cusp ahead of this weekend. Javier Castellano has the mount on the 3-1 morning line favorite from post 8.

Emollient - Bill Mott trained Emollient has 14 career starts with five wins, three seconds and a third place finish. She had a terrific nine length win in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland at 6-1 odds April 6, 2013, a win in the Grade 1 American Oaks July 13 and a win in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes also at Keeneland October 6 of last year. She was second to Miss Serendipity last time out in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita May 26 after a third in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland in April and two straight fourth place finishes - in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes March 16 and after setting the pace in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Emollient looks like she is rounding back into stellar form. Joel Rosario will be in the saddle of the 7-2 second choice and 123 pound highweight from post 4 as Emollient looks for her first win since October and her fourth Grade 1 score overall.

Diana Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Discreet Marq - Christophe Clemente pupil has been terrific the last year - she hadn't finished worse than second in eight starts (four wins and four seconds) before a somewhat disappointing fourth at 5-2 odds last time out in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 7. Before that was a second in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keenaland April 12 after a second by a nose in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Hollywood Park December 1, a win in the listed Pebbles Stakes in October, a second in the Grade 1 Garden City in September and a nice win in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in October. She also won the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes last May and the listed Eventail Stakes in July. Discreet Marq has been at or near the top in every start in 16 months - more of the same is expected Saturday. Irad Ortiz has the call aboard the 5-1 third choice from post 6.

Stephanie's Kitten - had a very productive Juvenile campaign in which she won or placed in all five starts (three wins and two third place finishes) including the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and the 2011 Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes. She was a leading Juvenile filly on dirt and turf in 2011 and looked OK in 2012 as well - wins in the Grade 1 Lake Placid Stakes and the minor Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs in May. She ended her 2012 campaign with a disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 QE II Challenge Cup and then took 6 1/2 months off. She had just three starts in 2013 - a great win in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile over Hungry Island, another impressive score over Better Lucky in the 2013 Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes and a third in July in the 2013 Dania Beach. Stephanie's Kitten has just two starts in 2014 and hasn't looked great - a very disappointing eighth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland and a fifth in the Just a Game Stakes June 7 at Belmont Park. She hopes to bounce back after an unflattering stretch with Lanfranco Dettori in the irons from post 8 at 6-1 odds.

Tannery - made her 2014 debut with a good win in the minor Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth Park May 26 and followed that with a good second last time out in the Grade 2 New York Stakes June 28. She had a respectable third in the Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct to end 2013 after her best career result - a nice win as favorite in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine October 27. She also won last year's Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay and had a good second behind Laughing in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park September 28. She has participated in some huge races against the boys in the past and has fared well. Tannery has 22 career starts with seven wins, five seconds and two third place finishes and should be competitive Saturday. She leaves at 6-1 odds from the outside post with Joe Lezcano aboard.

Diana Stakes betting online at Saratoga Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

Strathnaver - H. Graham Motion pupil had two wins and a second place finish in nine starts in Britain before shipping. Her American debut was a good one - an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream last March 16 in record time for 1 3/16 miles on turf and she followed that with another impressive win in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at 18-1 odds at Keeneland April 25. She struggled in two starts after that - a seventh and an eighth in graded stakes action but bounced back with as nice win in the minor Lady Baltimore Stakes at Laurel Park September 21. Strathnaver has been OK in four starts since - a fourth in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap in October was followed by a third in the Grade 3 My Charmer Handicap at Calder in December, a fourth in her first 2014 start - the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland April 18 and a good second at 17-1 odds last time out behind Coffee Clique in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes June 7. She starts at 10-1 odds from post 5 with John Velazquez aboard.

Abaco - consistent Shug McGaughey trained mare really came on toward the end of 2013 with a win in the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs November 9 after a second in the Grade 3 Athenia Stakes October 12 and another second in the minor Lady Baltimore Stakes in September. She had a bit of a stumble to start her 2014 campaign - a fourth in the Grade 3 Marshua's River Stakes at Gulfstream January 4 but has since but has recently recorded a pair of thirds in graded stakes action - in the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes February 8 and in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland April 12. Last time out she continued to improve by finishing second in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Stakes at Belmont Park May 24. Abaco also had a nice four race win streak (no stakes) at the end of 2012 as well. She has five wins, eight seconds and four third place finishes in 22 career starts and will be looking for her first win of 2014. Jose Ortiz gets the call from post 2 at 12-1 odds.

Somali Lemonade -Michael Matz trained mare recorded a win in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial over Miz Ida and Pianist at Parx last July 2 - a race that put her on the map. She had been mostly disappointing before she caught fire at the start of 2014. She won the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico May 17 after and Allowance score in April and a second in the Grade 3 Marshua's River Stakes in January at Gulfstream. Last time out she continued to look good - a third in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 7. Somali Lemonade has 21 career starts with five wins, three seconds and three third place finishes and certainly trending upward ahead of this weekend. Luis Saez rides from post 3 at 12-1 odds.

Solid Appeal - Reade Baker trained multiple graded stakes winner and Sovereign Award winner as Canada's top turf female won three of six starts last year including the Grade 3 Nassau Stakes in upset fashion and the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes July 7 - both stakes wins at Woodbine. She went on to a couple of disappointing results in graded action before she finished 2013 with an OK third in November in the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs. Her first start this year was a fifth behind Sisterly Love among others in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland April 18 and her only other start was a nice repeat win in the Grade 3 Nassau Stakes May 25. Solid Appeal has placed in just two of her last five starts but a win last time out certainly has her going in the right direction. Julien Leparoux rides from the rail Saturday at 15-1 odds.

Caroline Thomas - Barclay Tagg trained filly has 16 career starts with four wins, a second and four third place finishes. She had eight starts in 2013 which included an upset win in the Grade 2 Lake Placid over Watsdachances and Concise. She has five starts in 2014 - an OK third in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland April 24 and a decent third in the third in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 12 being the best results. She has placed in just two of her last five starts overall but is coming off a win against some lesser competition. Joe Rocco Jr. will be in the saddle from gate 7 at 20-1 odds.


2014 Diana Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 10 on Saratoga Race Course's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:46 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Solid Appeal J. Leparoux R. Baker
15-1
2 Abaco J. Ortiz C. McGaughey III
12-1
3 Somali Lemonade L. Saez M. Matz
12-1
4 Emollient J. Rosario W. Mott
7-2
5 Strathnaver (GB) J. Velazquez H. Motion
10-1
6 Discreet Marq I. Ortiz, Jr. C. Clement
5-1
7 Caroline Thomas J. Rocco, Jr. B. Tagg
20-1
8 Alterite (FR) J. Castellano C. Brown
3-1
9 Stephanie's Kitten L. Dettori C. Brown
6-1
10 Tannery (IRE) J. Lezcano A. Goldberg
6-1

Live Racing Schedule

Race Tracks Time (EST)