Betting With, and Against, Built in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes

A talented and competitive field of eight will dash six panels on the main oval at Saratoga in Saturday’s $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2). Grade 3 winner #8 Built (8-5) has seemingly found his niche as a one-turn specialist since focusing on sprint endeavors and is the one to beat for trainer Wayne Catalano. 

Built – With

• $1 superfecta 8 with 1,4,6 with 1,4,6 with all ($30)

• 50-cent superfecta 8 with 1,4,6 with all with 1,4,6 ($15)

Built – Against

• $4 exacta box 1,4,6 ($24)

• $1 trifecta 1,4,6 with 1,4,6,8 with 1,4,6,8 ($18)

The Hard Spun colt earned his biggest win to date when eclipsing the 2024 Gunrunner S. at Fair Grounds, and following some setbacks after a sharp runner-up in the Lecomte (G3) and a third in the Risen Star (G2), the colt cut back to dashes in December following a poor effort over the sloppy going at Churchill in the Pat Day Mile (G2). He rebounded as a smart allowance winner at six furlongs at Fair Grounds to conclude his three-year-old season. The colt ran well in the Colonel Power S. on the grass in his four-year-old bow but returned to the main strip, and the $260,000 purchase has been sharp ever since. 

Built was a very good runner-up in the Bango (G3) at Churchill Downs in his last venture and has posted a pair of solid morning moves in Louisville in the interim. The Kentucky-bred bay has good early speed but prefers a target, and I can see him enjoying a fine voyage just off the pace leading up to the turn for home with Irad taking the reins. 

The Ron Moquett-trained #6 Hymn (5-1) has never been better, with a trio of wins in succession leading up to Saturday, led by a powerful stakes triumph at Laurel last time out. The McKinzie four-year-old has increased his Brisnet Speed ratings in five races in a row and is too sharp to ignore while making his graded debut in his first local appearance. The Kentucky-bred gelding will stalk the action from a few lengths off the early tempo before being asked for his best at the top of the lane beneath Ricardo Santana, Jr. 

Bill Mott’s #1 Damon’s Mound (4-1) has won four of his last five races in advance of this one and was also a graded winner on this surface in his juvenile campaign. The six-year-old son of Girvin sports a smart 11-6-2-2 mark at the distance; he has positive experience on the strip, and the bay also has the speed from the gate to be close from the break. Junior Alvarado will guide the Florida-bred.

Grade 3 victor #4 Just Beat the Odds (9-2), one of two in the field for Gregory Sacco, was a close second in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia two back and will make his second run since returning from the desert. The consistently good son of Munnings has been in the exacta in 12 of 15 career runs and has to be included with Manny Franco riding.