Exotics Plays for the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes

An outstanding cast of eight dashers will run six panels on the Saratoga dirt in Saturday’s $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. (G2). The race features seven graded stakes winners, with a trio of those being Grade 1 victors, and there is not much separating the talented contenders. 

Vanderbilt Exotics

• $5 exacta key box 4 with 1,5,7 ($30)
• 50-cent trifecta box 1,4,5,7 ($12)

My leading selection, #4 Mullikin, captured the 2024 Forego S. (G1) on the course by a commanding 5 3/4 lengths and will make his third run of the season. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the high-quality son of Violence has very good early foot combined with a strong closing kick, and he is more than capable at six furlongs, too. The $500,000 yearling purchase ran a strong fifth in the Churchill Downs S. (G1) to commence his season, prior to finishing a very good second in the True North S. (G3) on the surface most recently. 

#5 Book'em Dano is a Grade 1 winner on the strip and is surely one of the better one-turn horses in training for conditioner Derek Ryan. The Bucchero gelding is three-for-three at the distance, two-for-three with a third on the oval, and he comes off a strong score in the True North over my top pick last time out, as well. He is a must-use beneath Paco Lopez. 

Bill Mott’s #7 Baby Yoda often morphs into another animal at The Spa and could run with most horses on his best day at this venue. Prospective gelding cruised home an emphatic winner of the 2024 True North on the oval and was last seen making easy work of allowance runners at Aqueduct, too. The dark bay could enjoy a good stalking voyage in the dash, and the Florida-bred will add a lot of value to the exotics with Dylan Davis taking the reins. 

#1 Skelly led for the majority of the race last campaign before being run down late by defending champ #8 Nakatomi in the final yards. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Skelly has compiled a superb 22-12-7-0 mark in his lifetime and is two-for-three this season. While the son of Practical Joke didn’t fire most recently, he comes in fresh with good works and will be the one to catch while breaking from the rail. Regular pilot Ricardo Santana, Jr., will be in the silks once again.