How to bet the 2025 Ballston Spa Stakes

A total of nine fillies and mares are entered for the turf in Friday’s feature at Saratoga, the $300,000 Ballston Spa S. (G2). The 1 1/16-mile turf affair attracted an excellent cast of ladies in what is a challenging handicapping assignment, in my opinion. 

Ballston Spa Wagers

• $12 win and place #2 Whiskey Decision ($24)
• 50-cent trifecta 1,2,9 with 1,2,9 with all ($21)

#2 Whiskey Decision (6-1) looked like a star in the making last season prior to going off form to close out her sophomore campaign. Transferred to Chad Brown leading into 2025, the Into Mischief four-year-old looked like the best version of herself with a facile win in the Eatontown S. (G3) at Monmouth Park off the bench on June 14. The homebred defeated a nice cast in her seasonal debut and comes in fresh with an expected move forward second time off the shelf. Kentucky-bred bay is well drawn to save some ground on the back side, and her tactical speed will provide Manny Franco options throughout the tilt. She will need a career best to take down this deep cast, but I feel that she will be ready to produce at a nice price. 

Cherie DeVaux’s #9 Deep Satin (5-1) earned a 101 Brisnet Late Pace rating for her game win in one of the divisions of the Del La Rose S. on the course last time out. By American Pharoah, the four-year-old filly is two-for-two on the local green and figures to sit a fine trip behind a swift and contested pace in the heat. The Kentucky-bred smashed a rapid four panels on the Oklahoma training surface in advance of this assignment and will have Jose Ortiz in the irons. 

Gamely S. (G1) romper #1 Be Your Best (9-5) has never been better, with graded tallies in four of her last five assignments. The Saffie Joseph pupil is a two-time winner at The Spa and has shown her versatility in winning from eight to 11 furlongs during her recent stretch. The Muhaarar mare does like to show speed from the start, and I am concerned that she could receive a difficult voyage with so much pace drawn to her outside, however. The bay remains an obvious win contender, nonetheless, with Irad retaining the mount.