How to bet the Mahony Stakes

Nine sophomores will speed 5 1/2 panels over the Saratoga turf in Sunday’s $175,000 Mahony S. (G3). It’s hard to look past #9 Governor Sam (1-1) following his dominant score in the Quick Call S. (G3) on the surface most recently. Trained by George Weaver, the fleet son of Improbable had a fine juvenile season in winning a trio of stakes races and coming home a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar. 

Mahony Wagers

• $5 trifecta key 9 with 3,6,8 ($30)
• $2 trifecta 3,6,8 with 9 with 3,6,8 ($12)

Governor Sam was not super sharp in his first pair of assignments this season, but relished the return to The Spa most recently on the oval, where he broke his maiden as a two-year-old. The colt showed a new dimension last time when rating off the pace before taking over in the lane, and a repeat of that performance will make him impossible to ignore with Irad Ortiz, Jr. retaining the ride. 

#8 Gabaldon (8-1) is a healthy number on the morning line and looms large in his second start of 2025. Jose D’Angelo's pupil was a stakes winner in his debut run at Gulfstream Park prior to finishing a fine second in the Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot in his second lifetime showing. The gelded son of Gone Astray tired late when third in his first try of 2025 but has trained well in the interim, and the bargain $9,000 purchase will be a force to be reckoned with second time off the shelf with a clean break from the gate. Jose Ortiz has the assignment. 

I’m very intrigued with #3 Saturday Flirt (6-1) as Wesley Ward thinks enough of the filly to run her with the boys in this heat. The Mendelssohn sophomore drove home an impressive heroine in the off-the-turf Soaring Softly S. on the main oval here last time and gets back on her preferred turf strip on this occasion. The Kentucky-bred miss has plenty of room for improvement with just four lifetime runs to her credit, and she will be doing her best work late under Frankie Dettori. 

I feel that #6 No Evidence (6-1) will do better on firm turf for Clement. The bay colt displayed a lot of ability at Gulfstream earlier this season and is better than his third in the Quick Call most recently. I envision the son of Vekoma will be forcing the pace from the opening bell under Manny Franco.