How to bet the 2026 Madison Stakes

An octet of accomplished fillies and mares will run seven-eighths on the dirt at Keeneland on Saturday in the lucrative, $650,000 Madison (G1).

Seven of the fillies have achieved previous glory in the graded stakes ranks in what is a fantastic rendition of the affair.

Madison Stakes Wagers

• $15 win and place #4 Ragtime ($30)
• $1 Trifecta: 4 with 1,6,7 with ALL ($18)

I expect the pace of the race to be sharp with #5 Grand Job and #6 R Disaster (3-1) establishing swift early splits, and the tactics will aid the late-running #4 Ragtime (5-1) in her four-year-old debut.

Trained by Bill Mott, the Godolphin homebred rallied from off the pace to win the first pair of outings of her career prior to missing by a neck in the Test (G1) at Saratoga in the summer. A clear winner of the Dogwood (G3) at Churchill Downs in her fourth lifetime try, the daughter of Union Rags closed with huge energy to be third in the deep Raven Run (G2) on the oval in October in her penultimate start of 2025. 

Ragtime is something of a specialist at the distance, evidenced by her 5-3-1-1 mark at seven-eighths, and she has been training steadily since January in preparation for her comeback. John Velazquez will guide the chestnut and have her rolling home inside the final furlong. 

The aforementioned R Disaster, one of two in the field for Saffie Joseph, might be the fleetest runner in the cast and has been an impressive first or second in each of her 14 lifetime assignments to date. The Awesome Slew five-year-old will be sent from the break with Tyler Gaffalione in the silks, and she will be tough to reel in if she clears the group. 

#1 Eclatant (4-1) is far from the most consistent runner in the field, but the Brad Cox pupil ran big at Gulfstream Park in her four-year-old debut, and the filly can be very good on her best day. Irad riding adds to her appeal. #7 Praying (20-1) was placed in an ambitious spot for her first run of the season, but she really likes Keeneland and could get a fine stalking trip on this occasion at a big price under Joel Rosario.